“And now we have,” she repeats but a little slower.
Wow, I could really learn a thing or two from Jordan and that sultry smile.
Justin gives me a discreet elbow nudge under the table and a smile that shows just how proud he is of himself for setting them up. It’s on par with Janet Stanworth’sI-told-you-solooks.
“These rolls are delicious!” I randomly say, smiling around the table as I pick up my roll from off my plate. “So soft.”
“You haven’t posted a video in a while, though,” Jordan says, ignoring my bread compliments. “What made you decide to take a break?”
“You know what would be really great on these rolls?” I say, trying to gain as much attention as I can. When Caleb looks at me, I smile innocently. “Butter. Butter would be so delicious.”
He reaches for the butter tray, then grabs my roll, buttering it up for me all while answering Jordan. “It’s the holidays. I just thought a break would be nice.” When he finishes, he hands it over, never looking at me once.
I suppress my smile by taking a big bite.
Caleb buttered my roll. He didn’t butter Jordan’s. There’s something really cute about that.
It makes me happy that he didn’t tell Jordan that something was missing in his life. That his best friend, Lars, died and that he wanted to honor him by having more meaningful relationships. Jordan thinks she knows Caleb, but she doesn’t know him like I do.
“Taking a break is always a good choice.” Jordan smiles. “I love this time of year.”
“You know who else loves this time of year?” Justin’s hand goes to my shoulder. “Summer.”
Unfortunately for me, I just stuffed my mouth with the last half of my roll. I try to chew it down, but there’s so much freaking soft dough that it’s going to take a second. I answer anyway.
“Yesh.” I chew some more. “I…loooveah…Chrishmash…time.”
Jordan gives a polite nod despite probably being disgusted by my mouthful of yeast. “I noticed your poinsettia earrings,” she offers. “Very fun.”
I don’t want to be fun.
I want to be sexy like Jordan. Instead, I’m the fun and cute girl with poinsettia earrings and red lipstick that matches my red swing dress. I totally should’ve gone for the backless red dress from the Shein online store, but it seemed like too much trouble to buy one of those sticker bras for the backless dress. Plus, if someone complimented me and asked where I got it from, I wouldn’t know what to say because I don’t know how to pronounce that cheap online store. Is itsheenorshe-in? Who really knows? All of that steered me away from the sexy backless dress and into the swing dress Shirley Temple would wear.
And now I’m regretting it.
Jordan is still looking right at me. “Justin told me about your little holiday swap.”
My eyes drift to him. “You told her?”
“I didn’t know it was a secret. Besides, Jordan asked how you were handling my demanding work schedule. I told her you were being incredibly cool about it.” Justin squeezes my shoulder, bringing me in to kiss my cheek. He leaves his nose right next to my ear, and with Caleb sitting on the other side of me, it feels awkward, or wrong, or just…something.
“Don’t worry. I won’t tell anyone.” Jordan smiles at me. “I’m just so fascinated by it all.” Her eyes bounce back and forth between me and Caleb. “How do feelings not get complicated when you guys spend so much time with each other, pretending to be boyfriend and girlfriend?”
“Summer is Justin’s girlfriend,” Caleb immediately says. “I’ve known from the beginning that all she wanted was for Justin to spend time with her. I’ve only ever been standing in for him.”
I turn my eyes to Caleb, noticing the stiffness in his jaw and the tenseness in his shoulders.
“Told you it was the perfect situation,” Justin says, drawing me close again. “Isn’t Sum Sum so chill?” His physical affection and doting are all I’ve wanted for the last four months, and now that I have it, I don’t know what to do with it.
Jordan glances down at her watch. “We better go set up the company slide show so it’s ready after dancing.”
“You’re right.” Justin scoots his chair back and stands. “Will you two be okay here alone for a second?”
“I’ll take care of Summer as if she were my own girlfriend,” Caleb says with a dryness that’s a little alarming.
“When I get back, you owe me a dance.” Jordan trickles her fingers up his arm and across his back as she walks away.
“Wow.” My mouth drops open. “She is forward.”
