Page 31 of My Ex's Best Friend

Crap, why am I still thinking about that?

She hates my guts and is probably never going to forgive me.

Kiera gathers her folder, and without saying a word, walks out.

Just as she leaves, Henry walks in, his eyes widening as they follow her retreating figure. She doesn't acknowledge him and walks away without a word.

Once Kiera is out of earshot, Henry turns to me, a look of disbelief etched on his face. "Is that Kiera fricking Crofton?"

I nod, preparing myself for the aftermath of this revelation. "Yeah, about that. She's my new employee."

The silence that follows is deafening. I can practically see the wheels turning in Henry's head.

"Jake, are you out of your mind?" he finally exclaims, his voice a hushed whisper, as if Kiera might still hear.

"Henry, she's qualified, talented, and a valuable addition to the team. What's the problem?"

His expression shifts from disbelief to a cautious realization. "The problem, my friend, is that she’s your former best friend who you’re in love with since forever, and whom you slept with right after she dumped your other best friend.”

“When you put it that way, it sounds so fucked up.”

“That’s because it is. I mean, I would expect Chris to behave this way, but you? And how do you think he’s going to react when he finds out? Have you met the guy? He is our friend, but he is not only a narcissist but also a diva.”

“He’s not…wait. I’m not in love with Kiera.”

“Took you long enough to deny it,” he says, rolling his eyes.

"Well, I've hired her for her professional skills, not our personal history. We can keep it strictly business."

Henry lets out a sigh. "If you say so, Jake. But don't say I didn't warn you."

Fuck, what have I gotten myself into?

9

KIERA

I facetime my friends as I finish my last-minute packing for Paris.

"So, how's the new job going?" Tammy's voice crackles through the phone.

I zip up my bag and flop onto the couch. "Honestly, it's like diving into a whirlpool. Everything is moving so fast.” It’s already been a week at work, and now I’m going to Paris.

“I still can’t believe you’re working for Jake, of all people.”

"It’s not that bad, actually. We bicker here and there, yes, but we keep it professional. It's like he's mastered the art of infuriating me while staying on topic."

Ellie laughs, "Sounds like a skill. Maybe he's been taking classes."

"Or he's just naturally gifted," Tammy quips. "But seriously, how's he as a boss? Does he throw fits or have outrageous demands?"

I smirk. "No fits, but the demands are there. He has this knack for making you believe you can achieve the impossible.”

I think about the project he had assigned me. And he had decided to shoot it off to the client without a second opinion.

But he was right. The client got back to us in a few hours, and he loved my selections. In fact, he had decided to buy two of the paintings.

“That can’t be right,” Tammy says. “He almost sounds like a decent person.”

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