Page 114 of Business Casual

“Don’t play with me like that.”

“I’m sorry,” he chuckled as I tried to twist out of his embrace.

“Nah.” I shook my head as I playfully squirmed in his arms. “You play entirely too much.”

“You have to admit it was funny.”

I pouted. “I’m not admitting shit.”

The knock at the door tempered our laughter. We looked at each other, our expressions turning serious.

Straightening his jacket, he went to open the door. I took the three steps to his desk and placed the correct form directly on top of the other one.

“Alex, I just got some great news,” Mr. Franklin announced, walking into the office. “Oh, hello, Imani, how are you?”

He stuck his hand out and I shook it. “I’m well, Mr. Franklin. How are you?”

“I’m feeling good! Just got some great news.”

His good mood was infectious. “That’s good to hear,” I replied with the same amount of enthusiasm. “I’ll leave you two to discuss your good news.”

He clapped his hands together. “Wait, before you go, my wife has a pie she wants to make you this week. You’ll be in tomorrow for the meeting, but what other days?”

“Oh wow, that’s so nice! Wednesday and Friday, I’ll be in the office working for sure,” I informed him. “Tuesday, I’ll be here for the meeting.”

“She wanted to do it tomorrow. Let me see something.”

He walked around Tre’s desk and picked up the phone. After punching some numbers, he started smiling. “No, it’s me sweetheart. I’m just in Alex’s office. Imani’s in here and she will be here tomorrow, but only for the nine o’clock meeting.”

He turned a little and as soon as he looked down, my stomach bottomed out.

The look on his face went from joyous to confused to blank in a ten second stretch.

I glanced at Tre and from his expression, he already knew.

Tre went to the desk. “The meeting I wanted to have—”

Mr. Franklin grabbed the paper and held it up. “Goddammit!” he roared. He looked between me and Tre without uttering another word. Then he took a deep breath. “It looks like you were right, sweetheart. I owe you that spa weekend.”

Tre and I exchanged confused glances.

“I found a signed relationship disclosure document right here on his desk,” he continued. “Of course, Don didn’t write it up. It looks like he went to Sydney. I’ll call you back once I figure out what’s going on. I love you, too… Yeah, I’ll tell him… Yeah, I’ll tell her, too. Bye.”

“I can explain,” Tre started as soon as the phone hit the receiver.

“Son, what did I tell you during the interview?”

“I know,” Tre acknowledged. “And I’m sorry I couldn’t listen to that advice. But if I’m being honest, it was already too late. I’d met her right before the interview not knowing who she was. And then I got to know her. And now, I’m in love with her so… I don’t know what to tell you.”

My heart thumped in my chest.

Hearing Tre say he was in love with me made my heart swell.

Hearing it in front of his dad who holds our careers in his hands, made my world spin.

My face was burning up and I was grinning. I knew for a fact I was standing there looking ridiculous.

“And what do you have to say for yourself, Ms. Jones?” Mr. Franklin questioned.

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