Page 30 of The Probability of Us

A personal issue? Everything okay?

It’s as casual a message as I can make it, but I know he’ll see right through it. Right now, I don’t even care. Every emotion that’s been kept deep down in my heart, locked away, is written on my face.

Warren

Aw, you’re worried about me.

I breathe out a sigh of relief and smile. He’s okay. I don’t need to hear anything else to know it.

Me

Wipe that cocky grin off your face.

Warren

I have no such grin on my face.

Me

Liar. I know you better than that.

Warren

And I know you well enough to know you’d do dirty things for this cocky smile.

My mouth pops open. He’s too cocky for his own good . . . but damn him because he’s also right. I love that cocky smile, his confidence, and the way he knows me so well. I can’t even lie and say I wouldn’t do dirty things for that smile. Ihavedone dirty things for that smile and it’s all I can think about right now.

I don’t bother answering the message, but he comes marching into my office later that day with a smirk on his face and I want to lock the fucking door. He doesn’t stop at the door though, he walks right over to me and leans down to whisper in my ear. My eyes close when his breath skates across my skin with the words, “If you keep worrying about me like that, I’m not going to be able to stop myself from doing dirty things to you.”

My breath stutters. I’m not going to be able to stop myself for much longer either.

He doesn’t stick around. He turns to go, but at the door looks back and gives me one of his sunshine smiles. “I’ll make sure to let you know if I’m going to be late again. Wouldn’t want you to worry.” Then he walks out of the office, and it takes me a long time before I start working again.

* * *

“I heard we have quite a few basketball fans,” I say to everyone at dinner once conversation starts to die down.

Warren looks over at me with interest. Last night he told the friend group about how Peter had box seats to the Washington Wizard’s and they go to games often. It gave me an idea, and after spending a few days with this group, I think they’ll be up for it.

“We try to do half-day Fridays during the summer,” I start, “and I thought we could play some basketball after lunch if people are interested?”

Peter’s face breaks into a smile. “You had me at basketball.”

“That sounds fun,” Mac adds. She smiles when she sees the joy on Peter’s face but quickly looks away.

Clara and Serge are quiet as expected. Neither are sports enthusiasts and I didn’t count on them participating.

“Okay, so that’s four,” I say and start to turn toward Jason and Ben when I notice many confused looks and one sly smile. I smile sheepishly, a flush creeping onto my cheeks that I hope isn’t too noticeable. I didn’t even need to look at Warren to know he was in, but he didn’t give an answer out loud. We definitely played down how well we knew each other the other night, so maybe they didn’t expect it, or maybe it’s still weird that I know him at all. “I already know Warren won’t turn down a game. Jas?—”

I turn to ask Jason if he wants to play but he’s glaring at Warren as he cuts me off and says, “I’m in.”

My lips press into a flat line as I look between them. Jason keeps glaring, but Warren acts like he doesn’t notice—it only causes tension to build in Jason’s face. He’s getting really angry.Yikes.Throwing them into a competitive situation will be . . . interesting to say the least.

Ben agrees and we have six. Three-on-three it is.

I’m trying to figure out what the best team split might be when Peter asks if Warren and I have made any headway on finding out how to keep the consulting side of the business intact. Clara perks up immediately and leans in to listen. She came to find me as soon as the meeting was over on Tuesday in a panic, which is why I was so worried when she told me she accepted this offer prior to my review.

I hate the disappointment on her face when we report that even though we’ve been searching for a solution whenever we have time, we haven’t found anything yet. The hardest part is figuring out what to search for. I would bet my life on there being a solution to this, but we just don’t know how to word the question to make the answer obvious.

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