Page 5 of Not Safe For Work

“I did, but this is one of the accounts he said I could work on my own. Remember? You said it was fine as long as he was okay with it.”

“I remember. But I meant smaller deals. This is too significant to take a chance with, Livy.” Ugh, I hate when he calls me that. It always sounds like he’s talking down to me, like I’m a child or a pet. I actually think I prefer Sparkles.

“But—”

“What else are you working on?” he asks, skipping over this like there’s absolutely nothing left to say on the topic. But I’m definitely not finished.

“Mitch.” I pause to take a breath.Don’t be argumentative, but don’t be a push-over. Be strong, but not so strong that he’llthink you’re “bitchy.” Be direct. Not emotional. I dig deep for the “big tit energy” Andie is always telling me I have hidden inside. “You said I can’t get promoted until you see I can work deals on my own. Gavin’s on board and the meeting is already set. I need this opportunity to show you what I can do. Please?”

My soul is crushed a tiny bit that I couldn’t stop myself from adding “please.” I make a mental note to practice this conversation later and lose the p-word.How un-manly of me.

Mitch looks back at me like I’m the human equivalent of a dental appointment, nothing more than an annoyance but one he can’t avoid forever.

“Fine. When’s the meeting? I’ll be joining you.”

CHAPTER TWO

GAVIN

“Finally!”Gabby yells, as I walk through the door to our apartment. I haven’t even finished setting down my backpack when she continues, “Why were you at the office so late?”

I ignore her for a minute and sit down at the kitchen table, rolling out my neck from the eleven-hour workday.

“Hey, Kadesha,” I say to Gabby’s girlfriend when she joins me. “Sorry for holding up dinner.” We share a grin, both of us accustomed to my sister’s extreme expectations for punctuality. Expectations that neither of us can seem to meet. “I like the hair. Pink suits you.”

“Oh, I know.” She flips a few braids behind her ear.

I laugh as Gabby joins us at the table, setting down a platter of lasagna. My sister is an amazing cook and I dread the day she moves out and I’m stuck with frozen dinners every night.

Once we’ve all had a few bites—delicious bites—Gabby starts in again. “So, why were you working so late?”

“Come on, you know I work late all the time. Just trying to make as much money as I can. How else am I supposed to pay for that fancy school of yours?” I flash a smile. “I was working on a few contract proposals.”

Gabby leans so far forward on the table that Kadesha has to pull her hair back before it takes a swim in the lasagna. “Mentiroso! You, big brother, are a big fatliar.” I shoot her a look trying to figure out what’s going on, but I get nothing. A silent stand-off forms and Kadesha’s gaze flies back and forth between us like she’s watching a ping pong match.

“What?” I finally say back.

“Be honest. Tell us why you were really there until seven o’clock.” It’s a full stare down between us and I’m starting to guess she already knows exactly what I was doing.

“Who told you?”

“You know Olivia and Andie are like best friends, right?”

Yeah, I did know that. And I really shouldn’t be surprised that Gabby’s boss, Andie, felt the need to tell anyone—especially my sister—that I stayed late to help out Liv.

“Fine. Liv was stressing out about a meeting tomorrow and everyone else was in meetings so I offered to help her prep. Why is that such a big deal?”

Gabby levels me with a weighted look, willing me to read her mind. I just shrug. She’s making a huge fuss over nothing.

She knows I wouldn’t usually spend time with Liv unless it’s obligatory, but she was a mess this afternoon. I’m not sure what went down with her one on one with Mitch, but ever since that meeting, she was extra fidgety and frantic.

“The holiday party was over two years ago. It’s time to move on,” Gabby continues. She’s not wrong but her words still feel like daggers. “She has aseriousboyfriend.” And the kill shot.

“I know, okay.I’ve moved on.” I exaggerate each word to help convince her. “That doesn’t mean I can’t be a decent human and help one of my colleagues. The more deals she can close, the better for our company, right?”

“Oh, comeon,” Gabby huffs. “I don’t buy any of that. It’s time to forget about her and find someone else to fall madly in lovewith. How will you ever meet your soulmate if you’re staying late at work every night to help the girl who’s unavailable?”

I sigh. Sometimes Gabby acts like finding a girlfriend is the only thing that matters in the world. Of course I love how much she cares about me, but I’m just not interested in anyone.

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