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“There’s nothing to forgive. We’ve worked side by side all these months. I know the kind man you are.”
“Thank you. But I still feel terrible.”
“You didn’t lay a hand on me, so it’s all good,” she said.
“Thank God for that.”
Was it my imagination or had she said that with a tinge of disappointment in her voice?
“How are you in such better shape than me?” I asked.
“Oh, I feel like roadkill, trust me. But I didn’t have the last shot Thad ordered. By that time everyone was three sheets to the wind, so no one noticed.”
“Was Sammie all right? I’ve never seen her drink more than an occasional glass of wine.”
“Yeah, she was definitelynotokay, but Rafferty promised to get them all to bed safely, so I'm sure she's fine now. Hungover probably, and dealing with a three-year-old.”
“Chloe gets up at six a.m. every day.” I glanced at the digital clock behind Elliot’s head. It was ten and I felt this bad. I could only imagine waking at six.
“Your mother stayed over so she could sleep in,” Elliot said.
“How do you know?” I asked.
“Because your mama texted me to see if you were still among the living about an hour ago.”
I rolled onto my back, covering my eyes with my arm and moaned. “This just keeps getting worse and worse.”
She was quiet for a moment. “Did you mean those things? I mean, even a little?”
I removed my arm and forced myself to turn back toward her. Mama raised us to be honest, but surely this constituted a loophole? How could I tell her the truth without further embarrassing myself? No, I should just confess. It was too late to keep it all hidden. "Is it true that you are a truffle?"
The corners of her big brown eyes crinkled. She wore no makeup this morning but was as gorgeous as ever. And she smelled really good, which was strange considering last night.
"You're a truffle too," Elliot said huskily.
"I am?"
"Yes. Elusive. Mysterious.”
"Those don't sound like good things.” If I were an attorney like the characters on my favorite television show, I could be condemned for leading the witness.
"I've been trying to figure you out since I started working for you," she said. "Last night gave me a lot more insight."
"Now you're certain I'm a buffoon instead of just suspecting I was?"
She laughed quietly. "You're not a buffoon. But it wouldn't hurt you to cut loose every once in a while."
"If this is how one feels afterward, then that is going to have to be a hard no."
"Do you still think it's a bad idea for us to become involved?" Elliot asked, bursting out with the question as if it had been waiting to escape.
I thought carefully about what to say.
Before I could reply, she went on. "Given that we've admitted to the truffle thing?"
"It does change things a bit.” Where was she going with this?
"I'd like to get to know you better. Outside of work."
