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“No, seriously—I want to know. I can’t figure you out. You’re always so disinterested, like you hate men or something,” he said in exasperation. “What makes this guy so different?”

“I’m not having this discussion with you.”

“You never want to have any sort of discussion with me! I’ve been asking you out for as long as I can remember, only to have you turn me down every time!”

His voice was getting louder by the minute. I looked around and was thankful to find we were the only ones in the break room at that moment.

“I don’t always turn you down,” I weakly replied.

“No, you’re right. You always put me off instead.”

Ouch.

He was right about that one, but it hurt all the same. I took a deep breath to calm my own rising temper and resigned myself to the inevitable. I should have been more truthful a long time ago.

“Look, Jim—I could apologize, but I really have nothing to apologize for. I just have no interest in dating.”

“Why not? Are you a lesbian or something?” he asked, reaching up to scratch his head in confusion.

“No, I’m not a lesbian,” I said with a light laugh, momentarily amused.

“This isn’t funny to me, Krys.”

He was right. Making light of this wouldn’t help the situation, and I sobered almost immediately. I had to make sure he understood my position once and for all.

“I’m going to be honest here. You’re a great guy, and I don’t want to hurt your feelings, but you don’t want to be with someone like me. Besides, you and I both know there’s nothing there. No spark,” I finished frankly, waving my hand back and forth between the two of us. “At least not for me anyway.”

I tried to be gentle, conscious of his feelings toward me, but I was sure I came off as a crotchety bitch. I sucked in situations like this.

He stared at me for a long moment, taking in what I had said. I watched his face fall, and his shoulders slump, all of his anger slipping away to a look of defeat. He looked down at his feet and shifted his weight from side to side. He looked so deflated.

Maybe I’m being too harsh.

When he looked up, his eyes were pained with rejection.

“Well, at least you’re giving it to me straight for once, even though I sort of knew all along. It just sucks hearing you say it out loud.”

“Jim, I’m sorry. Really, I am. I don’t mean to hurt you.”

That was the truth, and it killed me to see his desolate expression. Although I found Jim to be somewhat annoying, he was still a decent guy. It would have been so much easier if I had just lied and told him I was a lesbian.

I’m such a jerk.

I moved toward the door again, unable to look at him any longer. This time, he didn’t block my way.

“Krys?” he called after me. I paused in the doorway, afraid of what else he might say.

“Yes,” I answered.

“Your spark is in aisle nine.”

“Excuse me?”

“Stone. He was asking for you a little while ago.”

Oh, shit! Alexander Stone is here?

My heart began to race at the thought of seeing him again. For the life of me, I couldn’t figure out why that beautiful man would want to see me of all people. But more importantly, I didn’t understand why I was instantly excited by the mere idea of laying eyes on him again. That was a confusing concept I’d have to delve into later.