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I glared at him. “I see her every day. We work together.”
“She looks good,” he whispered, winking at me.
“Did you need something?” I asked through gritted teeth. While our relationship had become less strained, I had evaded two of his invitations this week to do something life-threatening. I thought being closer to family might be healthy for me, but Oliver insisted on turning our relationship into a liability.
“I was in the area. Thought I’d pop in and see what your life is all about.”
“How did you even get up here?”
He held up a laminated badge. “I told the front desk I was your brother and they gave me this. Sweet lady that works there, by the way.”
I’d have to have a talk with someone about tightening up security if all it took to get inside was a charming smile and a line about knowing someone.
“I wish you would have texted me. I’m swamped at the moment.”
Oliver rolled his eyes. “You’re always swamped. Take fifteen minutes and show me around. I could use a coffee.”
“Fine,” I relented. If I gave in, I could likely get rid of him faster. “There’s a good coffee shop across the street.” I rose from my desk and gestured for him to leave my office first.
“Wait, what about the office tour?” he protested.
My eyebrows shot up. “This?” I looked around. “There’s nothing to show, you can see it all from right there.”
He whistled, as he walked around to my side of the desk. He took in my beige, unadorned walls and the empty desktop. “Not big on personalizing, huh?”
I tilted my head, confused. “What would I personalize? I brought my laptop.”
“You know, some people like to hang posters or pictures. Something to make it less depressing in here.”
“I come here to work. Why would I need to change anything about it? It’s perfectly functional.”
Oliver chuckled and shook his head. “You really never change.”
“Do you want to see the rest of the office or not?” I demanded.
He clapped his hands together. “Let’s do it,” he said, this time following me out of my modest office.
“This is the product and engineering department,” I said, waving my hand around the room.
“What does Charlie do?” he asked, pointing at her. She looked up at that moment. It took her a minute to register who it was, but she quickly smiled and waved.
“She’s Head of Product,” I muttered. “Let’s go over—”
“Let’s go say hi,” he insisted, already headed in her direction.
I cursed under my breath. I hadn’t said anything to Oliver about the recent progression—and regression—of our relationship. We weren’t exactly the type of brothers that shared our emotions and feelings. It wasn’t like he told me anything either. As far as I knew, the man was completely celibate.Although, the fact that I had heard muffled giggles through his bedroom walls told me otherwise.
“Charlie,” Oliver boomed while walking over to her. “It’s good to see you.” He opened his arms and she stepped into them for a quick hug. I envied how easy it was for him to do that—reach out and touch her without thought. What I wouldn’t give to reach out to her right now.
“Oliver,” she said, smiling more at him than she had at me all week. Another thing that frustrated me. “I thought that was you. How are you?”
“I’m good,” he said. “Thought I’d stop by and see where Nathan spends every waking second.”
“Sorry about this,” I muttered, but she ignored me.
“Well, this is it. Is it everything you thought it’d be?”
He lifted one arm and stroked his chin, turning to evaluate the office. I shifted my gaze upward and suppressed a frustrated sigh.
