“Did you say you’re meeting the girl you’ve been paying to have phone sex?”

“Fuck, Jack. Keep your voice down.”

I look around making sure no one heard him. Jack follows me up to my office.

When I close the door I turn to him.

“Am I making a mistake?”

He shrugs. “You know I’m not the one to be asking moral questions to.”

He’s right. He’s like the perpetual devil sitting on my shoulder.

“I am shocked, though. I thought meeting clients was against their rules.”

I frown. “She did mention that.”

He looks me over. “You really like her? It’s not just a sex thing you’re twisting in your mind?”

“Sex is definitely a big part of it. I can’t deny that. But I find myself wanting to know everything about her.”

“You do realize that you’ll have to let her know things about you life, too, right?” He glances at the calendar on my wall. “And you don’t have a lot of time left before your busiest time of year.”

Which means I won’t be available to her. I can’t afford to travel this close to my deadline.

“I know. But I do have time today.”

Jack points to the stack on my desk. “Sure about that?”

“I’ll get through most of it today. At least through the S’s.”

“Speaking of – have you… you know?”

I cut my eyes. “No, I haven’t.”

Jack holds up his hands. “Calm down. It was just a question. I’d also like to point out that most people would look. See what kind of person they’re getting involved with.”

“You know that kind of information isn’t on there.”

He replies, “I wouldn’t know. I can’t look at it. Remember?”

A fact that has bugged him the entire time we’ve been friends.

He changes the subject. “Are you taking condoms with you?”

“Jesus, Jack!”

“What? It’s a legitimate question. Better wrap it up. Real sex isn’t as safe a phone sex. And the last thing you need is a little baby running around out there.”

I roll my eyes. “I’m aware how ‘real’ sex works.”

“I know. But it’s been a long time since you’ve played the field.”

I’m saved from answering as Peppermin comes in with a stack of mail.

“These are the most urgent letters, sir. The rest are waiting in the conference room.”

I nod. “Thank you, Peppermin. I should finish the list by tomorrow and then I’ll start on the mail. Were you able to find those missing pages?”

“No, sir. I’ll make sure you have them by tomorrow.”

Peppermin gives Jack a look before leaving the room. Those two have never gotten along. I think it’s because Jack represents everything Peppermin can’t stand. Disorder. Mischief. And chaos.

“Bye, Peppy!” Jack calls after him. He laughs at his own joke and stands. “I’m going to get out of here so you can work.”

He flips something onto my desk as he passes. It’s a fucking condom. I hear him laughing as he goes down the stairs. Sneaky bastard.

* * *

“Excuse me? Did you say you’re meeting him? Tonight?”

I flush. “It’s not like that, Vix.”

“I beg to differ. Jesus, Candy! What are you thinking? It isn’t like you to rush into something.”

“I like him.”

“You don’t know him! He’s a client. He’s paying you for phone sex. Of course he likes you!”

I flinch at her words. Hadn’t she said yesterday that she was thinking about meeting one of her clients?

“You’re going to get fired if the company hears about it. Especially since they sent that memo out this morning with the new rules. You did see the memo, right?”

I am starting to regret telling her. She’s right, though. The memo from Jingle Belles was very specific. No meeting clients in person. If caught, the punishment is termination.

“Yes, I saw it. But there are other jobs.”

She huffs. “What was the first thing I told you on your first day?”

“Don’t fall for customers.” She says the words with me.

“Weren’t you just saying yesterday that you wanted to meet your client? Frost?”

She narrows her eyes. “That is different.”

“How?”

“First of all, I’ve been talking to him for almost a year now. Not just two sessions. Second of all-” She pauses. “Candy, I just don’t want you to make a mistake.”

“I’m lonely.”

She says, “I know you are, honey. Just make sure you’re thinking this through. After everything you’ve been through this year I would hate to see you fall back into a slump.”

And there it is. No matter what I did for the rest of my life I would always have the reminder that I wasn’t good enough following me around. Maybe I should cancel…