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I reached for my purse to get money for my beers when Jackson stopped me.
"Don't worry about it," he said with an easy smile. "The least I can do is buy you a couple of beers as a welcome-to-town gesture."
"Are you sure?" I asked hesitatingly. I wasn't sure how comfortable I felt with someone I had just met picking up my tab.
"Of course," Jackson said. He glanced at Claire, quirking his mouth. "You too, of course."
"Thanks, Jackson," Claire said breezily.
"It was nice meeting you, Emma," Mia chirped. "I'm sure we'll be hanging out a lot, now that you're in town."
"Thanks, it was nice meeting you all too," I replied with a smile. I felt lucky that not only did I have a friend in Claire, but it also seemed that she was willing to take me into her circle. I glanced at Jackson. "Thanks again for the beers."
"No problem," he replied.
"See ya, Ems," Nathan said with a smile. "Don't forget my art show next week."
"I can't wait."
It was already dark when Claire and I stepped outside, but it was still warm.
"Thanks for introducing me to your friends," I said as we started walking the few blocks home.
"Of course," Claire replied easily. "I know how hard it can be to move to a new town not knowing anyone. I was lucky because I met Jackson in an acting class the first month I moved here and he introduced me to Nathan and Mia. We've all been friends ever since."
I took the opening, wanting to make sure that I wasn't stepping on any toes.
"Is there anything between you and Jackson?" I asked, flushing a little at my question.
Claire gave me a mischievous grin. "Why do you ask?"
I flushed deeper and gave an awkward laugh. "Just wondering. He was probably just being friendly, but he seemed a little flirty and I wanted to make sure that I wasn't overstepping any boundaries."
Claire laughed. "Don't worry. Jackson and I went out on a few dates when we first met, but that was three years ago. We found out that we were better off as friends."
I felt relief at her answer. I hadn't realized how worried I had been that there was something between them.
"So feel free to pursue away," Claire continued.
>
"Oh, I'm not saying I want to pursue him," I said hastily. "I just wanted to make sure I wasn't stepping on any toes. It was just innocent flirting."
"Okay," she replied in a tone that said she didn't believe me. "But if Jackson shows interest in you, I wouldn't dismiss it. He's a great catch."
I nodded but didn't say anything else. I was too busy wondering if the new Emma Mills was going to have her first fling.
Chapter Two
Figuring out the subway system the next day was a lot easier than I had thought. As promised, Claire had spent some time going over the map with me when we got home from Max's Tavern and I was able to navigate it with much more confidence than I had anticipated.
Nervous that I would be late on my first day, I left much earlier than necessary and arrived at work an hour early. Sitting in a Starbucks down the street and feeling jittery, I wished I hadn't left so early.
I checked my watch and saw that I had ten more minutes left to wait so that I would arrive at work fifteen minutes early. I figured fifteen minutes said I was responsible but not overeager. My boss didn't need to know that I had been waiting at Starbucks for over half an hour.
I took another sip of my coffee and checked my outfit to make sure that nothing was awry. I had dressed in what I thought looked professional, yet trendy. My slim black pants and black heels made my legs look longer than they were. I had paired it with a crisp white oxford shirt and a wide grey belt that I hoped accentuated my narrow waist. I had fought to smooth down my hair, since it wanted to go in all different directions due to the humidity.
I drained the last of the coffee and checked my watch for the millionth time, relieved to see that it was time to go. I threw away my coffee cup and straightened my shirt, taking in a deep breath. I just hoped I liked my boss.
