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I stare at him, stupidly, and his small smile fades into that familiar scowl of his. “What?”
“Nothing,” I mumble. “You’re just really pretty when you smile.” My words are torn from my lips in an almost absentminded way and the horror on Jace’s face makes me wince. I immediately try to backtrack, “I meant—?”
“Stop talking.” He increases his pace.
He leaves me to eat his dust and I can see the tips of his ears are red as he enters the building. I follow him and stop to watch him hurry towards the door that leads to the emergency staircase.
He’s obviously trying to avoid me. Good going, Halley.
That’s what every man wants to hear. That he’s pretty.
Feeling a little gloomy, I’m about to make my way to the elevator, telling myself off for finding this situation a little bit funny, when I hear a familiar voice calling my name.
Elise Smith is a cheerful woman, with a core of steel. The front desk receptionist, she’s also engaged to Lucas, the company lawyer. “Oh, honey.” She hurries over to me. “Lana told me about what happened. How are you doing?”
She’s incredibly sweet and so friendly, and I really like her. I finally took Kendall up on her offer for lunch last week and she introduced me to Elise. Lana, I had already known, but I hadn’t really interacted with Elise all that much.
“I’m okay,” I assure her, letting her hug me.
Elise’s daughter, Sophie, is the cutest little thing I have ever seen.
She brought her over last Friday and I got to see Lucas carrying her around like a little princess, a proud smile on his face as he made her say “Dada” in front of everyone he encountered.
“Hashem’s a shitty person. Don’t let him get to you.” Elise smiles at me and she fixes a loose strand of hair on my face.
It’s like a very motherly vibe to the whole thing, and I feel warm inside.
“So, where did Jace take you?” she asks.
“For sushi.”
Her eyes widen and she bites her lip. “Jace Hunter took you out for sushi? He hates sushi.”
“Who hates sushi?” Comes Kendall’s voice from behind me.
I smile in greeting. “Jace.”
“He’s a picky eater unless it’s Tracy making it. I swear, he would love nothing more than to be adopted by her. Shame on him, grown man and all.” She’s holding a bag of peanuts in her hand and she offers it to me.
I take one.
Elise stares at the bag. “Isn’t that the one Oliver got Caleb?”
Kendall bares her teeth at Elise in a smile. “Is it?” She stuffs a handful in her mouth, grinning around them.
Elise shakes her head. “Caleb’s going to make you pay for that.”
Kendall waggles her brows and swallows the food before saying, “I know.” Then she turns to me. “I heard what happened. Lana fired Hashem. Next time a man touches you without your consent, remember: twist and pull.”
I blanch.
Her and Jace really are siblings.
“I’m thinking I should go shopping today.” I glance down at my shirt. “Maybe update my wardrobe a little.”
Kendall pats me one the hand, cheerfully. “What do you mean, update? You need to burn these clothes. You look like a crayon set threw up on you.” She’s grinning at me.
I laugh. “It’s called being flamboyant.”
