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My heart squeezes in my chest like Scott wrapped his fist around it.
Me:You’ve been paying attention.
Scott:It’s easy when you’re an open book.
Me:Maybe I should play harder to get.
After minutes go by with no reply, I lay my head down against my desk. I’ve scared him away at the first sign of interest.
My phone buzzes.
Scott:Go ahead. I suffer from a nasty competitive streak.
Scott:But rest assured, I win every time.
Tiny little butterflies take flight in my stomach. Scott hasn’t openly flirted like this before.
Me:You sound mighty confident in your abilities for someone who hides behind a screen.
The message was supposed to carry a flirtatious tone but it falls flat. Minutes tick by without a reply and I grow more restless.
Did I push him too hard too fast? It was only supposed to be a joke.
The answer becomes evident as time goes by. Scott doesn’t answer my text for the rest of the day, and I’m left feeling empty.
Maybe I made him feel shitty about something he’s self-conscious about. He might struggle with body image issues or a bad case of social anxiety that I’m only making worse because I’m too curious for my own good. And the truth is, I’m starting to enjoy our friendship. I’d hate to scare him away, especially with how he made me feel giddy from one flirtatious message.
From this point on, I swear to not bother him about his identity. It doesn’t matter. Plus, I’m confident he will open up slowly if I give him time to warm up to me. If I could make Ralph, who hates everyone, smile then I can do anything.
* * *
Shit! I’m late!I shove my laptop and phone into my purse before exiting my cubicle.
The warehouse is empty as I run to the conference room. My breaths come out ragged and forced as I pull the door open, interrupting Jenny. Everyone’s heads snap in my direction, and my entire body blushes from head to toe.
“Tardiness will not be tolerated. If this happens again, you’ll be required to work additional hours to make up for it.” Rowan doesn’t bother looking up from his phone.
The dismissal makes me feel two inches small.
A quick assessment of the room reveals no available seats except for the one next to Rowan. This is the punishment I deserve for flirting instead of working.
Great. Fabulous. Today couldn’t be going any better.
“Take a seat or get out.” His authoritative tone rubs me the wrong way.
I keep my head held high as I take the unoccupied chair beside Rowan. The smell of him hits me first, like an ocean breeze I’d expect while vacationing somewhere like Fiji. I scoot my seat as far away from him as possible without disturbing the Creator next to me.
“Now that everyone is finally here, proceed.” Rowan motions for Jenny to continue.
My stomach dips.
Jenny shoots me a soft smile before returning her attention to the rest of the room. “Who wants to go first?”
The group remains silent. No one rises from their chair as Jenny looks around the conference room. It’s such a stark contrast compared to our last Friday meeting and I think it has everything to do with the frowning man next to me.
“Come on, everyone.” She lets out a nervous laugh. “Do I need to draw names out of a hat?”
Crickets. No one moves an inch.
