I stiffen when I hear a key in the lock. The front door pushes open, and Sebastian steps inside. He looks exhausted: his tie is hanging loose around his throat, and his collar is unbuttoned. He shuts the door behind him and blinks, confused, around the room.
I know immediately that I’ve messed up. I’ve taken it too far. He’s weirded out. What kind of loser gets shouted at by their boss, and responds by deep-cleaning his house?
His eyes finally alight on me. He looks stunned. “Beth—”
I stand up, forcing a smile onto my face. “Cami took a while to get to sleep. She’s just dropped off now.” I head to the front door, slipping on my shoes. “She only ate about half of her dinner, so don’t be surprised if she needs an extra feed in the night.”
He doesn’t say anything, staring around the room with wide eyes. I lace up my converse, then straighten. “Well. See you tomorr—”
“Beth.” He grasps my wrist, and I freeze. “You didn’t have to do all this. You’re not a housekeeper. I just didn’t want all the stuff on the floor.”
I nod, not looking at him.
He frowns, loosening his grip. “Beth, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to snap at you. I just… mess stresses me out. And those papers were really important.”
I yank my hand free. “She’s a baby,” I say, my voice coming out sharper than I intended. “Babies make messes.”
His mouth falls open. He looks completely taken aback. I grab my keys from the dish by the door and cast one look back at Cami. “See you tomorrow,” I mutter.
He nods, and I leave.
* * *
The next day is miserable. The guys mostly stay out of my way, although I notice Jack tossing me some concerned looks. Every time our eyes meet, I remember his lips on mine. His hands on my cheeks. His blush as he told me,I have a crush on you.
God. Why do I have to make everything so bloody complicated? This is the first time I’ve had a steady job in over a year, and I’ve already snogged one boss, and fought with another. It’s like I want to be unemployed and starving.
I try to just focus on keeping my head down and getting my work done, but it’s a struggle.By the time my shift is over, I’m so flustered and stressed out that I can’t handle it anymore. So, I do what I always do when I need advice: I tuck myself up in bed and call Benny.
Unfortunately, he’s not very helpful. In fact, he mostly seems to find the situation funny.
“Wait, wait. Your neighbor kissed you, and you ran to hide in the loo?”he squawks down the line.
“Stop laughing!” I demand. “It’s not a joke.”
“Yeah, okay, Sister Ellis. Don’t get your wimple in a twist.”
“You think I’m being dumb?” I ask, incredulous. “YouknowI don’t date!”
“Yes, and I respect your decision to remain single. But I don’t know where you got the idea that kissing equals dating. What are you, a fifth-grader? If you hold his hand, do we have to plan a wedding ceremony for you both in the playground? Can Ipleasebe the flower boy? I’ll make you a dandelion bouquet and chuck leaves at you as you walk down the aisle.”
I consider this for a few moments, my heart sinking. “I’ve overreacted, haven’t I?”
“The boy you fancied kissed you, and you ran away like he was amurderer,” he says cheerfully.“I’d say that you did, yeah.”
I groan, flopping back onto my bed and plucking at my quilt.“It’s just… he said that he had acrushon me—” I break off as Benny wolf-whistles deafeningly, directly into the receiver, “Yes, okay, thank you—and I’ve fancied him for ages.”
“So, what? You think you won’t be able to snog the man without falling for him? I think this is a good thing. If you don’t want a boyfriend, ease yourself into it. Go on some dates. Kiss some faces. Have casual sex. You won’t be this pretty forever.”
“Thanks.” Guilt churns in my stomach as I remember Jack’s worried expression this morning. Benny’s right. Running away from the kiss was dumb, and avoiding him afterwards was honestly downright mean. Damn it. “I think it’s kinda too late now, anyway,” I sigh. “The ship has sailed.”
“No it hasn’t. Drag the ship back. Anchor it in your harbour. Then shag it.”I pull a face. There’s some rustling noises, and I hear a muffled shout in the background.“I’ve gotta go now. Thanks for making me feel better about my own shitty sex life. In comparison to you, I’m Hugh Hefner.”
“You’re welcome?”
“You’re still on for Friday night, yeah? I need to buy tickets for the club before they sell out.”
“Sure.”