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My mouth dropped open, not sure how he’d ever come to that conclusion. I’d never seen Tess really dislike much of anyone one, unless they were super awful and deserved it. Curious but also incredulous by his assumption, I typed, “Whatever. Tess likes everyone.”
“I’m not so sure about that. She’s always jerked her attention away whenever we’ve made eye contact, and the few times she’s ever talked to me she’s burrowed into Jonah as if seeking safety away from me. Are you sure she really thinks I’m innocent of that thing with Melody?”
Realizing he’d totally misread the situation, I threw my head back and laughed. Hard. “Oh. That. Don’t worry. She freaks out and turns extra shy around guys she thinks are cute. Jonah and Logan seem to be the only two exceptions since she’s gotten comfortable with them.”
It took him a minute to reply. And when he did, I rolled my eyes. “So, wait? She thinks I’m hot?”
Oh, geez, what had I just done? “Don’t let it go to your head, Romeo.”
Except he did. He totally did. “This is awesome,” he cheered. “You know, she DOES blush a lot around me, so it makes sense now. Oh man, I am so flirting with her hard the next time I see her!”
Jealously flared to life hard inside me. I did not like the idea of him flirting with anyone. I felt a little vindictive when I wrote, “I’ll make sure to put flowers on your grave then, because Jonah will kill you for flirting with the love of his life.”
He was quick to add, “Innocent, harmless, fun flirting. Nothing serious. I just want to see how much I can make her blush.”
“That’s evil,” I charged.
“As if you wouldn’t let it go to your head too. You’d totally give some guy an extra smile and a couple compliments if you knew your looks flustered him.”
“Okay, maybe,” I allowed. Not that anyone would ever find me so attractive they became flustered and timid in my presence. But that only meant I’d definitely egg it on more if it ever happened. “Just don’t make her cry, or anything,” I decided. “Tess is super sensitive.”
“Ouch, Prescott. That hurts. My compliments have never made any girl cry.”
“Dear Lord. I never should’ve told you she thinks you’re pretty. You’re totally letting it go to your head.”
“Hey, I’m the soul the humility over here.”
I laughed and accidently caught sight of the time, only to sit upright, cursing. I had gotten carried away and lost track of everything but Beckett. “Shit. I just realized what time it is. Gotta go. Almost late to work.”
“Okay,” he wrote back. “Text me again when you get home. AND DRIVE SAFE.”
I rolled my eyes, but couldn’t help the smile that spread. The only good part of my day came when we talked. It washed around the monotony and depression and made the world vivid and alive again. I was growing to depend on our chats more than I should.
But it wasn’t because I was in love with him. That was just crazy.
I pressed the phone to my chest, before I got my butt into gear and drove to work.
I was still floating on my Beck high when I arrived at the parking lot outside.
He’d sounded better today. I absolutely didn’t worry about him self-harming himself anymore. And he didn’t even seem so melancholy and hopeless. He’d become—I don’t know—upbeat, maybe. I would’ve said flirtier, except he never flirted with me. But there was definitely a certain growth of confidence in the things he said, as if he really were getting over the blow to his character that Melody had inflicted on him.
And speaking of Melody Fairfield. The chick must be Beetlejuice or Bloody Mary, or someone, and I’d thought her name one too many times today, because she was the first person I saw when I stepped inside the boutique to clock in.
Oh, for the love of—wait. Was she crying? Was she crying and talking to Vivian?
Why was she crying and carrying on to my boss?
Both women turned my way as the bell tolled over my head, announcing my arrival.
Vivian’s mouth turned down and her eyes filled with disappointment and rage when she saw me. Melody had the gall to smirk.
My stomach dropped as I slowed to a stop. The shop was fairly quiet. Only two other women were shopping, one by the shoes, the other checking out slacks.
Melody pointed at me, drawing my attention back to her and my boss. “There,” she sniffed. “That’s her.”
Vivian grew even more dour as she called, “Bailey, could you come here?”
No. No, I really didn’t think I should go over there. But I did anyway, reluctantly shuffling forward, no idea what I was walking into or what Melody had set up.
