Page 9 of The Anti-Bachelorette (The Anti-Bachelorette 1)

Chapter 4

Luckily I didn’t have to see Alaric all weekend. I don’t know how I am going to face him today at work. I still can’t believe what I did. Imagining that asshole that way. Ugh. What is wrong with me?

By the time noon rolls around, I still haven’t seen Alaric, so I am grateful for that. I also have been avoiding Tyler. I am not exactly sure why. I just started doubting how I feel about the guy, which is just great because he’ll be coming with me to my dad’s barbeque this weekend. I’m going to have to talk to him eventually this week or it’s going to be really awkward come Friday.

I am about to head out for lunch because I never have the motivation to pack a lunch on Mondays, when my office door opens and in walks Alaric with a bag of food.

He sits across from me at my desk and sets the food down and starts pulling items out. I just look at him funny. “Uhm...what are you doing?”

He motions to the food like it’s obvious. “Feeding you.”

I raise an eyebrow at him. “You bought me food? Why?”

He just grunts and takes a seat across from me. “Your dad said you never bring food on Mondays, so he usually takes you out. We can’t have his precious little baby going hungry now, so I am filling in.”

I just laugh out, “I am perfectly capable of going and getting my own food.”

He goes to reach for the food he just set out for me. “Okay, then I’ll just bring this to the guys.”

I stop his hand before he can pull it back toward him. “No. I’m sorry. Thanks.”

I don’t know why I gave in to his asshole ways today, but I am pretty sure it has something to do with how hungry I am and the fact that he bought my favorite burrito from the little Mexican stand down the street. I grab the burrito and unwrap the foil and take a huge bite. I am still chewing when I look back up at Alaric. He is just staring at me stunned. I ask with my mouth full of food. “What?”

He shakes his head in disbelief. “Did you just say thank you?”

I swallow my food and just smile super big at him. “What can I say? Food is the way to my heart.”

Alaric chuckles and hands me the drink he had in the drink carrying case. “I’ll have to remember that for the future.”

I smirk back at him. “Why? You going to be needing favors from me in the future?” I take another bite of my burrito and some black beans fall from my mouth down onto my desk.

Alaric doesn’t answer me and instead just hands me some napkins from the bag of food. “Has anyone ever told you that you eat like a bear?”

I scrunch my face up into a mocking face and nod my head back and forth. “Ha ha. It’s not like I’m trying to impress you. Deal with it”

Alaric raises his eyebrows in understanding. “Ahh...so if say Tyler were in the room, you’d take out a fork and knife?”

I stick my tongue out at him. I know real mature. “No. I don’t change who I am for a guy.”

Alaric just lets out a huge laugh. “Oh really? Because I don’t seem to recall ever dealing with the Emory who is all ‘Oh Tyler, you’re so handsome and strong. I love watching you swing that hammer all day long.’” He bats his eyelashes for extra effect.

I just glare back at him. “I never said that.”

He nods his head to the side in challenge, so I continue. “And even if I did, that’s not changing who I am. I am just nice to those who are nice back. Considering you are in 24 hour asshole mode, you’ll never get to meet her.”

He just smirks back at me. As if Tyler knew we were talking about him, he knocks and then opens the office door. He takes a look at Alaric sitting there and the food spread across the desk and pauses. “Oh sorry. I didn’t realize you were in a meeting.”

I smile at him, but then Alaric pipes up. “Oh no. This isn’t a meeting. We are just hanging out.”He looks back over to me and smiles. I just glare back at him.

“Actually, I was just finishing up, and I have a lot of work yet to catch up on from my vacation. Alaric here was just leaving.”

Alaric surprisingly stands and grabs his bag of food that he’s barely touched yet, and then he leans down and mumbles. “Yeah, just finishing up because you ate the whole burrito in three bites.” He bites his lip and raises his eyebrows up and down at me.

I glare back at him. “Shut up.”

Alaric grabs his bag of food and taps the desk. “See you around Emory.” Then he turns and walks past Tyler without saying anything to him.

Tyler steps in closer and just pretends Alaric was never here. He walks up to my desk and hands me some papers. “Here is the paperwork from the plumbers work this morning.”

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