Page 44 of Not Safe For Work

“Is that a problem? Do you not want to bring her?” I pin him with a look. “Shit, you do know her birthday, don’t you? Do you need me to look it up in the company directory so you can book it without calling her?”

I pull out my phone and navigate to the travel app. Sadly,thatis not the problem. I’ve known her birthday ever since Gabby and Kadesha decided to do a star chart for me during the “dark days.” Apparently, Liv being a Libra was all they needed to know to explain why we’d never work.

“You good?” Daanesh asks just as I show him the booking confirmation. “Why do you look so nervous? This team sucks.”

“You try playing hungover.” I shove him and start jogging toward the field.

“Hey, Scottie,”Liv greets me. The words are drawn out and I can tell she’s confused to see me.

“Morning,” I say, handing her the coffee I just bought. I track her eyes going to the barista who actually winks back at us. Interesting. “Sorry I didn’t get back to you?—”

“It’s okay. It’s my fault,” she says, sitting down on the chair next to me. Her fault? “I made it weird, right? You’ve been so nice and helpful, and I swear I know that this is all pretend. I promise I wasn’t trying to make something more of it.”

She starts chugging her coffee, pointing her eyes anywhere but me.

“Liv, I don’t know what you’re talking about. I was trying to apologize. I did something stupid yesterday and I was afraid to tell you about it.”

“So, you’re not annoyed about taking care of me on Saturday?”

“Annoyed? I thought we had fun.”

“I might have had a little too much fun,” she murmurs. “I swear I never drink that much.”

“If carrying you down a hill is the worst thing I have to deal with, I’ll be happy to go out with you every Saturday night.”

She stops grinning and our eyes meet. I need to stop being so honest with her. Sometimes I forget I’m the only one with real feelings here.

“So what was the stupid thing you did? It can’t be worse than passing out in an Uber.”

She really has way too much faith in me.

“You had fun on Saturday, right?” I ask.

“Right.” She stretches the word like taffy. And now she looks suspicious, like I’m trying to get her to admit some hidden secret.

“Well, what do you think about hanging out like that again, but for three days in Mexico next week?”

“Scottie.”

“Sparkles.”

“Ugh, don’t do that! What are you talking about?”

“Next week is Century Club. You know, the top performers’ trip? I’m going to Punta Mita and, well, Daanesh thought I fucked up and forgot to book you as my plus one. He did me a favor by letting me get your flights after the deadline. I’m sorry, Liv. I didn’t know what to say.”

She looks pensive, her brows scrunched together while she works all this out in her head.

“You’re telling me you just booked a flight for me to go to Mexico next week? Our pretend relationship that was supposed to be over by now is goinginternational?”

“Maybe?” I cringe, waiting for her to scream at me.

But she doesn’t scream or yell or look angry at all. She actually looks sad.

“I’ve always wanted to go on that trip,” she says, barely audible.

And then I think, “Why haven’t you come before? Ian could’ve brought you.”

“He said it wouldn’t be right to bring me as his date when I didn’t earn the trip.”

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