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“Right now?” he asked, waggling his brows like a cliché villain.

I chuckled and rolled my eyes. “No, we need to set a good example for the staff here.”

“Bummer.”

“So, are we going to talk about the very obvious Dior purse in Vinny’s most recent selfie online, or…?”

I narrowed my eyes at Alex, sitting across from me, innocently twirling the end of her fiery ponytail between her fingers. She leveled a knowing look at me, her brow arched.

“Stop looking so smug,” I grouched, flipping the end of my braid off my shoulder. “We go out sometimes, what does it matter?”

“I didn’t say it mattered.” She frowned nonchalantly, winking at Cameron beside me. “I just wanted to know which season the purse is from. It’s to die for.”

“You’re full of shit, Alex.” I sniffed, grabbing my glass and taking a sip to give myself something to do.

Vinny had spent the night last night, and our tumble in the sheets before work had done nothing to ease the twist knotting my gut. I tried not to think about it.

“Alex just loves poking her nose into other people’s business,” Reid teased, waving Alex’s reproachful glare off. “You know her.”

I only hummed, hoping the conversation would change. Usually, I’d be the one to change it, forging ahead with another topic. I had no energy for it.

Cameron must have sensed my exhaustion because she cleared her throat delicately.

“Alex, we’re supposed to meet for the new Pierce Tech building later,” Cameron noted, dropping her chin into the palm of her hand. “Did your assistant give you the details?”

Alex took a sip of her drink through her straw and nodded in response. “She mentioned it this morning after your legal team confirmed it. But I haven’t had a chance to look at the proposed schematics yet.”

Cameron waved her off. “It’s not a huge renovation but it definitely needs your expertise.”

They fell into their own conversation and I let my thoughts drift for a while, aimlessly stirring my drink.

I didn’t really want to talk about Vinny’s post; he’d begged me to let him post it because he loved the restaurant, and I agreed because my face wasn’t visible.

That familiar discomfort in my gut twisted again, and I pressed a hand to ease the sensation. I had to go back to the store after lunch, and the thought of seeing Frankie again tightened the knot in my stomach.

No,this is just business. Nothing more.

I wasn’t losing my cool over Frankie.

“How are things going at the store, Hayden?”

I swallowed the groan in my throat and looked at Reid. “It’s a pain,” I said a little belligerently. “But it has so much potential; I can’t bear to see it go unused.”

“Is it because of that woman?” Taylor chimed in, her eyes bright. “Frankie?”

“Neither of you is funny,” I deadpanned and picked up my fork. I stabbed at the crisp lettuce on my plate, refusing to entertain either of them.

“Come on, Hayden,” Taylor pleaded. “We’re not teasing, we really want to know.”

I sighed and looked back at my two friends. Their faces held very little of the sincerity Taylor had claimed, but I knew they wouldn’t stop until I said something.

“If you absolutely have to know,” I said, relenting, my attention on my plate. “Then, yes, Frankie has made things very difficult.”

“Ooh, sounds like I missed out big time.”

Our heads collectively snapped to Elliot, who walked up behind Cameron’s chair.

“You’re back!”