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“Hey, don’t blame me. Maybe you’re just losing your touch, man.”
“No, never that,” I said.
Tobias sat silently for a moment, appearing to be deep in thought. He then scratched at the stubble at his chin. “Hmm…” he said.
“What?”
“I might be able to help you out.”
“I’m not taking you as my date,” I said.
Tobias laughed. “Good. Because you’re not my type anyway.”
I laughed. “What are you talking about, man?”
“Why don’t you take Joanna? She probably doesn’t have anything to do that day.”
I swallowed nervously and hoped that Tobias wouldn’t notice the abrupt change in my demeanor. Taking Joanna had been the farthest thing from my mind because the gala was considered a workplace event, and Tobias, of course, would be there. Taking her would feel like confirmation of our relationship, or whatever it was that we had going on. It just seemed too risky.
“Oh come on,” Tobias said. “Don’t look like that.”
“Don’t look like what?” I asked, hoping my voice didn’t really sound as high as it did in my own ears.
“Don’t look like taking Joanna is the worst idea you’ve ever heard in your life. She’s mellowed out a lot since she was a kid. It wouldn’t kill you to take her. And considering you’re in quite a bind already, it would be the quick fix you need.”
I ran my hand through my hair and almost laughed in relief. Tobias thought I was repulsed by the idea of taking her, which meant he was still in the dark about how I really felt. “I don’t know,” I said, trying to play along. “I mean…Joanna? Really?”
“She would probably love it,” Tobias said. “She certainly could use a fun night out after all she’s been dealing with lately.”
My eyebrows shot upward in surprise, this time genuine. “Huh? What do you mean by that? What’s she been dealing with?”
But Tobias only shook his head, deciding not to elaborate. “Want me to call her in here, ask if she’s doing anything that day? Although I already doubt she is.”
“I thought you said she was secretly seeing someone?” I asked, testing the waters.
He shook his head again. “No, that wasn’t it. There was something else going on with her that she was hiding from me. Here, let me call her,” he added before I could ask any further questions.
I fought to keep the grimace off my face as I wondered what was possibly going on with Joanna. It upset me to think that she had been having a hard time, but hadn’t confided in me about it.
“Hey, Jo, come here for a second. I’m in Anderson’s office.”
“Seriously though,” I said. “What’s she upset about? What’s been going on?”
“Nothing, man. I’ve got it under control, or at least I will, eventually.”
Shortly thereafter, Joanna appeared in the doorway. She looked from Tobias to me, a panicked expression on her face and her eyebrows almost raised to her hairline. I ever so slightly shook my head, trying to relay to her that Tobias still didn’t know anything about us.
“Relax,” Tobias said with a chuckle as he turned toward her. “You’re not in trouble. You’re standing there looking like you’ve been sent to the principal’s office.”
She gave a tensed laugh, but relaxed nonetheless and moved farther into the office. “What is it?” she asked. “More numbers?”
“No, not numbers this time,” Tobias said. “Anderson has a little situation on his hands. You see, our playboy here has finally crossed the wrong woman, and she’s bailed on him.”
Joanna’s eyebrows shot up once again, and she cast a look at me that I wished she hadn’t. I lowered my head, wishing Tobias hadn’t phrased his words in such a manner.
“Oh…” Joanna said.
“So now he’s out of a date to the gala. I know you’ve been hearing about the upcoming gala, right?”
