Page 12 of For You & No One Else (Say Everything 3)

“Yeah, this guy was looking for you.” Beckham jutted a thumb toward his uninvited guest.

Mr. Fake Boat put out his hand. “Hey. I’m Ryan, but my friends call me Ry, like the bread.”

Like the bread?Beckham scoffed. This fucking guy.

Eliza’s attention jumped to Ryan, a little line appearing between her brows, then awareness dawned. She took his hand. “Oh my God. Ryan. Right. Is it past seven?”

“It is,” Ryan said, releasing the handshake.

Eliza winced and glanced at her smartwatch, clearly flustered. “I’m so sorry. I’m usually hyperaware of the time in a session, but this one ran long.”

“Are you ready to go?” Ryan asked, not giving Eliza any grace with aNo problem, do you need a minute, it’s not a big deal.

Eliza blinked. “I, uh…”

Beckham’s dislike of the dude swelled. He needed to shut his door and get back to work. Instead, he found himself saying, “Hey,Ry, why don’t you go down to the lobby and grab something from the coffee bar? There’s a procedure to shut down and lock up offices here, and it takes a minute.”

Eliza’s gaze snapped to him, confusion there.

Ryan frowned at Eliza. “Yeah, sure. Okay.”

Eliza turned back to Ryan, a smile jumping to her face. “That’d be great. I’m so sorry for making you wait. First drink’s on me at the restaurant. I promise I’ll just be a minute.”

Beckham hated the false brightness in her tone, but he kept his mouth shut until Ryan disappeared into the elevator.

Eliza turned back to him, her smile long gone and a defeated look replacing it. “Thanks for that. I need to make a few notes about the session before I forget.”

“No problem,” he said, meaning it. That guy needed to take a walk. “The dude should’ve offered you a little time.”

“Probably.” She leaned back against the wall and rubbed the spot between her eyes, looking tired. “And I probably should’ve remembered that I had a date tonight.”

“You okay?” he asked, unable to stop himself. “Sounded like it got pretty intense in there.”

She turned her head, still leaning against the wall, and lowered her arm. “You can hear?”

“Just the crying and raised voices. Not the words.” He pointed to his ear. “My headphones stopped working tonight. Normally, I wouldn’t hear anything but the music I listen to.”

“Sorry about that,” she said. “I can’t say anything because of confidentiality, but I will say it’s been a long day and I really, really need a drink tonight.”

“One you’ll apparently be buying for yourself,” he said, unable to hide his irritation.

She pushed away from the wall and shrugged. “As long as it’s strong, I don’t care who’s paying for it.”

He frowned.

“At least Ryan looks like his dating profile, so we’re starting off better than some other dates I’ve been on.” She gave him a wan smile. “Well, thanks again for the save. I better get on with my”—she made air quotes—“special operating procedure for locking up so I don’t make Ry-like-the-bread wait any longer.”

She stepped toward her open office door.

“I’d leave Sourdough waiting down there all night,” Beckham said, his mouth taking on a mind of its own tonight.

Shut. Up. Don’t get involved.

Eliza turned, bracing a hand on the doorjamb. “What? Why? Are we still on the fact that he might have a fake boat? We’ve already established you don’t get to judge my dating choices.”

“I know that.” Beckham rubbed the back of his neck, wishing he’d stayed in his office. “But come on.That guy?”

Her eyes narrowed. “Sounding judgy…”