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Me: How the hell did you get my number? And how is your contact in my phone???
His response is instantaneous.
Avery: We exchanged numbers in your office. Don’t you remember?
Oh. My. God.
Me: No. Nope. Nuh uh. I specifically remember NOT giving you my number.
Avery: Huh. Weird.
Avery: Musta been when you ran off to the bathroom during the meeting then.
I click through my call logs and, sure enough, there’s an outgoing call to Avery Beck that I sure as hell didn’t make, right smack dab in the middle of our meeting. I’m stuck somewhere between utterly outraged and a whole lot flattered that he wanted my number that badly. Also, kind of impressed that he already knows me well enough to know I was going to say no when he asked again. Nevertheless, I click through my settings and reinstate the passcode on my phone.
A tiny smile tilts my mouth at the kissing lips emoji and strawberry next to his name.
Me: You are absolutely unbelievable.
“Claire?” I hear Charlee’s voice but I’m too engrossed to look up. “What’s got you so worked up that you’re smashing away at your phone?”
Holding my phone up to her, I huff, watching her eyes trail over the screen, her lips moving as she reads.
“Ha!” She grins settling back in her chair. “That’s hilarious. I like him.”
“It’s not hilarious,” I whine. My phone dings again.
Avery: Don’t forget friendly. Unbelievable AND friendly.
Avery: Friday. 6:30pm.
Is this guy for real? Seriously, is he real life?
Me: I’m not fucking you.
Me: And I’m not having dinner with you either.
Avery: Nope. You’re coming to my office and we’re working. This is a professional relationship, Claire. Get your mind out of the gutter. Bring your floorspace plans and any info/quotes you’ve gotten from contractors already.
A tingle of embarrassment tickles my cheeks, because of course that’s what this is about. We have to work together, and closely at that. Like Dex said, I’m the contact person for this job. He’s not messaging me for me.
Avery: You might want to dress in comfy clothes. There’s no telling how long we’ll be holed up together. I plan on working you hard all night long.
Okay, screw this shit.
***
CHAPTER NINE
Avery
“Here you go, handsome.” A tall red can slides across the marble table in front of me and a frosty pint glass drops beside it. “Anything else I can get for you?”
I look up at the waitress. Tall-ish, blond hair, bright blue eyes, sexy red smirk, and a nice set of tits, invariably swelling out from a low-cut top. We’ve been flirting relentlessly during lunch every Friday for the last two months. Gwen is her name. I only remember because of her nametag.
Today, I avert my gaze to my beer, popping the tab. “Nah, I’m good.”
I catch her pout from the corner of my eye before she turns and saunters off, adding a little too much sway in her hips.
