After the tailor incident, the rest of the week and weekend passed by uneventfully; I made my plans for the next week, loaded up the days. Monday was Angelica, Tuesday was Kristy, Wednesday was Diana, and Thursday was…Lucy, by accident.

I saw her when I went to the gym, huffing and puffing away adorably on an elliptical machine. She took a while to notice me, but when she did, she looked shocked, then shyly pleased. She got off the machine to greet me.

“Khabib. Hi.”

“Nice to see that you’re using the job perks.”

She nodded, her pink face going pinker.

“It’s actually only the second time I’ve used it, to be honest.”

“Oh?”

“Yeah, I…” Her gaze flit away from mine. “I’ve been distracted, had a bit of extra time to kill. Thought I’d try to be productive.”

As I took in her nervous expression, a smile formed on my face. Could it be that she, too, had been distracted by exactly what I had been, lately? Was it that she, too, was making the most of the clear glass wall separating us?

“Are you finished? I was thinking of going for ice cream.”

As soon as the ridiculous proposition was out of my mouth, I felt my own cheeks redden. Both of us now blushing idiots, she snuck a glance at me.

“Really?”

No, I thought, but “yes” was what I said. Really, after the weights I hadn’t even done yet, I was supposed to meet up with Gina and let her know gently that things weren’t going to work out. But, suddenly, all I wanted to do was have ice cream with my ravishing personal assistant.

As if suddenly remembering she was only wearing track pants and a sports bra, Lucy crossed her arms over her chest.

“Mind if I get changed first?”

I waved my hand.

“Not at all. I’ll wait at the front.”

And there I waited, staring absently at the gym attendant, who was fiddling around on the computer. What on earth I had gotten myself into, and why was I so damn excited about it? Thankfully, after a few minutes, Lucy emerged, looking less red, and even more beautiful, clad in a soft-looking green dress.

I grinned at her as she walked up.

“You look great.”

Her face went red again.

“Thanks.”

“So, got any favorites?”

She shook her head.

“No, though Scoops is where I normally go. For their vanilla cone. My Mom and I always go for those.”

I chuckled and nodded my head in approval.

“A classic kind of girl, yeah? I like that.”

Another blushing, awkward “Thanks”, then, “What about you?”

I shrugged.

“I like to change it up every time—vanilla soft-serve in a bowl, cookie dough or mint sundae, banana split, chocolate cone, whatever. I love it when they introduce new flavors, because by this point, I’ve tried just about everything.”

“You’re adventurous.”

“Yeah, I get bored easily.”

I said it casually, yet, once the words were out of my mouth, they sounded strangely sad, prophetic.

Luckily, we were at the nearby Scoops already. It was nice going to a gym right downtown, close to everything. That way, you could reward your workout with a nice, big, fat ice cream sundae afterwards.

Inside Scoops, Lucy, true to form, ordered her vanilla cone, while I settled on a bubblegum sundae. Despite her protests, I paid for both, then steered us to a little table in the corner. Seated face-to-face there, she tried mine and I tried hers, although we both laughingly admitted we preferred our own. Once all that was left of her cone were some stray crumbs on her napkin, I gestured with my spoon in her direction.

“So, you only come here with your mom?”

“My old boyfriend from high school, too. We’d share a banana split, although I secretly always wanted a vanilla cone.”

I laughed.

“Ah, young love.”

She smiled and shrugged.

“You know how it is.”

And the way she looked at me, as if I knew the slightest thing about love, made me feel like a giant fraud.

“You say old boyfriend—you seeing anyone now?”

She shook her head.

“No, I…I’m not dating anyone. Have to concentrate on my career for now.”

“Ah, trading relationships for work, I get you. Be careful with that; it’s a slippery slope.”

Lucy looked at her hands sadly.

“I know what often happens, the risks…I just don’t have much choice.”

And she looked so miserable there, I almost wished I could go back in time and take back what I’d said, or at least have the courage to hug her. Instead, I just patted her hand.

“Ah, forget what I said. You’ll be fine.”

Glancing up at me, she visibly brightened.

“You think?”

I almost wanted to chuckle, it was so touching. Just how oblivious to her magnetism she was.

“I know it. You seem like you have a good head on your shoulders.”

Her smile was so wide that dimples appeared in her cheeks.

“Thanks. You probably get this all the time, but you seem to, too.”

“Oh yeah?”

“Yeah. And a good brain, and heart, and eyes and…”

Suddenly remembering herself, she fell silent.

“Sorry. I got carried away. You’re my boss and—”

I patted her hand again.

“Lucy, really, it’s fine. We’re just having an ice cream, a nice chat. It’s nothing.”

But the mood was ruined, now.

Rising, her face still red, Lucy could barely look at me.

“I really have to get going. I need to walk my dog; he’ll be waiting for me.”

I rose as well.

“Okay. Thanks for a fun time; it was nice running into you. See you tomorrow.”

She smiled, this time the dimpled grin spreading even to her eyes, turning them into upside-down half-moons.

“Thanks again. See you.”

As she walked out the door, I sat back down to watch her go. Poor woman, she had no idea, probably figured that was the end of it. Because really, I was just getting started.

On my car ride home, I called Donna.

“Bethany Griffiths can still make it as my date to the car launch, right?”

“Yes, sir. She called a few hours ago to confirm.”

“Okay, great. Tomorrow morning, call her to cancel.”

“Sir?”

“I have other arrangements. She’ll understand.”

I hung up to emphasize how sure I was. Yes, I had a much better idea for who I’d have on my arm tomorrow night. Something more fun, more…risky.