Page 61 of Mr. Hook-up

“I don’t know if I can describe it exactly that way, but yes, things ended.”

“And then you took the job at Hooked and Mr.Hottie immediately gave you attention, almost from the moment you began working there. Things have built over the past two weeks, and tonight, the first time you’ve all gone out, he kisses you.”

“Yes.”

“That means he likes you, Drake, hello.”

I brought the wine back to my mouth and guzzled, stopping to say, “I’m not sure that even matters.”

“Why?”

“Because things didn’t end so pretty between us. I did a lot of wrong there, and Easton is my boss at a job that I absolutely love—and please, for the love of God, don’t compare my boss to your ex. The situations are completely different now.”

“I won’t, but it doesn’t seem to bother Easton that he’s your boss, am I right?”

I set the bottle on the table, sinking lower into the couch. “What are you saying, Saara?”

“I’m saying you have to tell him.”

My chest tightened. My hand shook as I gripped the phone against my face. “What the hell do I say? ‘Oh,hiiii, I’m SaarasLove, and this is just a giant coincidence. How’s life been for the past five years and change? Yes, I’m the one you banged in the stairwell while we were both masked. And now I’m back in your life as a director at your company—oh, you want me to do your international launch even though I know you have the biggest dick I’ve ever seen in my life? Awesome, let’s get that done.’Suuure.”

She laughed. “I love you so much.”

“I’m freaking out, Saara.”

“We’ll get this sorted out. I promise. But, first, you have to tell Easton who you are. He obviously hasn’t figured it out or he would have said something to you. Therefore, you need to be the one.”

“Of course he hasn’t figured it out. He’s a boy, they don’t pick up on detail like we do, and you insisted on setting up my profile and giving me SaarasLove, which at the time was kinda cute, but now I’m realizing it was a horribly bad decision. If you had gone with Drake-something, it would have been much more obvious.”

“An obvious username wouldn’t have helped either—you’d still be in the same position, you two just would have realized the truth a little faster.”

She had a point.

“What the hell am I going to say to him?” I asked.

“Again, we’ll work out those details when the time comes. But we can’t do that unless you reach out to him and set up a time to talk.”

She was right, but that didn’t make this any easier.

And since I was out of words again, I mumbled, “Okay.”

“This is going to be fine. I assure you. In fact, I’d bet everything I own that it’s going to work out.”

“Work out? Work out how?” I picked up the bottle of wine and held it near my lips. “I had feelings and then I took off and then I cameback to Boston and now there’s Easton and there are new feelings, but those feelings are really old feelings—”

“Take a deep breath.”

I held the phone with my shoulder and pressed my palm against my chest to calm what was happening inside. “I’m just going to drink all the wine.”

“I’m in love with that plan. Do you need me to have more delivered? Or are you well stocked?”

I glanced toward the rack in my kitchen. “I have plenty.”

“Good. I’m going to call you when I wake up tomorrow, after you’ve slept on this, and we’ll come up with a plan. But if you want to reach out to Easton in the meantime and set up a date, do it.”

I agreed to talk to her in the morning and hung up, my thumb scrolling across the notifications that I hadn’t looked at before I’d called her, pausing when I came across a text.

Easton:I can’t stop thinking about that kiss...

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