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"Of course."
With my cheeks on fire, I keep my gaze focused on the wooden floor as I schlep my ass into his office.
With the door closed, Branum approaches…then stops, keeping a few feet between us. "What's wrong?"
I let out a trembling breath, my eyes starting to sting.Oh god. No, please don't cry.The only thing worse than being the guy who barges into someone's workplace being all melodramatic and crazy is being the guy who barges into someone's workplace and starts bawling their eyes out.
"Can I get you some water?… Or scotch? Would you like to sit down?"
Branum's deep voice pacifies me a little, and I take a few deep breaths, still avoiding looking at him directly.
Eventually, I lift my head. He looks concerned.
I take another deep breath, look straight into his dark eyes, and ask the question I want to, don't want to, want to, don't want to, but know I have to ask.
"Is the reason you asked me out because you lost a bet with Trevor?"
15
Branum
"Absolutely not," I reply, my hackles rising. "What makes you say that?"
"Trevor. He told me about your bet."
Fuck. So that's why PJ's here. Any hopes I had that he was paying me a friendly visit died the second I laid eyes on him at reception. I knew something was up, but I wasn't expecting him to come out withthis.
"It wasn't a bet," I counter, trying to keep my voice steady while silently plotting Trevor's demise. What the fuck has that guy told him? And why? Is he trying to come between us?
"So, what was it then?"
"Let's have a seat." I gesture to the sofa by the window.
PJ gives a tentative nod, walks over, and sits down.
"Can I get you some—?"
"No." The word comes out so harshly it seems to take even him by surprise. "Sorry. I just… I just want to know what happened. Please tell me. I'm completely freaking out over here."
I settle on the other side of the couch, giving PJ the space I suspect he needs at the moment.
He looks over at me, his eyes watery, and it makes my stomach clench. I hate seeing him like this. I hate that I'm responsible for him feeling this way.
I need to fix this, and stat. He wants answers, so that's what I'll give him.
"I came in one day, and you weren't there. I went over to the counter and was about to ask about you when Trevor said something like, 'Let me guess what you're going to ask.' I said, 'Fine, go ahead.' That's when he came up with the bet idea. I actually interrupted him because I thought he was implying he wanted to go out with me."
"Why did you stop him?"
"Because he wasn't the librarian I had my eye on. He wasn't the reason why I came to the library every day when I could have just as easily studied at home."
"Really?"
"Really. I've been infatuated with you since the second I caught a glimpse of you running away in the forest. I'm sorry that me asking you out got caught up in a dumb conversation between Trevor and me, and I'm even more sorry that I didn't have the balls to ask you out the very first time I came to the library."
"Why didn't you?"
"You really want to know?"
