Beck reappears with the earrings, and all three of them watch as I slip them into my ears. “Well?”
Beck studies me, then says, “Perfect. I knew they would be.”
“Thanks. Well, I should get outta here; I like to be a little early so I can size up the competition in the waiting area.” I smile at my two friends and don’t turn to look at Atticus. He wasn’t even supposed to be here, and now he’s seeing me before I go to an interview. I’m embarrassed and uncomfortable. Smiling because I’m good at that, I ask, “any last-minute things I need to know since I’ve been out of the interview game so long?”
Beck taps her chin, and Beau tips his head to the side thoughtfully, mindlessly stroking his hand through Jett’s white blonde hair.
“Thought they were your specialty,” Atticus says gruffly, joining a conversation he really wasn’t invited to.
“She had her last job for years so it’s been a while,” Beck intervenes, using a mix of her mom voice and herfuck around and find outvoice. And I love her for it because, for some reason, just his tone makes me edgy. Something about this man, in general, makes me combative, I swear. Just then, my stomach rumbles, and I press my hand there, feeling my cheeks blush.
“Had too much coffee to eat,” I defend, then face only Beck. “Thanks for the earrings.”
As if he just needed a second to think, Beau snaps and then points at me. “Don’t forget to put your cell phone on silent.” His smile is proud, and it makes me grin back at him.
“Thanks, Beau. But yeah, it’s on silent.”
“Don’t chew gum,” Beck adds. I twist my lips to the side. She shrugs a little. “Not helpful. You knew that. Got it.”
Atticus speaks up. “Be real.”
My hands magnetize to my hips. “Bereal?”
He doesn’t nod or repeat himself; he just stares at me. “Yup.”
I roll my eyes and ignore the searing arousal zipping down my spine and bouncing around in my panties at the raw timbre of his voice and the way his body swallows half the counter as he leans over, still holding his phone.
“Great,” I say, sarcasm dripping from my words. “Wonderful advice. Thanks.” I roll my eyes, thank Beck for the zip and earrings, give Jett a kiss on the cheek, and knock knuckles with Beau.
“Come back for dinner tonight to celebrate the interview,” Beau offers cheerfully, and I’m two seconds away from declining when he adds, “don’t say no.”
Fuck. “Okay, sure. Although, shouldn’t we celebrate when I get the job?”
Beck slices her hand through the air. “No. This interview is cause for celebration. It means a new chapter is beginning already.”
Atticus snorts. I face him, hands again on my hips.
He narrows his eyes on me. “Ain’t laughin’ at you, socool it.”
Before I can verbally murder him for telling me to cool it, my pussy clenches tight, reminding me that I don’t hate the way he talks to me as much as I pretend I do. I leave his words hanging because I just want to get out of here and get this HR interview over with already.
As I’m heading out to my car, I hear Beck picking at Atticus after he tells her that her “new chapter shit is corny.” She’s telling him not to curse around Jett as I close the front door.
The new chapter stuff was pretty corny, and I find myself smiling and rolling my eyes at his words while I drive. Yes, that’s why he’s all I can think about on my way to the car dealership.
* * *
I strokemy fingers through my hair way too many times. And after I’ve officially made it greasier from said stroking, I gather my confidence and push inside the glass-walled building.
After checking in with a receptionist who looks like she’s missing high school to be here, I take a seat in the small, freezing-cold waiting area. There are two men here and no other women. One is dressed in an expensive, fitted suit, and the other is in an ill-fitting suit that may or may not be from 1985. I’m pretty sure it has shoulder pads, too. He’s got a briefcase with him, and he’s sweating, dragging the sleeve of his Jerry Seinfeld-esque sports coat across his forehead every minute or so. His knee is bouncing, too.
Sweaty old suit man goes back first, leaving just the nice suit guy and me waiting.
Nice suit guy slides closer to me on the leather and stainless steel couch. Seriously, this couch has one of two life options: a porn casting couch or the couch in a car dealership. I’m grateful I’m here for the latter.
Nice suit guy, complete with a head of perfectly coiffed blonde hair and seriously green eyes, outstretches his hand to me. “Hi, I’m Kurt.”
My eyes widen. “Seriously?”