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“Both days are fine. Taryn will be happy to
get me out of her hair. Can I bring CJ with me or will my kid seriously go home with a buzz?” Evan asked.
“I think it’s safe. It just stinks like shitty incense and pot. I don’t think anyone will actually get a contact high,” Jamie assured him.
“I’ll be over around six tomorrow, then. I’ll bring CJ. We can con him into painting baseboards.”
“I like the way you think, Ev. I’m gonna go text Cora now. Talk to you soon.” Jamie gathered the paint cans and supplies, then moved toward the entrance. As he walked through the main lobby he thought about how he was going to tell Cora. Even more, he thought about the conversation he was going to have with Patty.
He hit the button and waited. When the elevator doors slid open, he was facing one highly surprised Cora. Shit, he thought. This had not gone according to plan.
“Jamie?”
He winced, felt the flush creep up his neck and then said, “So you’re never going to believe this incredibly awkward coincidence.”
A cautious look in her eye, she stepped out of the elevator, took in his painting supplies and said, “Try me.”
“Patty. She rented me a vacant office on the second floor. I didn’t realize you were here until I called Evan to ask about painting. This isn’t nearly as stalker-ish as it seems. I swear to god.”
Cora considered him for a moment and then said, “It’s entirely plausible.”
Jamie made a move to lift a hand, paint can and all, and said, “Scouts honor. My decision to rent an office here has nothing to do with you. I was going to drop these off and then text you to warn you. When I talked to Evan about painting, he figured it out. I love ‘em, but my family can sometimes be a real pain in the ass.”
“Agreed,” she responded. “But...you weren’t a boy scout, were you?”
“Nope. I still had no idea, though. I’m sorry.”
“This has Patty written all over it, Jamie. It’s fine,” Cora said, letting him off the hook.
He gave a small sigh of relief, then asked, “Wanna come take a look? Keep in mind, I’m doing some redecorating.”
Cora looked down at her watch and said, “Sure. Let me go drop off this package and I’ll be right back.”
Jamie leaned against the bank of elevators, paint bucket and supplies in hand, as he waited for Cora to finish in the mailroom. He shook his head again, still unable to believe Patty. He really couldn’t wait to have a conversation with her. At least Cora hadn’t freaked out on him.
When he saw her approaching, he pressed the button for the elevator again. After she stepped inside, he moved into the space with her.
As he hit the second floor, she said, “Oh! I bet you’re in the office where the holistic doctor was.”
“Yeah, the landlord said it was a doctor’s office that left,” Jamie said, a smile pulling at his lips.
He walked down the hallway, and stopped in front of his new office. He set the paint bucket down and dug for his keys. When he unlocked the door, a waft of stale incense and pot met them.
Cora did a slow turn as they stepped inside, then she wrinkled her nose and said, “Seems like maybe they were more into herbal healing. Unless you’ve picked up a new hobby that I don’t know about?”
She turned to face him, her laughter echoing in the empty space around them. In that moment, her hair draped over her shoulder, eyes shining, all traces of sadness were gone. She was absolutely stunning.
He itched to pull her to him, bury his hands in her hair, and press his mouth against hers. He suspected that wouldn’t go over well, so instead, he buried his hands in his pocket and grinned.
After a pause, he said, “That hasn’t been my thing since college. Nothing to disclose, Dr. Blanchard. What about you?”
“Never tried it. Apparently all I needed to do was come down the hall,” she said with a snort as she wandered into the conference room.
“Yeah. The landlord is tearing out the carpet over the weekend and putting in hardwood. That’ll probably get rid of the smell. Plus, I’m going to air it out in here when I paint,” he said.
“Oh, don’t tell me you’re replacing this beautiful green paint,” Cora said, a smirk pulling at her lips.
His face deadpan, he said, “Don’t worry. Just retouching it.”
