Page 51 of Fair Trade

Daisy groans loudly from the doorway. “Why are you guys so weird all the time? Is it some gross sexual tension that needs tending to?”

“No!”

“Perhaps.”

Luisa and I speak at the same time. She scowls in my direction. “The only tension here is the one forming a headache as we speak. So if you guys don’t mind, I have actual work to do.”She straightens her blazer as she continues to look down at my dancing pup.

“All right, Daisy. You heard the woman. Out we go.”

“You don’t have to tell me twice.” She’s out and down the hallway at an impressive speed.

I lower my voice in case anyone passes by. “I’m going to have something sent up to your office for you to eat and drink, so tell me now if you have any preferences. If not, I’ll order everything off the daily menu.”

She shakes her head as she pets my dog lovingly. “Out, Stonehaven.”

I nod in acquiesce. “As you wish.” I tap my leg twice, a signal for Delilah to come. Instead, she stays put, making sweet puppy dog eyes at Luisa.

Trust me, my girl, I know.

Luisa smirks. “Actually, there is one thing—”

“Name it.”

“The dog stays.”

Delilah barks in what seems like agreement. And if that wasn’t enough to convince me, the speed in which her tail is wagging might send her flying.

I sigh exaggeratedly. “You know, there is a joke somewhere here about me liking bad bitches, but I’m much too evolved to actually—”

“Goodbye,” Luisa singsongs. “Nuggets, fries, and a chocolate milkshake, if you must. And make it snappy.” She slams the door in my face, and I release a hearty laugh as I rest my forehead against the wood, happiness like no other consuming me.

Because she slammed the door with the biggest smile on her face.

twenty-three

I’m enjoying the lastsips of my milkshake when I get a companywide email informing all employees to work from home today and tomorrow. Other than a command to wrap up whatever we’re working on and be out of the building in the next thirty minutes, there wasn’t much information.

I start to pack up my things when I get another email notification.

I freeze when I see his name in my inbox.

I saw the man in the flesh earlier, but we’ve always been different people when we write to one another, and I can’t let myself fall down that rabbit hole again.

I consider ignoring the email, but I don’t think straight-up ignoring my boss is going to help me either, so I click it open.

I stare at my screen, unblinking.

Did he…? No. He did not. Could not.

I sigh deeply.

But of course he did. Because he’s Nicholas Stonehaven.

“Your dad is insane.” Delilah places her sweet face on my lap, requesting more head scratches. “And I guess you both love attention.” I chuckle as I pet her soft head.

I hear three rapid knocks before my door opens. I brace myself to rip Nick a new one for not waiting to be invited inside, but clamp my mouth shut when I realize it’s Richard.

We’ve been getting along… for the most part.