“But you said something, so I’d like you to continue.”
“Are you asking as my boss?”
It was the questioning tone. The one that said he could make a huge misstep if he didn’t find the right line to balance on.
“No. We aren’t on the clock. And if it’s making you feel uncomfortable, I’ll apologize. We agreed that what happened that night has nothing to do with what goes on in the office.”
“I don’t remember agreeing tothat,” she said.
At least there was humor this time. “So you tell me then, what are you feeling when she brings up nice things about me? All those good qualities that make me a stellar boss who is sought by many? Who everyone is fighting the masses to be graced with my presence?”
“Wow, talk about full of yourself. And that’s what she said. That you are. But in a good way. You don’t lack confidence and turn a lot into humor.”
“Those things are true,” he said, shrugging. “But I take my job very seriously.”
“I see that. And she made that clear too. Never think otherwise. She speaks highly of you. It’s not the words as much as the tone, if that helps. I can’t explain it any other way.”
“That’s good enough for now,” he said. Because it’d have to be.
Traffic was moving a little more now, the silence stretching on his nerves as if his skin was almost translucent and ready to be cut open exposing some insecurities he rarely felt around women.
What was it about Nora that had him doubting his every thought, every action?
“So...do you really stock up on groceries or are you just being nice to me?”
“Both,” he said. “I really do. It was my plan and I thought I’d extend it to you. Just show you around some. You could have said no.”
“I could have but wanted to check some things out. I’ve been a little nervous exploring too far on my own. I know it’s silly, but it’s taken a lot for me to do this. I don’t even go that far past the office building. I will at some point, but being alone... just makes me nervous.”
“You’re not today,” he said. “And if you want, we can explore some together. How about we just get our food, return to our places and then figure out the rest of the day as it comes?”
“I find it hard to believe this is what you do on your weekends. It’s barely nine on a Saturday morning. You were out running at seven.”
“You before seven,” he said.
“But I’ve got no life. I don’t know anyone here other than my father.”
“And me,” he said.
“And you. But that’s it. My apartment is tiny and not a lot to do in it. I walk around the area, read, maybe hit the gym, but this time of year it’s too nice to do it.”
“I feel the same way, which is why I get my butt up bright and early for the run to get it out of the way. If you don’t want to do much more than buy some food, that’s fine. I’ve got a lot of work I could do, but I try to disconnect when I can. And it’s rarely. So be a pal. If I’m not working, then you don’t have to worry about going in on Monday to stuff too.”
“Well, when you put it that way.”
13
MOMENT OF TRUTH
If she thought the night in the casino with Ethan was crazy, it was nothing compared to the fact that they were walking down the aisles of the grocery store together filling their individual carts.
She didn’t remember grocery shopping with men she was in a relationship with, let alone her boss.
Nope, he wasn’t that today. He’d told her not to think it.
She was trying. She really was.
It was hard to separate the two, but with him in tan shorts, a white T-shirt too snug on his body for her peace of mind with white sneakers on his feet, what she saw was a man who could model some fancy expensive casual clothing she’d never be able to afford rather than the guy whose calendar she was managing.
