Page 37 of Twist of Date

No.

I’ll come to you.

I have to work late. Sorry.

Perfect. I’ll bring you dinner.

No. Not at the office.

Then your place. What time will you be home?

I don’t know if this is a good idea, Cole.

Agree to disagree. I’ll bring burgers. Don’t say no.

ugh. I love burgers.

What time?

7

Shoot me your address and I’ll be there.

Groaning, I thump my forehead on my desk. He can’t possibly remember I have a thing for good burgers. Right?

What have I just agreed to?

Cole Reed in my house? Alone with him?

I can’t say the thought hasn’t crossed my mind a time or two over the past couple of weeks. But it never seemed like it would become reality.

What reason could he possibly have that doesn’t involve me being upset that he doesn’t want to work with me?

Argh. But why do I care? I didn’t want to work with him anyway. This is a good thing.

I’m obsessing over dinner with Cole tonight far more than I should. And when I told him I was working late, I may have been stretching the truth.

I don’t tend to work late. Sure, I take work home with me a lot of nights, but I was just throwing out excuses to keep from meeting up with him.

So I end up getting home shortly after five and do a quick house clean. My house isn’t dirty but needed a quick tidying and having a dog means you vacuum more than normal.

I didn’t go overboard on the cleaning, since I was technically working late. My living room and kitchen look lived in, but everything is nice and tidy. There are no clumps of Pepper fur floating around, and the essential oils are diffusing through the room.

Pepper’s butt wiggles in pure excitement when she sees me grab the leash from the wall next to the door. The apartment complex is so dog friendly that it boasts a dog park and groomer on site. Pep and I spend a lot of time in the park.

Since I’ll only sit here, stressing out about Cole’s visit, I decide Pepper gets extra time in the park tonight.

After tossing the ball for her and letting her run with some doggo friends for thirty minutes, it’s time to get my game face on.

Meaning, I check my hair and makeup, though I opt not to retouch a thing. Then I stare myself down in the mirror and give myself a pep talk.

Iam a strong and successful businesswoman, and I don’t date charming, attractive men who are HEA clients.

This is not a date. We are just friends.

Cole Reed will not turn me to mush. I will not lose my head.

I will not kiss Cole Reed.

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