Getting the tattoos probably wasn’t the best idea, yet I can’t bring myself to regret it. It’s stupid, impulsive, and maybe a little reckless.
But it feels perfect. It feels like us.
CHAPTER 13
Elyse
HARMLESS LITTLE PRANKS
PRESENT
Something about my office feels wrong, though I can’t quite put my finger on it. It’s not something obvious—more like a sixth sense nagging at me.
I glance around, taking inventory. Calendar? Meticulously organized and untouched. Framed photographs, including the mugshot? Exactly as I left them. Perfectly curated decor? Immaculate, as always.
Still, the unease lingers. I scan the room again, slower this time, but everything looks perfectly in place. Maybe it’s all in my head. Shaking it off, I settle into my chair and power up my computer.
That’s when I see it.
Those little shits.
My monitors. The images on both screens are flipped upside down.How?
I stare in disbelief for a moment, fucking interns. I thought they looked a little too smug when I came in thismorning, but I chalked it up to their excitement for spring break.
Ever since the mugshot incident, they’ve been pulling harmless little pranks. At first, it was annoying—between my siblings, I get enough grief without adding them to the mix. But after a while, I started to feel like a grumpy old witch, ruining their fun. Besides, it’s all good-natured, and I have to admit, they’re pretty creative.
“Faith!” I call out. “How the hell am I supposed to fix this?”
I’ve deemed Faith the leader of the three since she seems to be the most responsible.
Instead of Faith, Ben strolls in, hands in his pockets, a devious smile plastered across his face.
“What seems to be the problem, boss?” he asks, all mock innocence.
I level him with a frown. “You know exactly what the problem is.”
He bites back a laugh, clearly enjoying himself. “Oh, that. Yeah, you’re gonna want to press Ctrl + Alt + Down Arrow to flip it back. Unless you’d prefer to work upside down—might be good for blood flow.”
“Ben,” I warn, but he’s already crossing the room, stepping behind my desk to fix it himself.
I reluctantly scoot back to give him room, but it’s not enough distance to stop me from nearly choking on his cologne.
Young boys and their cheap cologne.
“You know,” I start, inching away even more. “You weren’t my first pick when it came to hiring interns,” I grouse, watching as his fingers fly across the keyboard.
In truth, I felt a little strange hiring a male. Especially one who isn’t interested in working in the wedding industry. But he needed the hours, and I needed someone savvy on thecomputer. So far it seems to be working out, even if he is a littleDennis the Menaceat times.
“Oh, I’m well aware,” he says, not even looking up.
“But I’ve got to admit,” I continue, “your computer skills are useful. Too bad you use them for evil.”
He glances up with a smirk, eyes giving me a once-over. “I wouldn’t call it evil. I just like keeping things interesting.”
I shake my head, unable to suppress a small grin. “That you do.”
With a few keystrokes, the screens return to normal. Ben steps back, looking way too pleased with himself.
