You don’t have to do that. I’d rather go home first and change. You don’t want to see me in the Atlas polo again.
I’ll take you any way I can get you.
My skin goes warm at his words.
He’s typing again. I see the gray bubble, the little white dots.
What time do you get off work?
Five.
I’ll be in the parking lot waiting for you.
“Wow, did Cade get you those flowers?”
I glance up from my phone to see Lena standing there, gaping at the giant arrangement sitting on the desk. I shove my phone into my pocket and offer her a tentative smile. “No.”
“Oh.” She sends me a confused look. “They look expensive.”
“I think they are,” I agree.
“Who sent them?”
“You’ll never believe me.”
“Uh huh.” She approaches the desk, bends her head to breathe in the flowers’ scent. The smile on her face can’t be contained, they smell that good. “So. Are you seeing someone else?”
Her voice sounds downright hopeful.
“I don’t move that fast.” Well, someone else is moving fast, I’ll give him that. “It’s…complicated.”
The smile disappears. “What about Cade?”
“Listen. Cade and I—he’s nice. I like him a lot.” Lena’s face falls a little. “But I don’t like him like that. More as a friend.”
She backs away from the flowers, the doubt on her face clear. “Are you saying that because of what I told you?”
“No, not at all.” Well, sort of. Our timing is all wrong. He’s a nice guy. Probably a good catch. But I don’t think we’d work out. Not now. “He’s not my type.”
“Really?” Even more doubt colors her tone. Clearly she doesn’t believe me. “Who’s your type then?”
A hot professional football player with dark hair, ice blue eyes and a brooding stare.
“I’m not interested in Cade,” I say firmly. “You should go for it.”
Lena’s mouth drops open. “Are you serious? You just went on a date with him last night.”
“It wasn’t a real date. I just—I had tickets to the Niners game and asked him to go with me,” I say with a small shrug. “Two friends going to a football game. That’s it.”
“Well, you might not think it was a date, but Cade definitely does. He was telling everyone outside earlier about how you two went to the game, and how you introduced him to Whittaker and Tuttle.”
Okay. This isn’t good. “Work relationships are frowned upon at Atlas Wellness Center.”
Lena starts to laugh. “You sound like the company handbook.”
“That’s because I’ve actually read the company handbook, and it said exactly that.”
“But they’re not completely forbidden, right? I’ve gone out with someone who worked here before,” Lena says with a little shrug. “It’s no big deal as long as you’re discreet and don’t let your relationship affect the work environment.”