Chapter 4

Ella

“Why does our work have to pay us on Wednesdaaaayyyy?” I groaned, lying on Jo’s carpeted floor like I was a starfish.

“Because having a non-traditional pay period is cheaper, and you know how the department store is struggling in today’s economy, so they’re going to take every step they can to save money.”

I rolled my eyes. “No one asked for your logic.”

She laughed and tossed my jacket at me. “Come on. Bundle up for us to go.”

“But I don’t wanna!” I was being extra petulant, but it was my only day off in what felt like forever, and Jo miraculously had off too. We were supposed to veg out, watch stupid movies and maybe a few comedies, and then drink until we were sleepy enough to pass out on her couch.

“Isn’t your phone bill due, like, tomorrow?”

“Fair enough.” I rolled onto my stomach and pushed myself up, feeling my back crack as I got to my feet. Geeze, I was tense. I really needed a massage, but it wasn’t like I would be able to afford that anytime soon.

With a few more grunts and whines, I successfully bundled myself up and followed along beside Jo.

Thankfully, the subway wasn’t nearly as crowded as it was on the weekends, and we both got to sit the entire way. I berated myself for the tenth time that I should get direct deposit, but after a couple of horrible experiences when I was younger where my checks had been deposited in a coworker’s account instead of mine for two weeks without my noticing, I was a little wary of it.

We marched in with purpose and headed straight to the office where, sure enough, Jimmy was handing out checks.

“Wow, I’m surprised you two came in on your day off.”

“Desperate times call for desperate measures,” I answered with more than a fair bit of cheek. He shook his head, long since used to Jo and my shenanigans, and handed us our little money slips.

We headed out, and I was already planning on what lunch I would treat myself to when I suddenly realized someone was standing in front of me.

Startled, I stopped in my tracks and looked up to see none other than Drayer, dressed in casual clothes instead of his normal outfit.

God, he was so yummy. He had no right to look so good in plain old jeans and a muscle shirt, and yet there he was, looking like a model. It was such a strange conflict to feel both immediate attraction and immediate distrust, so I had no idea what to do about the whole situation.

“Hi,” I said, keeping my tone flat.

“Hi,” he answered back. “You here for your paychecks?”

“Why else would we lug ourselves through the cold on our days off?” Jo asked, snorting slightly.

“Hah, right?” But I could tell our weekly pay was not what he wanted to talk about. “Hey, Ella, are you going to the Christmas party next Saturday?”

“Um, I’m not sure, to be honest.”

“Well, yeah, I’d much rather you be honest than deceitful.”

I didn’t know why I kept talking, but before I could stop myself, words were coming out of my mouth, and I was smirking like we were both goddamned hilarious. “I’ll make sure to put that under your preferences.”

“Oh, you’re keeping a list, are you?” He jammed his hands in his pocket and gave me a broad wink. “I could think of much more interesting things to put down.”

“I’m sure you could,” I countered. “But who they are interesting to is under debate.”

“Fair enough, but if you’re ever curious, I think you’ll find I’m an open book.”

“I would make a pun about checking you out of a local library, but then I’m sure you’d counter with something about fines, and then we’d miss our ride.” Deciding enough was enough, I strode past him, my heart thundering. “But we’ll see you tomorrow, Mr. Santa.”

That same expression of utter desire was on his face again as I glanced over my shoulder. It thrilled me, but it also made me feel incredibly nervous. If there was one thing I had learned, it was that you couldn’t trust anyone and men especially.

“Oooh, what was that?” Jo asked as soon as we were outside and back in the cold.

“What do you mean?” I asked, rolling my eyes.

“You were flirting! Like really, hard-core flirting. I haven’t seen you do that since … since you know.”

“We were not flirting.” I marched primly ahead of her. But, as much as I would deny it always and forever verbally, I couldn’t lie to myself. I had been flirting. What was wrong with me? I had sworn off relationships for the foreseeable future, so why was I bantering back and forth like I was interested?

“Oh my god, you totally were! Come on, the chemistry between you two was practically palpable.”

“You should really stop pushing things so hard. It’s not good for you.”

“Yeah, yeah, deny it all you want, but both you and I know what’s what.”

“What’s up is your overactive imagination. Just because a guy is hot, and I talk to him for all of two seconds, doesn’t mean I’m pining for him like some sort of forlorn lover.”

“So, you do think he’s cute then?”

I leveled my gaze at her, giving her a look that said exactly what I was thinking. “I have eyes, Jo. Anybody can see he’s fairly good looking.” Boy that was the understatement of the year. He was unfairly hot, and that crooked sort of smile he liked to pull was almost straight poison to my ovaries. He was the kind of guy the old me would have absolutely fallen for, but after my ex, I had sworn off all forms of romance until I graduated and in a new dating pool.

Besides, he was a coworker. If there was one thing I knew, it was not to crap where you eat and to leave the workplace romances alone.

“You can try to deny it all you want, but I see what’s going on,” Jo insisted.

I turned back to face the direction I was walking and ignored her. What was that phrase? Once bitten, twice shy? Well, I was more like quad-bitten, forever shy, and that was just the way it was always going to be.