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My heart sputters at his words. I’m definitely drunk. There’s no reason Jamie saying he needs me should give me any sort of feelings, and yet, isn’t this what I want? To feel needed?
For work. I want to feel needed at work. A career. Yeah, I also want that feeling with a man, but not with Jamie. I could never feel that with Jamie. Right?
He glances around the parking lot, now mostly empty. “Can I give you a ride home?”
“No thanks. I can catch an Uber.”
“Really, Lara. Let me take you. It’s just a ride. Besides, with all the Uber’s that just left this place, it’s going to be awhile before one comes.”
My attraction to him scares me, and I hesitate before giving in. Itislate. And dark. And I really don’t want to wait an extra twenty minutes for an Uber. “Okay. Sure. Thanks.”
I only live ten minutes from Andrea’s, but the silence between us in the car makes it feel longer. Why am I so nervous? Jamie is offering me the possibility of an actual career. It has to be because of Gary. He definitely does not approve of me continuing to work with Jamie. And while he’s just looking out for me, for once, I need to actually do something for myself.
We arrive at my apartment building. Jamie parks in front and twists around to look at me. His vibe is different, more relaxed than how he is at work. “I wasn’t totally honest earlier,” he says.
“About what?”
“The friend I was meeting up with. We’re not really friends. When I really think about it… I don’t think I have any real friends.”
The admission seems random, out of place, but as he exhales a deep breath, I get it. This is his secret. One he’s kept from other people. He’s lowering his guard, revealing a piece of himself. Is it the alcohol, or do I kind of like it?
“Yeah, well, trusting people is hard,” I reply. Trusting people is hard? What am I even saying?
I’m overly aware of the diminishing space between us. Is he leaning forward or am I?
“It’s hard,” he nods. “But you seem like someone I could trust.”
A wry smile stretches across my face. “You don’t even know me.”
“I’d like to.”
Here come those butterflies again. And before I know it, I’m closing my eyes, opening my mouth, and leaning across the center console. But Jamie doesn’t move.
“Lara…”
Fuck. Oh my God, I’m such an idiot. And I definitely feel sober now.
My cheeks flush, and I pull away from him. “Shit. I’m sorry.”
He touches my hand. “No,I’msorry. Could we maybe just restart as friends?” Friends? It’s a laughable concept. Never in my life did I ever think I’d be asked to be friends with Jamie Albrecht. Then again, I never thought I’d fuck him either.
“I just really want you to work at Eden’s, and if we hook up, I’m afraid it could mess things up.” He’s right. But my attraction to him is so uncontrollable, I hate to admit it. “What do you think? Will you come back?”
He’s offering me an actual career, and I need to focus on that. It’s everything I’ve wanted, but why does it feel like it’s the only thing I have left? And what if I do go back? What happens if I can’t help myself, and we end up in bed again? That definitely did not go well the first time, but I may never get another career opportunity like this.
I turn and push open the car door, stepping out onto the curb. I turn and look through the open door at Jamie. He shrugs, his open hands reaching toward me with a quizzical look in his eyes.
“Yeah, Jamie. I’ll come back,” I respond, closing the car door and turning toward the front steps of my apartment building.
Chapter 11
Jamie
“Absolutelynot.”Ricky’slinebackerbuild dwarfs the quarterback me, but I don’t waver in my position on the issue.
Even with his arms crossed in front of him, the width of his shoulders spans the entire doorframe to the entrance of Eden’s.
“You’re seriously firing me?” Ricky’s scowl highlights the divots in his pasty cheeks. Dark purple circles underline his eyes and his uniform is not only untucked, but I’m pretty sure from the smell that it’s the same one he wore yesterday.
