Page 78 of Not In The Contract

“Fine.” She groaned. “I’m a little bit nosey.”

“About what?” I frowned.

“Your friend,” she answered, her grin turning shy.

My expression morphed from mild confusion to one of uninhibited glee. “You mean my gorgeous best friend?”

Katya chuckled, her face bright red. “The one who came to pick you up for lunch,” she explained, and I all but fell out of my chair.

“Thatismy gorgeous best friend!” I gushed.

“Aren’t you supposed to be playing it cool on her behalf?” She laughed, swatting at my arm playfully.

I rolled my eyes. “Tamera is not someone who plays it cool,” I said. “I’d be doing her a great disservice by pretending otherwise.”

Katya smiled wider and looked down.

I wrapped my hand around her arm and tugged her to my seat, pushed her into the chair directly next to mine and nodded. “So, what kind of interested are we talking here?” I teased. “Theoh, she’s pretty hotor theoh my God, she’s hot?”

Katya buried her face in her hands and mumbled an answer. “The second one.”

“Delicious.” I snickered. “How do you want to do this?”

She glanced up from her hands in obvious confusion.

“Do you want me to set you guys up?” I asked. “Do you want me to ask if I can give you her number? Do you want me to give her yours?”

“Oh, uh,” she paused, her voice a little wobbly, “I don’t know. What would she prefer?”

“No, no, this is aboutyou,” I insisted. “You have to tell me what you’re comfortable with so I can communicate that to Tam. She can be a little lovestruck and it comes off overwhelming for those who don’t know her.”

“I’m not usually the one who makes the first move,” she mumbled, her teeth worrying her bottom lip. “But I guess you could give her my number? Then, if she really is interested she can call me? O-or text. Maybe text, instead.”

“Aye aye, Captain,” I said, snatching up my phone. I paused. “Actually…”

“Hm?”

I lifted my gaze to Katya’s, my grin scheming. “Tamera is picking me up for lunch in about ten minutes,” I told her, and Katya’s face went from red to deep maroon. “You guys could talk for a little while I wrap up with Alex.”

“Oh, uh, shit that's short notice,” she said, laughing nervously. “Do I look okay?”

“Are you kidding me?!”

Katya was well known in the office for her immaculate sense of style. She made office chic look runway ready. Tamera was going to die from excitement.

I frog-marched Katya back into the main office and briefly caught Alex’s eye through the open door.

“Tamera will be here any minute,” I whispered to Katya. “I told her to meet me upstairs because I’m super busy, so you’ll have some time with her all to yourself.”

Before Katya could breathe a word in response, I dashed into Alex’s office and shut the door.

“What are you doing?”

I turned around to find Alex’s sharp eyes settled on me, and the memories of that morning came flooding back. My cheeks burned.

“Katya has a crush on Tamera,” I whispered, fighting to keep my eyes on hers and not on her red-stained lips.

“And?” she prompted.