Page 143 of Not In The Contract

I shrugged, not quite knowing the answer. “I don’t know, I just don’t want her to feel like she owes anyone anything. Me, included. It’ll sound better coming from you, since it’s your job to offer her guidance.”

My rambling reasoning seemed to be enough for Paula, who nodded again and stepped closer to me.

“Okay, let’s hear it,” she said.

49. Future Calling

Devon

“Bytheway,how’severything with the billionaire babe?” Tamera winked at me.

I knew she was trying to distract me, but her efforts weren’t doing much to ease the nervousness I felt. I glanced at the clock again, the time for my meeting with Paula approaching rapidly. I would never have guessed that a thesis review could have me wanting to throw up with anxiety. Tamera was supposed to be my lifeline, a way to quell the jumble of nerves in my stomach.

“Tam, don’t start.” I rolled my eyes. “And also… things are amazing, thanks for asking.”

Her laughter tinkled through the phone. “Uh-huh, head over heels and afraid to admit it, right?”

I let out an exasperated sigh. “You’re impossible, you know that?”

“And you’re adorable when you’re all flustered,” she teased. “But seriously, Dev, it’s about time someone realized how awesome you are. I’m really happy for you two.”

“Thanks,” I said again, that familiar warmth filling my chest the way it did when I thought about Alex. “It turns out this whole ‘taking it slow’ thing has been great for us. It feels like we’re really dating.”

“As opposed to…?” Tamera chuckled.

“I don’t know,” I replied honestly. “I guess there was this aspect of fantasy to it when we just got together. Like it was this precarious thing that existed only under a very particular set of circumstances.”

“You make it sound like an intricate chemistry experiment,” she chided, not bothering to hide her amusement.

There was chemistry, all right. Alex and I didn’t have a shortage of that—not in the beginning, and not now.

A flush crept up my cheeks. “Alex is… something else. But let’s not make this all about me. How’s Katya?”

She wasn’t expecting me to throw the ball back at her and it showed. Now it was Tamera’s turn to blush.

“She’s been a lot more relaxed about work since her boss has been in a good mood.” She winked at me.

“Oh, you’re welcome, by the way.”

Tamera waved me off, a soft smile sneaking onto her lips. “But things are also amazing, I have to admit. It’s like we’ve hit this weirdly synchronistic rhythm, and everything we say and do just… vibes. You know?”

I wouldn’t have described it that way, but I did know. It was how I felt with Alex.

“I’m so happy that you’re happy, Tam. I mean it.”

“Yeah, yeah, enough steering me off course. You need to focus on that review.” She fixed me with a stern look. One that, even over FaceTime, made me sit up and pay attention.

And just like that, my little bubble of calm burst wide open and the scraggly edges of my anxiety started clawing at me.

“Paula’s going to tear my thesis to shreds. I know it. All my work, down the drain.” I drew my knees up to my chest, clutching them tightly, my phone propped up on my pillows.

“Okay, you’re going to need to check yourself before you wreck yourself,” Tam said, her tone serious. “This is just the nerves talking. You’re brilliant, and your thesis is a masterpiece. Paula is lucky to even get to read it.”

I rolled my eyes, a reluctant smile tugging at my lips. “You’re a bit biased, don’t you think?”

“Of course I am. But I’m also right,” Tam replied confidently. “Remember when you were stressing about that midterm, and then you aced it? Or that time you were worried about your presentation, and you rocked it? This is no different. Trust me. I know.”

I sighed, feeling a knot in my chest start to slowly unravel. “Thanks, Tam. I don’t know what I’d do without you.”