“Victoria.”
Hearing her name on Ryan’s lips made her cringe internally.
“Come join us and meet some of the other fine folk at Wright and Williams.”
She flashed them a smile, her gaze quickly summing up the table of men staring at her with a range from curiosity to full-on male appreciation.
Then there was James—looking as if he were preparing for an enema.
As much as she just wanted to sink into a corner and hit up Reddit for the discussion on the latest Marvel movie, she knew she needed to play nice a bit today.
“Thanks.” She changed her trajectory and made her way to their table.
Ah, it wasn’tallmen. There was one woman tucked in between the guys.
There was a round of introductions and she made the effort to memorize them. Most were lawyers at the firm, with a couple of paralegals.
“So where did you go to school, Victoria?”
“UW.” She dipped her spoon back into her Greek yogurt and took a bite. “Graduated last year.”
“Go Huskies!” the one named Todd yelled.
“Woof.” She made the mascot sound and half the table echoed her.
She relaxed a bit. Having the college connection with some of the other employees at the firm definitely eased the new girl jitters.
“So, who didn’t go to UW? And wheredidyou go?” she asked to keep the conversation flowing, so she could ease out of it and continue eating her boring lunch.
Every now and then, she’d sneak a glance down the table at James. He was clearly doing his best to avoid looking at her, but one time—just as she’d shifted her gaze his way—he’d been watching her. Their gazes locked and something shifted in the room between them.
The sandwich in her mouth grew tasteless and dry and she couldn’t seem to swallow.
Finally, she blinked and jerked her attention back to the paralegal who was speaking about his plans to pursue law school.
She quickly tuned him out, distracted and irritated by her response to James.
What the hell was wrong with her? Men didn’t make her weak in the knees or giddy. She was used to appreciating the male form, all while managing to be indifferent to them.
Why was James the exception?
This was a distraction she didn’t need, and hopefully, it wouldn’t become a bigger problem.
There was zero chance of her getting involved with James. Zilch. That door was closed and nailed shut.
Her gaze drifted back one more time and she couldn’t quite stop the sigh of regret.
Fuck it all if he doesn’t look like a total snack in that suit, though.
*
“Did you knowTori works at the same firm I do?” The words were out before James could stop them.
His sister, in the middle of draining a pot of pasta, turned to glance over her shoulder at him.
“What? My Tori?” Kristen frowned. “I heard she was interviewing at a law firm, but I had no clue it was the one you worked at. We’re doing brunch this weekend. I’m guessing she was waiting to fill me in.”
“Yeah, she’s at Wright and Williams.”