“That bad, huh?”
I twist my lips for a beat as I think of how to answer. “Actually, it isn’t bad at all if we exclude the times I have to spend with her,” I say, glancing around to make sure no one is in earshot. “I haven’t laughed this much in a long time.”
“Don’t give me a pause like that,” she says, her voice turning serious. “I know you well enough to know a but always comes after your pregnant pauses, and it isn’t the kind of butt that comes on some sexy young doctor.” I don’t reply. “Spit it out, B. Was the sex that bad?”
“No. God no.” I laugh and then pinch the bridge of my nose. “He’s awesome, and each time has been great—”
“Each time?” She coughs the word out. “There’s been more than once?”
“Yes. No. Grrr,” I say with a part laugh, part sigh.
“You aren’t supposed to sound unsure of yourself after having incredible, mind-blowing sex, which I’m more than sure it was, so why do you?”
“I don’t know what to say.”
“Words. Words are what you say.”
But she doesn’t push as the silence fills the line, and I figure how to articulate my thoughts. Maddie sees me across the way as she enters the building and lifts a hand in a wave. “How is it possible to feel on cloud nine with a man who I barely know but truly feel like I know, Kels? And even worse, I’m really happy, which is probably just from the endorphin rush from being with him the past couple of days. And I won’t bother getting into why I’m already silently panicking over what happens when this ends, but I am.”
“Oh Jesus. Did we take our overthinking pills this morning?” She laughs.
“It’s me, isn’t it? I always overthink. And, of course, I need to get inside, so I can’t talk—”
“Then I’ll be quick.” She tsks. “You’re allowed to be on any damn cloud you want without shame. Who says you don’t know him? Sometimes you simply have a connection with someone, and maybe Slade’s that someone. From the start, this whole thing with the two of you has been unexpected and weirdly right. So, don’t question the universe. Just accept it.”
“Uh-huh.” She’s crazy, but I nod in silent agreement.
“You aren’t happy because you’re with him. You’re happy because of how he makes you feel about yourself. You’re happy because you had some good sex with someone who I assume is treating you right. You’re happy because of you. Sure, he might point things out that make you see things differently, but no one can make you feel happy but yourself. So, wipe that nonsense out of your head.”
“I have to go,” I say and start walking across the grassy area toward the meeting room.
“And lastly,” she says as if she didn’t hear me, “it’s normal to wonder what happens next because something attracted the two of you to each other. If it truly is a rebound, then it’ll run its course, and you’ll rebound off him and bounce even higher. If it’s something more, then only time will tell. It’s been days, stop freaking.”
The problem isn’t that I’m freaking out, it’s because I’m not. It has been days, and parts of me swoon way too much at things Slade says, and I know my feelings are involved when they have no business being involved yet.
Blakely
“Are you having a good time?” I look over to Oversharing Olivia. Her smile is wide, and I don’t one hundred percent trust its sincerity.
“Yes, and you?” I ask.
“Between you, me, and the fencepost, we need to be doing less activities and more drinking. I feel like this is all staged. Too set-up. We get enough of this at work.” I glance around to make sure no one is paying attention. “I mean, how are we supposed to bond if every activity has us paired with our men? That defeats the purpose of bonding. It tells me Heather didn’t really plan this out.” She glances to the doorway Heather just walked through. “Either that, or just like this late entrance, she gets off on all of us waiting for her to make her grand entrance.”
I open my mouth to say something, but I hesitate, still not trusting that she’s being genuine.
It’s better if I just smile and nod and toe the company line that I support Heather instead of publicly questioning her.
“Hey. Hi,” Gemma says, her cheeks flush.
“Hey, Gemma,” I say as Olivia smiles at her.
“I was wondering if maybe you’d be my partner in the canoeing challenge we have later. I mean, that’s if Slade isn’t participating in this one, and—”
“Hal’s sitting that one out,” Olivia says.
“Sure,” I tell Gemma, knowing Slade won’t mind. He’s more excited for the fishing challenge than the canoeing one anyway.
“You’re a lot of fun to talk to and—”
“What’s the point of all of us team bonding and bullshit if we’re only doing challenges with our boyfriends?” Olivia interrupts Gemma again and repeats herself. “Doesn’t that defeat the purpose of learning to trust each other as coworkers when we’re never exactly challenged to work together?” She snorts and rolls her eyes in a way that has me actually thinking she isn’t in as much love with Heather as I thought.
It’s the second time Olivia’s brought this up in the conversation. She’s either looking for an affirmation or is waiting to see if I’ll badmouth Heather so she can run and tell her.
I gauge how to respond and opt for a cautious approach.
“True,” I muse as Olivia nods and lifts her eyebrows as if to see if I’m going to do something about it. “Slade and I discussed the same thing last night.”
“It wouldn’t take much—”
“Good morning, friends,” Heather says as
