Maid for Each Other(18)

“It absolutely was,” I replied, reaching out to turn on his radio because I needed to drown out the awkwardness that was sure to accompany us on the ride home.

I scanned for songs, going around the horn over and over again because I couldn’t find anything good, and his sigh told me he wasn’t enjoying it.

Am I obnoxious? I wondered. I usually wasn’t, but something about Declan brought out the inner shit in me, the snotty teen who wanted to push back on everything.

So I just kept scanning.

When we finally pulled up in front of his building, I was ready to bolt. I reached for the door handle and said, “So we’re good now, right? I don’t owe you anything else?”

He looked at me for a long moment, green eyes trying to figure me out, before giving a terse nod. “You’re good. Just don’t trash my place, and be out by next Friday, okay?”

“Okay,” I said, stepping out of the car. I had no idea how to say goodbye to this man I hadn’t even known yesterday at this time, so I just said, “Well, thanks for the date, then, Dexxie.”

I slammed the door and headed for the entrance, forcing myself not to look over my shoulder as his shiny black car zipped away.

8

Upon Further Consideration

Declan

My phone started ringing the second I pulled away from the building.

“What’s up, Warren?” I answered through the Bluetooth connection, turning at the corner so I could slide into a street spot until the call ended.

“Did you see Abi home already?” he asked.

“Yeah, I just dropped her off,” I said, very uncomfortable with the fact that Warren obviously found her to be delightful.

Hell, everyone had seemed to find her delightful. I mean, if I were being honest, I had, too. I hadn’t a clue as to who she really was in her daily life, but she’d been charming as fuck at the cocktail party. And it seemed she was quite the creative.

“Bouquets of EpiPens,” what the hell?

“I know you were both adamant about Abi having plans all weekend, and I respect your free time.” Here it comes, I thought. “But I really think it would be a great thing for everyone to get to know her better, and to see you behaving like a family man.”

“Having a girlfriend makes me a family man now?” I countered, irritated that this was still a thing—it was such an antiquated ethos. I was the smartest person on the team, but the fact that I was thirty and single put some sort of asterisk beside my head.

And I wasn’t cocky—it was a simple fact. I was the smartest. Not better, and certainly not incapable of learning a lot from my peers, but smarter than the close colleagues who happened to be settled down with houses and spouses.

“You’re too smart to miss my point, Dex.”

Yeah, I am.

Damn it.

“I’ll check with her again,” I said, “but she’s a pretty committed person, so she doesn’t like to cancel plans.”

“Rescheduling isn’t canceling,” he said, and I honestly appreciated what he was trying to do. Warren was in my corner, I knew that, but I also knew he wasn’t a genie who’d put himself out there to help me move up. He believed in trusting the process, and the process meant that I had to wait for my turn.

My turn that would probably come a little more quickly if I were attached, unfortunately.

My phone buzzed with a notification from the hotel, reminding me to check in.

“I’ll run it by her, Warren,” I said, “but I wouldn’t hold my breath.”

“Oh, but I will,” he said. “I have a good feeling about Miss Abi.”

“Is that right?” I said, cracking my neck, exhaustion settling over me.

“Definitely. She feels like a good luck charm,” he said. “If she shows up with you tomorrow, Dex, I have a great feeling about the weekend.”

Shit. Shit shit shit. “I’ll see what I can do.”

9

Just When You Think You Know What’s Going On

Abi

I nearly jumped out of my skin when I heard the knock.

After stopping at the convenience store in the lobby for a twelve-pack of Diet Pepsi, I came straight up and had barely removed my shoes when three very heavy knocks banged on the door.

I looked through the peephole and it was Declan.

“Who is it?” I said.

“I know you can see me,” he said, looking calmly exasperated.

I opened the door. “Hi, there.”

“Hi, there,” he said, somehow managing to inject sarcasm into the two tiny words. “Can I talk to you for a second?”

“Sure. Come in.” It was a ludicrous thing to say when it was his house, but my life had become ludicrous.

I turned and went into the living room, assuming that’s where he’d want to talk, and after he closed the door, he followed me over.

I plopped down on the big white sofa, very tired of wearing the cocktail dress, and said, “What’s up?”

He reached up and loosened his tie a little more, looking unhappy. “So, what would you say if I asked you to keep up this little charade with me for the shareholder weekend?”

I accidentally made a you’re nuts noise in the back of my throat as I tucked my legs underneath me. “You’re kidding, right?”