Page 91 of Wild Love
My face heats. I’m going to kill Johnny. And how exactly did he pull this off so fast? The card mocks me, but I don’t dare reach for it.
Reese leans back in his chair with a pen poised in one hand up near his mouth.
“Morning.”
Quinn stands and comes to sit on my desk. Reese rolls his chair closer.
“What’s going on?” I remove my laptop from my bag and set it on the desk, avoiding their stares.
“Are those from Jack?” Quinn asks. She makes like she’s going to take the card, and I block her.
“Jack?”
“Jack Wyld. The guy you made out with on national TV. Ringing any bells?” Quinn raises one accusatory eyebrow.
Right. The kiss cam. I’d all but forgotten it. Who would have thought that’d be the least interesting part of last night?
“No, they aren’t from Jack. That was nothing.”
“It didn’t look like nothing.” Quinn holds up her phone to show me.
I take the device and my stomach twists at the photo evidence of Jack and me kissing. It really was nothing, but I can see how it looks. Especially knowing Jack’s history. “Where did you find this?”
“There are a bunch more. People tagged Jack and the Wildcats. You’re everywhere.” Her gaze drops to my neck. “Nice hickey.”
My hand shoots to my neck, and I brush my hair over my shoulder to cover it.
“It isn’t what it looks like.”
Quinn shrugs. “Okay. What is it?”
“I went to the game with Jack and Maverick to watch Johnny throw the first pitch. That kiss lasted all of a second, and it was nothing. I’m not hooking up with Jack.”
Neither speaks.
“I’m not.”
Quinn stands and her gaze lifts over my shoulder. “Look less guilty.”
“Good morning, everyone.” Blythe, stunning as always, steps into our area. Her body language gives nothing away, but I stand in front of the flower arrangement on my desk.
“Morning,” we say in unison.
“Before you head off to your work assignments for the day, I wanted to make sure you all got the invite for the charity gala next Friday night?”
I breathe out a sigh of relief that she isn’t here for me. Also, another point for Johnny. I told him I’d only come to the gala if he made sure Quinn and Reese were going too. It’d look too suspicious if I were the only one.
“I already bought my dress,” Quinn says.
“It will be a great opportunity for you to see another aspect of the job and…” She pauses. “It’s a small way for me to thank you for all the hard work you’ve done this summer. I’ll pull you three from your rotation next Friday to help me set up.”
We groan. I’ve lifted enough tables and chairs this summer to last a lifetime. She laughs. “Everything will already be in place. No heavy lifting required. Great job, everyone. The reports from your rotations have been wonderful. You make me look good.” She takes a step closer to my desk, her smile never faltering. “Dakota, before you head to your rotation, can you stop by my office? It’ll only take a minute.”
Heat creeps up the back of my neck. “Sure. I’ll be right there.”
With a nod, she leaves, and I let out a shaky breath.Oh shit. Quinn shoots me anI told you solook. I grab my stuff for rotation and snatch the card from the flowers to read later.
Blythe is standing in her office next to a fancy-looking espresso machine fresh out of the box.
