Page 20 of Consumed By Desire

“Not exactly, but it’s always good to have a backup career. Don’t you think?”

He nods, deadpan. “Good plan. Being a waiter is my backup.”

“What about you, Julian?” I ask him. “What’s your next career?”

Asher laughs when Julian doesn’t respond. He didn’t even hear me since he’s already engrossed in some printouts. I’m actually glad he didn’t hear my joke. JJ’s way too invested in what we’re doing to joke about it. It’s not funny. What we’re doing is very serious work and it’s incredibly personal to him.

However I’ve always thought that a joke can help the mood and if you can’t enjoy your work, that’s no good. Just maybe not about this particular subject.

“You mind?” I ask Asher since Julian’s lost in the world of science once again.

“Do I mind that you’re inviting everyone under the sun to live in my home?” He shrugs. “Yes, but I know it makes practical sense.”

He gives me a pointed look. “Just for now. You can stay as long as you need to, but once everything’s in place for our launch, I’d like to have my place all to myself again. If not sooner.”

“You got it.” There’s an urgency to our work these days that we didn’t expect to have. The whole medical landscape is different since the pandemic. Different rules. Different objectives. And more importantly, far different timelines for making changes happen. We’re very lucky that we started our company before the world went to hell. There’s a lot morepressure to produce results that we didn’t have to work under in the Before Times.

So work’s tight and tense these days, and it doesn’t hurt to spend extra time with my two best friends. It’s been way too long since we’ve done anything social together, and it’s making me a little crazy.

Asher doesn’t need to know about my other reason for wanting all of us to be together. Not that I’d ever admit it to him anyway.

I’m in the middle of reviewing a spreadsheet when something that’s been tugging at the back of my mind comes to the forefront in a rush. I know who was at the door earlier. Elena Olson, who I knew back in high school.

I haven’t given that time of life a single thought in quite awhile. The moment it was over, I was done with it.

I was so into going to college, I couldn’t wait for it to start. All I wanted to do was get my life going and college was the way to do it. I was sure of it, and I was right. Here I am, one of the cofounders of the hottest new companies in Manhattan. Between Asher and Julian and I, we’ve accomplished amazing things and if we keep going, the future’s looking very bright.

Chapter 9

Elena

I can’t believe they only have three elevators in a 70 story building. Who’s idea was that? There’s got to be hundreds of people living here. I thought a modern building like this one would be all about the fast-paced lifestyle for people who are always on the go.

Not this one. I’m trying to get used to the way time slows down once you step inside, even though it’s right in the heart of Manhattan. I watch as one elevator arrives and slowly, slowly a couple of people get out. They barely nod at me when I give them a smile. I get the distinct feeling I’m not going to be accepted here any time soon.

I was the only one waiting but as I enter, someone else crosses the lobby purposefully to join me. I hold the door. When I see who’s joined me, I regret it.

It’s Logan. He’s visibly startled when he notices me too.

“Elena,” he says. “You took off so quickly when you showed up at the door the other day, I didn’t recognize you for a minute. It’s been a long time.”

“It sure has,” I say frostily. I wait for him to continue but he doesn’t. The silence between us gets awkward fast.

“Do you like living here?” Logan asks me suddenly.

I toss my hair over my shoulder as if he isn’t bothering me at all, even though he gets under my skin like no one else. “Yes, it’s lovely.”

I don’t know what to say and he doesn’t utter another word to me. By the time we reach the top floor, I’m beyond uncomfortable. When Logan holds the door open for me in a gentlemanly move, he catches me completely off guard. I didn’t think he had it in him.

Of course it means I have to walk right by him and the moment I do, I get close enough to inhale his subtle gingery scent. I hate to admit it but he smells very nice. It’s already challenging to have to try and ignore the fact that he’s also gotten even better looking since school. I didn’t think that was possible.

Not that he wasn’t already kind of appealing in his own way back then. Lots of girls had crushes on him. He was one of those boyishly good-looking, popular guys. That’s what gave him the power to screw up my last two years. He couldn’t have pulled it off otherwise.

The strong memories send me back to resenting his attractiveness, even though I can still admit to myself that he’s a handsome guy.

“See you around, Elena,” he calls to me as I stop at my place while he continues on down the hallway. I go in and close the door firmly behind me.

I hate that Logan’s back in my life, and that I can’t get him off my mind. Two chance encounters and he’s already inserted himself into my thoughts even when he’s not around. I pace around and click on the TV on, and then ignore it completely.

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