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“Okay, then I’m in, too.”
This had to be the dumbest game of chicken ever, but backing down from Sadie had never been my style. So, I didn’t. I thanked Marcel and headed back to my desk, ready to get to work. Denny had a date to accept.
Chapter 17 – Sadie
Sticking my neck out in support of Denver had seemed like the noble thing to do, but it didn’t make working together any easier. I knew if I asked, I could go back to vetting tasks and have a predictable job where no one else bothered me, especially Denver. I was tempted, but I was also not a coward. No matter what I told myself, I wasn’t here just for money. I was here for a whole new life experience. And boy, was I getting one.
I felt like a spy, and I sort of was one. We were supposed to be as much of our true selves in the chat group as possible, which meant I told everyone I worked in data analysis and Denver told them he was in customer relations. We gave our real ages. I told them I’d never done anything like this before, which was true. So, so true.
We joked around with Hector when he got too quiet in the thread.
Denver typed dumb things.
I corrected them.
He dished it right back.
And just like in real life, people in the thread mistook our squabbling for flirting. Which was so irritating. Why did everyone think if you disagreed with someone, it meant you were secretly hoping to maul them in a back office closet...
Yeah, anyway. People were dumb.
All the assumptions did make my job easier. I didn’t have to type flirty things aimed at Denver to sell our budding relationship, saving me from at least that level of embarrassment. Unfortunately, my luck all fizzled out when I got a private message from Denver’s date on Friday afternoon.
Hey, SadieLadie. I think you and Denny should go together tomorrow. I can’t get off work, and its obvs Denny’s into you anyway.
Noooo! You need to come!
I glanced in Denver’s direction, dreading what I knew I had to do. We were a team. He had to be in on this.
“Hey,” I nudged him with my elbow. “Bad news. You’re getting dumped, Denny.”
He leaned over and read the messages, invading my space with the indecently delicious scent I’d come to associate with him despite my best efforts. It somehow amplified his attractiveness, which was terrifying. Every time he got close enough for me to breathe him in, I felt at war with myself. I couldn’t decide whether I wanted to nuzzle his neck or roll him away from my desk with a swift kick to his chair. Thankfully, I refrained from doing either of those and waited to see what he wanted to do about his date.
Denver sighed the sigh of the resigned and looked at me. “Hector’s still adamant I go. Having you along would definitely make things easier. I mean, I could go stag, but with a face like mine, someone else would just latch onto me.”
Oh, he was the worst. “Yeah, you’re a real catch. It’s such a privilege to work with you.”
He grinned.
I glared.
And then a new message popped up, sealing the deal.
I can’t come. 100% sure.
Denver reached over me and typed out a response. My fingers only twitched for a second before I resisted the impulse to stop him. We’d come to begrudgingly trust each other when it came to working in the threads. I knew he wouldn’t hit the send button until I looked it over.
Okay, you tell him you can’t go and then I’ll ask him. No hard feelings?
I nodded and Denver pressed send, his arms still crossed over mine. I swear, I could feel commiseration with me in his touch. It brought a warm comfort, with an undercurrent of something else I wouldn’t name.
Not friends. Not anything.It was a mantra I was trying my best to keep in mind. “Back to your desk, Denny,” I whispered.
“Sure thing, SadieLadie.” Denver retreated. We went back to reading and reporting, but I could feel Denver’s eyes on me occasionally.
Deep down, I knew his cocky bravado was a ploy for my attention, but admitting that meant admitting it didn’t bother me as much as I needed it to. I needed to be bothered by him.
Oh, you’re bothered by him, all right.
