Page 34 of Not In The Contract

“Oh my God, that’s amazing!” I cheered. “That’s theone, right?”

“What one?” Cam asked, confusion furrowing her brow.

“The same one,” Taylor giggled.

“Will someone clue me in?” Reid piped up.

“It’s a wedding gift,” I explained, my eyes drifting to Cam and Elliot.

“A wedding gift?” Elliot frowned. “For who?”

“For you guys, obviously!” Taylor chuckled. “We can’t have you getting married inNew Yorkof all places.”

Cam’s eyes turned glassy and her lips parted in surprise. “You- really?”

Elliot’s mouth popped open and a strangled sob escaped her throat.

“Now, all we need is a date and we can get this party started!” Taylor exclaimed.

Elliot’s lips slowly morphed into a smile. “We have one.”

11. Moving(?) Day

Devon

“It’sonlyfortwomonths, Devon.” Tamera frowned. “Are you sure you need all this?”

She waved a vague hand over the few bags I’d packed as if Iwouldn’tneed access to my personal library.

“That’s a loaded question,” I countered breathlessly, huffing as I hauled the last bag onto my bed. “You’ve seen the schedule; I’ll barely have time toeatlet alone come back here for supplies.”

“But this woman is a billionaire,” she pointed out, even though I didn’t need the reminder. “I’m pretty sure she has bigger fish to fry and won’t notice you disappearing for an hour or two.”

“Something tells me that’s not how this is going to work.” I sighed. “I saw her at Deezy’s.”

I wasn’t sure why I hadn’t told Tamera before. I’d rushed back to our table and chalked up my flustered face to the rush of the music. Meeting Alex had been unexpected, but it also felt private. Like something I wasn’t supposed to share.

God knew why I felt like that.

“Youwhat?!” Tamera hissed. She pulled me down to sit on the bed beside her. “Why didn’t you tell me? I want to meet her.”

“I don’t know.” I fumbled, tugging on the ends of my hair. “I wanted our night to be stress-free. I didn’t want to think about today and moving and, ugh, I just wanted to have fun.”

“Okay, but what happened?” she demanded. “Was it bad?”

“No! No, it wasn’t bad or anything. It was unexpected,” I said. “I saw her coming out of the ladies’ bathroom. I almost shoulder checked her.”

“What a way to kick off a work relationship,” Tamera murmured, a cringe tugging at the corner of her mouth.

“Right?” I groaned, burying my face in my hands. “And that isn’t even the worst part.”

“What’s that?”

“She washot, Tamera,” I whined. “You’ve seen her picture, right?” Tamera nodded. “She’s so much hotter in person. And then at the bar, God, she was something else.”

Tamera’s shoulders rounded. “You’re into her,” she concluded.

“How could I not be?”