Page 11 of Strings Attached

Me: That would be amazing and maybe bring some of those chocolate chip cookies too? I think I need comfort food tonight.

Lil: You got it, honey. Be there in 20.

As I wait for Lil to arrive, I can't help but wonder what tomorrow will bring. Evander told me to take the day off, but the thought of sitting at home alone with my thoughts and my throbbing arm isn't particularly appealing.

Maybe I'll go into the office anyway. Just for a little while. To check on things. And if I happen to run into Evander... Well, that would just be a coincidence, right?

I open the door to find Lil standing there, her arms laden with a thermos of hot chocolate and a bag that undoubtedlycontains her famous cookies. Her eyes widen as she takes in the sight of my bandaged arm.

"Girl, what on earth happened?" she exclaims, bustling past me into the apartment.

I close the door behind her, sighing. "I had a little accident at work. Lost my balance while watering a plant and took a tumble."

Lil sets her offerings on the coffee table and turns to me, hands on her hips. "And let me guess, Mr. Tall, Dark, and Grumpy rushed you to the hospital himself?"

I feel my cheeks heat up. "How did you know?"

Lil rolls her eyes, a knowing smirk on her face. "Please. That man may try to hide it, but he cares about you way more than he lets on. Now, spill. I want all the juicy details."

I sink onto the couch, wincing slightly as I jostle my injured arm. "There's not much to tell, really. He drove me to the hospital, stayed with me during the examination, and then brought me home."

Lil raises an eyebrow as she pours the hot chocolate into mugs. "Uh-huh. And that's all that happened? No dramatic confessions of love? No passionate kisses in the hospital corridor?"

I can't help but laugh at her dramatic imagination. "Lil, this isn't one of your romance novels. It's real life. And in real life, bosses don't fall in love with their clumsy assistants."

"Maybe not," Lil concedes, handing me a steaming mug. "But they also don't usually drop everything to personally escort said assistants to the hospital. Face it, Miri. There's something there."

I take a sip of the rich, creamy hot chocolate, letting its warmth soothe me. "I don't know, Lil. Sometimes I think maybe you're right. But then he pulls away, puts that professional mask back on, and I'm left wondering if I imagined it all."

Lil settles next to me on the couch, her expression softening. "Oh honey, you didn't imagine it. That man is crazy about you. He's just too stubborn or too scared to admit it."

I shake my head, not wanting to get my hopes up. "Even if that were true, what could come of it? He's my boss, Lil. It would be complicated and messy and probably end with me losing my job."

"Or," Lil counters. "It could be the start of something amazing. Sometimes the best things in life are a little complicated and messy."

I don't respond, mulling over her words as I sip my hot chocolate. Part of me wants to believe her, wants to think that maybe, just maybe, Evander feels the same way I do. But another part, the practical part, knows how risky it would be to pursue anything with him.

"Anyway," Lil says, clearly sensing my need for a subject change. "Enough about Mr. Grumpy Pants. Are you excited for the kite flying competition this weekend? I still can't believe you got him to agree to that!"

I groan, remembering the upcoming event. "Oh God, I'd almost forgotten about that. How am I supposed to fly a kite with this?" I gesture to my bandaged arm.

Lil grins mischievously. "Well, I guess you'll just have to let Evander do most of the work. Maybe you can guide his hands on the string, show him how to maneuver the kite just right..."

I feel my face flush hot at Lil's suggestive tone. "Lil! It's not like that. We're just... participating in a community event. As colleagues."

"Uh-huh," Lil says, clearly unconvinced. "Well, 'colleagues' or not, it'll be a perfect opportunity for you two to spend some time together outside of work. Who knows what might happen?"

I roll my eyes, but I can't quite squash the little flutter of excitement in my stomach at the thought of spending a day at the beach with Evander. Even if we are just flying kites.

"Anyway," I say, desperate to change the subject. "How are things going with you and the gorgeous lawyer, Liam?"

Lil's eyes light up, and she launches into a detailed account of her love life. I listen, grateful for the distraction from my own complicated love life.

As the evening wears on, Lil and I chat about everything and nothing, just like we've done since I've known her. By the time she leaves, my spirits are lifted and my arm is feeling a bit better, thanks in no small part to Lil's magical hot chocolate and the ice pack she insisted I use.

After seeing Lil out, I get ready for bed, my mind still swirling with thoughts of Evander. As I settle under the covers, I can't help but wonder what tomorrow will bring. Despite Evander's instructions to take the day off, I'm already planning to go into the office, if only for a little while.

I tell myself it's because I have important work to do, projects that can't wait. But deep down, I know the real reason. I want to see him. To thank him again for his kindness today. To see if that spark I felt between us was real or just a product of the day's drama.

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