Page 52 of The Nerds and the CEO

On my way out.

It was five on a Friday. That made sense.Thirty seconds then.

Through the doorway, he saw her shoulders slump. She stood and strolled into his office. He nodded at the door, and she shut it.

“I know I don’t have any right to press, but it’s clear something’s wrong.” He kept his tone gentle and sympathetic, to not aggravate whatever this was. “I’m grilling tonight, and I’ve got an extra steak if you want to keep me company. No obligation to talk, though the offer is there.” Was he asking her out? No. This was the concerned gesture of a friend.

“You saidInotwe.”

He shrugged. “I got stood up. Hence the extra steak.”

She looked up, her smile looking more genuine than it had all day. “That sounds nice.”

“I’m not firing up the grill for a few hours, so I’ll give you my address, and you can head over when you’re ready.”

She turned her gaze to her shuffling feet. “Would you mind if I followed you over now? Or, rather, when you leave for the day? Is that all right?”

“Absolutely.” It was more than all right. It made his pulse skip in a way he didn’t expect. “In fact, I’m ready to go now."

The corners of her eyes pulled up, as more of the tension lifted from her face. She let out a half-sigh, half-chuckle. “Sounds perfect.”

Joy nudged Antonio’s thoughts, at the realization he was the cause of that. He’d do an awful lot to keep her smiling.Where did that come from? He and Emily had a friendship, at best. A shared connection he’d only felt with a handful of other people, but still friendship.

He didn’t know which was worse—that he was trying so hard to convince himself it was true, or that he didn’t believe it.

Chapter Eighteen

“YOU’RE TELLING ME YOUhave this gorgeous home and you never spend any time here?” Awe filled Emily’s voice. She stood in Antonio’s foyer, gaze drifting around the living room. It was nice to see her more calm than an hour ago.

Antonio laughed. “I only miss it when I think about it.” He gestured toward the plush furniture. “Have a seat. Can I get you a beer or anything?”

“No.” The word landed sharply between them, and she frowned. “The last thing I need right now is alcohol sucking me back into the pit.”

The verbal confirmation something was bothering her brought his curiosity back. “This is the last time I’ll ask. Tell me to fuck off if you don’t want to talk about it,” he said. “What’s wrong?”

She sank onto his loveseat and nodded at the spot next to her. “You’re hovering. It’s awkward.”

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