Page 88 of Forget Me

“But I would’ve been happy to help,” I said.

“I did try to call you Saturday afternoon, but you didn’t answer your phone.”

Goddamned nap. I’d taken my eye off the ball for a second, and suddenly, Larissa didn’t need me. My face burned, but I tried to keep my voice light. “Okay, I’ll get the receipts from you inside.”

“Mateo,” Larissa’s voice was saccharine-sweet. “Do you have time to join us? I could use your input on the decorations.”

He squeezed my shoulders. “Sorry, I’m on my way to work.”

“Too bad. We could really use your perspective.”

“Mimi has a good perspective. I’m sure she can help.”

Larissa’s lip curled. “Miriam’s good with numbers. Not aesthetics. How about I email her the choices, and she can show you later?”

“I guess we can look at them together?” He searched my face for the answer.

I stepped out of Mateo’s grip. It was one thing for him to help me. It was something else for Larissa to rely on him instead of me. Yet another clue I wasn’t her top candidate for the assistant director job.

Larissa confirmed it with her next words. “If only you had accounting experience, you’d be the complete package, Mateo. How about I text you the options? Then I’ll call you tonight and we can discuss it?”

She had his number? I sucked in cold air through my nostrils. What. The. Hell. She needed his help and not mine,andhe’d been talking to her behind my back? This was Byron all over again. The sharp pain in my chest was a signal I’d made the same mistake I’d made with him. Mateo was a distraction, and my dream of a paid position at the foundation was imploding right here on the sidewalk in front of my place of work. Despite what I’d promised myself, I’d caught some feelings along with the great sex.

That voice burst out of its box.What have feelings ever done for you? Trust your smarts, drive, and confidence.

I brushed my chilled hands together like I could dust the feelings off them. I focused on them and not Mateo’s face. “You know what? I don’t think I can make it tonight. I’ve got a lot to catch up on from the weekend.”

“But—”

“I’ll meet you inside, Larissa.” I held out my hand for my bag, and after a brief hesitation, he handed it to me.

“Bye, Mateo.”

“Mimi, wait.”

I flung my hand into the air in a backwards wave and marched toward the building’s entrance. I had work to do. Goals to achieve. And I wouldn’t let Mateo or his endearments, his muscles, his superior lovemaking, or his five-star cooking get in my way.

Byron had made a fool of me once. I wasn’t about to let it happen again.

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