揂sk Anna how much she likes being teased,?I hiss.
揙h, I think the boss already did that, doll. He tore into her a couple days after that meeting. I don抰 think she meant anything nefarious by it, though. She just thought we抎 gain tons of traction, and isn抰 that the goal these days??
She isn抰 wrong.
Still. Some lines can抰 be crossed just for internet clout.
揗r. Burns is rather strict about not fraternizing with the staff. He was probably upset by the suggestion,?I say, grateful that my boss is a decent guy in the office when he抯 not hellbent on pissing me off.
揘o, he was pretty adamant that Anna should apologize for embarrassing you and also make sure you didn抰 feel like she was told to apologize,?Cheryl tells me with a frown.
揥hat? Why would he do that??My eyebrows shoot up.
Cheryl shrugs. 揑 don抰 know, but he went in pretty hot.?
Interesting. I honestly don抰 know whether I feel protected or annoyed.
Then, as if saying her name calls her, I hear the click of high heels and a voice that抯 definitely running on a double shot of espresso.
揚arty at Dakota抯 desk!?Anna runs up and rests her hands on the walls of my cubicle. 揑s Mr. Burns in??
揧eah, but he抯 still on a call, I think.?
Cheryl picks up the manila folder from my desk and hands it to Anna. 揑 have some new social media copy.?
揋reat!?Anna opens the folder and starts flicking through it, laughing intermittently. 揟hese are cute. Way to step up the game, Cheryl. The wedding campaign抯 on track梬ell, aside from one thing.?She lifts her head and looks at me pointedly. 揑 just wish we had a unique hook. A personal touch. Something Vera and the other big brands couldn抰 top to save their lives.?
I try not to glare at her. It抯 painfully obvious what she means.
揅areful. I told her the boss demanded an apology,?Cheryl says with mock humor like she抯 trying to diffuse the whole thing.
It抯 not working.
Anna smiles down at me.
揝orry. It抯 a nonstarter,?I say, hating that I always feel compelled to apologize.
揇akota, everyone notices how you two play off of each other,?Cheryl says.
揌e抯 ripped and loaded. Just bat your eyes and go along with it. Hell, maybe push for an extra performance bonus. Do you have any clue how many ladies in this office would love to be in your position for free??Anna says sweetly.
Heat throbs under my face. I bury my head in my hands, willing myself to disappear before I open my eyes again.
Didn抰 work.
I抦 still here, being tormented by people who are supposed to be on my side.
揟hat抯 enough, you two,?I say, trying to lay down the law. 揑 have my reasons for not wanting to be a standin bride. We抮e just not interested and I棓
My desk phone rings, grabbing my attention.
I pick it up with a heavy sigh.
揕incoln Burns, CEO, this is Miss Poe speaking. How can I help you??I say with rehearsed politeness.
揗iss Poe, this is security. I抳e got a delivery with your name on it. Should I send it up??
揥hat is it??I freeze in my seat, grateful Anna and Cheryl have at least gone back to chattering among themselves.
揅an抰 tell, but it抯 pretty long. Light weight. Came in a box. You want me to open it??
Oof, yeah, as long as it抯 not a bomb.
揝ure, open it and then send it up,?I say.
A few minutes later when the elevator opens, a guy wearing a building security uniform steps out with a bulging bouquet of puffy purple hydrangeas. 揇akota Poe??
Oh, no.
He stops and glances around. A few heavy seconds pass while I抦 frozen in my seat before I finally clear my throat enough to say, 揜ight here. That抯 me.?
Unfortunately.
He storms over and shoves the flowers in my face. 揅an I put these down??
揢m, sure.?I start rearranging stuff on my desk to make space like I抦 trying to bury my own shame.
I gesture and he sets the flowers down in the empty space I cleared. I have one good guess who they抮e from and it抯 already making my stomach heave.
揙hhh, gorgeous! Just the splash of color you need, Dakota. Who are they from??Cheryl asks, her eyes wide with excitement.
I try not to cringe. I should抳e known it was hopeless, hiding my anti-gift from one of the office big mouths.
揑 haven抰 read the card yet,?I lie. I find it buried between the flowers and pluck it out, unsure if the lead weight in my belly is mostly anger or dread.
Anna giggles obnoxiously. 揥e know who they抮e from! I think that抯 his way of saying he抯 game for a little marketing magic.?
Desperation, thy name is Anna Patel.
揧ou do, huh??I flip the card open only because I want to prove her wrong.
揃ossman has an eye for lavish gifts,?Cheryl says.
揑 wish,?I mutter.
And I actually do wish Lincoln was my secret admirer when I read the blocky words scrawled inside the card.
Can we talk? stares up at me, along with a new number.
Anna can抰 see the name. I抦 starting to believe she really thinks it抯 from Lincoln with the way she giggles. It抯 just incredible how the boss might be the least annoying person here today.
揥hat抯 going on out here??Speak of the devil. His voice drops low as he comes around my desk. 揊lowers? Who are they from??
揕ike you don抰 know,?Anna says, giving him an exaggerated eye roll. 揑 knew you抎 come around. That email you sent the other day about scouting talent with the model agency was a dead giveaway.?
He glares at her.
I think a full thirty seconds passes where Lincoln抯 dark eyes flick back and forth. It抯 like I can see him contemplating her termination.
揙h, well…maybe he doesn抰 know. Sorry for assuming,?Anna squeaks, then grabs Cheryl抯 arm. 揥e抣l get out of your hair, Mr. Burns. Lots of campaigns to polish up. Later!?
They both scurry to the elevator like fleeing rats.
It抯 so ridiculous it takes the edge off, and I almost laugh.
Then Lincoln抯 intense gaze lands on me and lingers until the elevator dings shut.
揥ho are they from??he asks, his voice low thunder.
I hold my hands up, trying to find the words.
揇akota? You have a hot new date or what??
Holy hell. The look on his face is one long silent scream of jealousy that makes me shudder.
揥hy do you care??I say with a shrug. 揟hey came from somebody back home.?
A little white lie painted purple. That抯 all I抳e got.
Even if we抳e been on better terms lately, I抦 not about to explain that my stalker ex keeps sending me unwanted flowers. For all I know, Lincoln might be ludicrous enough to follow through on his threats梩hough having Jay wrecked right now is very, very tempting.
揑 don抰 care, Nevermore. Just curious.?He rolls his big shoulders, a tension pulling through him like a cord.
揇on抰 waste the mental energy. They抮e for charity,?I say, refusing to meet his eyes.
揊or such a bad liar, you抮e bold,?he rumbles, leaning over me.
My heart skips a beat as I look up, defiantly meeting his swirling brown eyes.
揥hat? Why would I lie about this? It would be cooler if they were for me.?I know I抦 playing with fire, strumming his jealousy strings.
揅ool. Right. Whoever they抮e from has trash taste. Hydrangeas are overplayed and barely remarkable. They shout friend zone, not romance,?he says, and I抦 surprised he talks like he knows his flowers.
I bite my tongue so I don抰 laugh. Also, he isn抰 wrong.
揑 told you. They抮e just for charity. Down, boy,?I say playfully.
揅harity? Only because you don抰 like them, and you know I抦 right. Whoever sends this shit to a girl wants to make her drier than the Sonoran desert.?