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“Not what I meant.” Luke’s eyes are that irritating amount of big-brother serious. Most of the time, I’m the one who leads the charge among our siblings, but when Luke gets like this, he’s not afraid to pull out his haughty “I’ve been on this earth longer than you” card.
Factually correct, but intensely annoying.
“It’s just one more wall you put up,” he says, shaking his head. “One more barrier. You and Annie are both grown ass adults. If you like each other, why would you let the fact that you both work at the same company get in the way of exploring that?”
“Not ‘exploring’ someone you work with is both appropriate and correct,” I say with finality. “Especially as we own said company. And we need to keep our HR in order.”
“I hardly think Wiseman would care if you and Annie are upfront about the fact that you’re dating.”
“Wearen’tdating. And I’m sure he wouldn’t,” I say, but I don’t mean it. I just want this conversation to end already. And it doesn’t matter anyway, because this will never be something we propose to Wiseman. A moot point, if I ever heard one. “But I would never do anything to jeopardize the investment.”
“Investment this, investment that.” Luke twirls a finger, kicking his feet up on the desk.
“Yeah, investors,” I say coolly. “Like, the people who are willing to fund this company and make it so that everyone can keep their job.”
And so I can give him back everything I owe him.
Luke sits up a little, suddenly paying attention, and I’m not sure if this is because of what I said, or what I left unsaid. “Okay, okay,” he mutters.
I breathe a sigh of relief… a little too soon.
“One more thing, though.” Luke holds up a hand.
“What?”
‘There’s no harm in getting to know her better. I get that changing the company rules right now wouldn’t look great for Wiseman, but you’re not doing anything wrong by hanging out. You gave her a ride home after dinner on Friday and hell didn’t freeze over, right?”
“I…” I trail off. The little twerp might be right. “I guess not.”
“Glad you agree. Because Imighthave told her we’re taking her out to dinner tomorrow night.”
“You what?!”
“I said it was something we do for new employees. Dinner with the bosses.”
“We don’t do that.”
“We do now.” A wink. “Part of our excellent new HR initiative for impressing Tim and Co.”
I’m dumbfounded. For some reason, Luke takes my appalled silence to be approval.
“I know, I’m a genius.” Luke grins. “Now you get to take her out withoutactuallyhaving to ask her out, you rule-abiding chicken. I’ll even send her an official e-vite so you don’t have to. Look at me, solving all your problems.”
“Trust me. You’re my biggest problem.”
* * *
When I walk back into mine and Annie’s office, she’s sitting backwards in her chair—why?—talking to Vanessa, who’s perched on her desk.
Seriously, why do none of these women use furniture correctly?
They look up as I enter and fall quiet, their expressions guilty. The exact same expression Legs had after I caught her in the pantry, balancing precariously on a counter stool as she attempted to reach her mom’s secret chocolate stash on the top shelf.
They were talking about me.
Probably complaining about how I’m zero fun in all circumstances following that HR meeting. Which I can hardly blame them for.
I clear my throat. Hover in the doorway like a lurker.
