Page 22 of Somebody to Save
I knew where everything was. Where the craft supplies, Valentine’s Day decorations, and the back-up bingo supplies were. But anyone else would probably have the same reaction.
“How—there is so much stuff in here,” he muttered.
I took the bag and ball machine from him, stacking them in the bingo corner by the wine fridge.
“There is. This is the only space I really have right now, so I’ve perfected my system. I know where everything is.”
“I believe you,” he said, eyeing the easels and leftover canvases from our art class a few weeks ago. He looked so out of place in his pristine suit surrounded by my chaos.
“I’m sure this is probably the opposite of what your office or house looks like. I can imagine everything has its place, and you don’t really like clutter.”
His eyes dropped to me, and suddenly the world felt much,muchsmaller.
“My apartment and my office, yes. You’re mostly right, but I kind of like your chaos and the color you bring to…everything.” He slowly peered down my body, and goose bumps erupted over every inch of my skin. He was good at compliments, I just didn’t know how to take them.
I glanced down at myself, my pink and orange sweater, light-wash jeans, and matching orange shoes.
“I am fond of color,” I said, offering him a small smile. When he returned it, one side of his mouth kicking up in a lopsided grin and flashing me that dimple, my stomach somersaulted. “I should probably get home. I have an event tomorrow.”
“An event you planned or are attending?”
He stepped to the side and let me exit the closet, turning off the light and shutting the door behind me. But he was still there, watching all my movements carefully.
I grabbed my bag and water bottle before turning off my computer for the night.
“One I helped plan,” I said. I waved for him to walk out of my office first so I could turn off the light and lock the door. “It’s an engagement party, and I have to be there early to help set up.”
“Oh, the one for the young couple?” he asked, and I wassurprised he remembered. I’d told him about it a few days ago, but we’d talked about a lot of other things since then.
“Yeah, the young couple.”
He opened the front door for me, and I was thankful that the cold night air cooled my warm cheeks.
“Where’s your car?”
I cringed and pointed to my little silver car parked in one of the first spaces. “I’m right next to you.” I didn’t miss the very obvious contradiction between our cars. His pretty black sports car looked expensive. I think it was a Porsche, but it was hard to tell in the dark.
And it looked even better next to my little beat-up Toyota.
We walked over together, in silence, and my anxiety ramped up with each step. Goodbyes were always weird, but they were worse when it was my previous one-night stand and a man who wasn’t shy about how much he wanted more from me.
I didn’t know if he’d kiss me again, but if he did, I wouldn’t have the willpower to stop him. I was craving another taste, another touch.
“I know I kind of already explained that the law firm I run, it was my dad’s first,” he said.
We stopped at my car, and I tossed my bag over the driver’s seat and onto the passenger’s side. Turning back around, I hugged my arms around myself to keep the chill away as best I could.
When we’d texted, we’d talked a lot about his career and family. He’d asked about mine, too. I was just less willing to give up the nitty-gritty details. Beckett, however, was an open book.
“Anyway,” he continued. “We’re about to start planning the thirtieth anniversary party. I usually use Grant Events. My office manager, Natalie, is best friends with Caroline, the owner. But maybe you’d be interested in the business? Or the company you work for?”
My eyebrows shot up, and I rolled my lips, trying to hide myexpression. But as usual, I didn’t do the best job, and Beckett’s eyes narrowed.
Rather than keep up the pretense, I sighed and dropped my hands. “You should just use Grant Events.”
“Really? Why is that?”
“Because I work there, too. So, if you do the freaking party with Caroline, it’s likely I’ll end up helping out with it, too.”
