Page 96 of Romance and Peppermint Lattes
“I thought we were better than that.”
“We?”
“Naturally I’m only as good as my partner.”
“Th-then how do you rate me?” She had to ask. Like a fool she handed him the ax and laid her neck on the chopping board. Joe was sure to use the opportunity to trample all over her ego, to turn the whole bewildering experience into a joke. She couldn’t take that right now. She dropped her gaze, waiting for him to devastate her.
“Much improved.”
She cocked one eyebrow in surprise. She had no idea what to say next.
They were both silent. Then he said softly, “You know, Cait, we’re getting better at this. Much, much better.” He pressed his forehead to hers. “If we’re not careful, you just might fall in love with me, after all.”
***
“Where were you all day Saturday?” Lindy asked early Monday morning, walking into Cait’s office. The renovations to it had been completed late Friday and Cait had moved everything back into her office first thing this morning. “I must have tried calling you ten times.”
“I told you I was going Christmas shopping. In fact, I bought some decorations for my office.”
Lindy nodded. “But all day?” Her eyes narrowed suspiciously as she set down her briefcase and leaned against Cait’s desk, crossing her arms. “You didn’t happen to be with Joe Rockwell, did you?”
Cait could feel a telltale shade of pink creeping up her neck. She lowered her gaze to the list of current Dow Jones stock prices and took a moment to compose herself. She couldn’t admit the truth. “I told you I was shopping,” she said somewhat defensively. Then, in an effort to change the topic, she reached for a thick folder with Paul’s name inked across the top and muttered, “You wouldn’t happen to know Paul’s schedule for the day, would you?”
“N-no, I haven’t seen him yet. Why do you ask?”
Cait flashed her friend a bright smile. “He phoned me Friday night. Oh, Lindy, I was so excited I nearly fell all over myself.” She dropped her voice as she glanced around to make sure none of the others could hear her. “I honestly think he intends to ask me out.”
“Did he say so?”
“Not exactly.” Cait frowned. Lindy wasn’t revealing any of the enthusiasm she expected.
“Then why did he phone?”
Cait rolled her chair away from the desk and glanced around once again. “I think he might be jealous,” she whispered.
“Really?” Lindy’s eyes widened.
“Don’t look so surprised.” Cait, however, was much too excited recounting Paul’s phone call to be offended by Lindy’s attitude.
“What makes you think Paul would be jealous?” Lindy asked next.
“Maybe I’m magnifying everything in my own mind because it’s what I so badly want to believe. But he did phone...”
“What did he say?” Lindy pressed, sounding more curious now. “It seems to me he must have had a reason.”
“Oh, he did. He mentioned something about appreciating an article I’d given him, but we both know that was just an excuse. What clued me in to his jealousy was the way he kept asking if I was alone.”
“But that could’ve been for several different reasons, don’t you think?” Lindy suggested.
“Yes, but it made sense that he’d want to know if Joe was at the apartment or not.”
“And was he?”
“Of course not,” Cait said righteously. She didn’t feel guilty about hiding the fact that he’d been there earlier, or that they’dspent nearly all of Saturday together. “I’m sure Joe’s ridiculous remark when I left the office on Friday is what convinced Paul to phone me. If I wasn’t so furious with Joe, I might even be grateful.”
“What’s that?” Lindy asked abruptly, pointing to the folder in front of Cait. Her lips had thinned slightly as if she was confused or annoyed—about what, Cait couldn’t figure out.
“This, my friend,” she began, holding up the folder, “is the key to my future with our dedicated manager.”
