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“No tough love right now, Gabby. Please.” Mia grabbed for her purse on the floor and found a hair tie. She roughly grabbed her hair, pulling it into a messy bun. “I wanted to see what he would say. If he would deny it. He tried calling me several times before you called me. I was busy working. His messages were weird until I talked to you.”
“What did he say when you saw him?”
“That it wasn’t what it looked like. That the crazy bitch misinterpreted what she saw.”
Gabby looked indignant. “He called me that. I should’ve punched him in the face like I wanted to. I know what I saw, Mia.”
“I know. I told him that. Then I told him I wasn’t surprised and that I thought something was going on.”
“Oh, no, Mia. Please, you didn’t. Please tell me you didn’t tell him why I was there.”
“It just came out. I told him I wanted to know the truth and that you would find out the truth. And you did.”
“Yeah, well, I almost didn’t. I was working for the wrong brother. You said your boyfriend was the one who needed a new secretary for a while. How in the hell did I get an interview with his brother Dane?” Gabby stood up from the couch, more annoyed by the fact every time she thought about it. And oh, boy, she’d been thinking about it nonstop since she left Dane looking lost and confused. She’d never forget the hurt on his face—the pain in his eyes. It hurt her, knowing how much she hurt him.
“He laughed when I told him why you applied for the job. He thought it was funny that you got the wrong guy. He said that his secretary was on maternity leave. He didn’t want to be bothered to get a new secretary. He said his brother Dane goes through secretaries more than anyone else in the building because he’s a hardass and doesn’t like any of them. So, he took his brother’s secretary without asking him. Champ told him that he’d end up firing her anyway. I didn’t know he did that. I didn’t realize it was his brother looking for a new secretary. I would’ve never asked you to do that otherwise. I’m sorry, Gabs.”
“It’s not your fault. Champ sure sounds like a winner,’’ Gabby drawled, the sarcasm clear in her tone. “What an asshole! To his own brother.”
“I agree. But, I mean, he did make it sound like his brother is a real jerk. Maybe he deserved it if he was going to fire the woman anyway.”
Gabby turned toward Mia, her face twisted with rage. Dane was far from a jerk. Sure, he had a hard exterior, a little arrogant at times, but once a person got underneath his protective shell, he was a—well, a good boss. Thinking any other term, like sweetheart, was not a path she should venture down.
“He’s not a jerk! He didn’t deserve his brother taking his secretary without asking. Listen to you. That same woman is the one he was screwing on his desk. Don’t make him a victim. Dane is not a jerk.”
“But you said he worked you to the bone.” Mia stood up. “Remember, your first day, I came over here to see how it went. You didn’t sound like you liked him very much.”
“That’s true. He was a little abrupt and rude. But after you get under the surface, he’s very nice.”
“Oh, my God. You like him, don’t you? How long have you liked him?” Mia walked around the coffee table to stand in front of her. She leaned in close, almost as if she was inspecting for any tiny reaction. “You like Champ’s brother.”
“Don’t be ridiculous.” Gabby turned around, fleeing to the kitchen. There was no way she could admit she liked Dane because that would be admitting she had liked Mia’s boyfriend. Because when she first met him, that’s who she thought he was. How shameful. There was no way in hell she could admit that. Not to her best friend.
“Then why are you walking away from me? You never walk away. Admit it.”
Gabby grabbed a glass from the cupboard. “There’s nothing to admit. He was a jerk at first, but as I said, you have to get to know him to like him. He’s nice.”
“We’ve been friends for twenty years. We’ve been through so many things together. Tough and rough stuff. I know when you’re lying.”
Gabby clutched the glass tighter. Damn. Mia knew right where to hit her. “What do you want me to say? You want to hear that I was attracted to your boyfriend? That I felt guilty as hell all week because I liked him?”
“He’s not my boyfriend.” Mia smiled wide, a giddiness in her step as she came closer.
“Yeah, well, for an entire week, I thought he was. It wasn’t my proudest moment, having dirty thoughts about a man I thought was your boyfriend.”
“No worries. I know you wouldn’t go behind my back. And even better, he’s not my boyfriend. Never was.”
“What is so better about that? Shit.” Gabby sighed, setting the glass on the counter.
“Um, you can make your move. Fulfill your dirty thoughts. Which, by the way, you should share with me.” Mia wiggled her eyebrows in playful anticipation. “And I’ll even pretend I haven’t been counting how many times you’ve sworn tonight. That’s what besties are for.”
Gabby rolled her eyes, glancing at her swear jar. She’d pay up later regardless of Mia’s reprieve. “I’m not sharing any of those thoughts with you. I never should’ve said anything. It doesn’t matter, Mia. I lied to him. For an entire week. Do you know why he hired me? Because of my honesty.” Gabby laughed in disbelief. “What a joke. I was dishonest the entire time. He’ll never forgive me. I was his secretary. I’m sure he didn’t see me as anything other than that.”
“You don’t know if you don’t try.”
“Not gonna happen. I’m not stepping foot in that building again. And you’re not stepping foot in Champ’s place again either. Move on. You don’t need any lame excuse from him. Don’t shed any more tears over that jerk. Okay?”
Mia nodded her head. “Okay. I know we only dated two months, but those two months, he was a dream. He was attentive to my needs, and he was dynamite in bed. I just wanted to be wrong. I hate that I was right, and he was cheating on me.”
