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“Oooh, do tell.”
“So, he is a hottie, but that’s not the worst of it! I hadn’t met him yet, and when I did on Monday, I thought he was an intruder. Tried to call security on him after bumping into him so hard that I dropped everything in my hands.”
My two best friends in the world burst into raucous laughter that lasted far too long in my opinion.
After about ten seconds, I said with crossed arms, “Y’all about done?”
“Oh, just wait,” a breathless Jane said, grasping to her pregnant belly as she kept laughing.
“That is the best thing ever,” Sadie said eventually. “I cannot believe that happened to you of all people. You’re always so cool and collected! So regimented! It’s more like J and I to be awkward.”
“Thanks for that,” Jane said.
“Yeah, well, he’s been hating on everyone big time, and he’s fired lots of people, including my research partner, so we’re looking for another match. I told him exactly what I think of his methods, and then the next day, he asked me to watch his daughter.”
“What? Like, at the office?”
“Yeah.” I scrunched up my nose. “At least she was nice and cute. Not feral.”
“Still, that’s super weird for a boss to do. So, his way to take revenge, maybe?” Jane suggested.
“Guess so.” I finished my glass of wine and called for another, catching the waitress’s eye.
“All right, and then what? What happened the rest of the week?” Jane asked, fully interested.
I didn’t really know how to describe it.
“I’m not sure. He didn’t fire me, obviously, which is good. But he was like…watching me a lot. I figured he’s just trying to observe me to see if I slip up or something.”
Sadie squealed. “No! He’s watching you because you’re mega sexy! He doesn’t know what to do about it. I’m sure that’s it.”
Jane nodded in agreement, and I shook my head. “No, no, come on. You know I don’t like all this Hallmark shit. I’m sure it’s him trying to find a reason to fire me.”
“Well, from your story,” Jane said, starting to chuckle again, “it sounds like he already has a lot to fire you for.”
I bit my lip as I thought. That was true. He could have fired me easily, but I hoped he kept me on because I was good at my job. I was organized, and I always met my deadlines. But after how rude I was, he had grounds to fire me. And yet.
“I don’t know,” I said, bemused as the waitress brought me another wine, and I pulled the glass toward me. “So, I think we should sing. That’ll make all the stress just fall away.”
I smiled up toward the stage, and that was when I spotted him. Dr. Brad Foster, at the circle standing bar between us and the stage, leaning his elbows on the counter, a beer between his hands. He looked up at that precise moment, and our eyes locked.
Fuck.
* * *
BRAD
Finally, the work week was over. Camilla went off to my parents for the weekend, and I was on my own. I both loved and hated the time, but sometimes, too much alone time was dangerous. It always got me thinking about stuff. The past, my ex-wives, my son. But this time, I was brooding over something entirely different: Cassie Williams.
I stood at the counter of a ridiculous karaoke bar and twisted the beer glass in my hands as I stared into the copper liquid. I’d had two already, and I was getting a good buzz going, but I still couldn’t shake what had happened in the past week.
The way Cassie had looked at and spoken to Camilla was driving me crazy. This harsh woman had a soft side, and I really wanted to see more of that softness. I knew it was likely just my usual dangerous attractions that I was giving into, but somehow, I didn’t care. Cassie was all I thought about all week, and I found I couldn’t stop watching her when I came into the lab.
I knew I was probably giving off stalker vibes, but I hoped she just assumed I was observing. Which I was. Cassie surprised me in everything she did. Her every movement and word were confident and precise. It was the nature of a scientist, I supposed, but I envied that confidence. Even with all the degrees I had, I wasn’t sure that I appeared as confident to those in my work circle. She seemed to like herself and believe in herself, and I found that extremely sexy.
“You all good there, sir?” I looked up and saw the bartender watching me.
He looked to be about twelve.
