Page 15 of Alex

Alex turns his attention to me. “Have a fun and relaxing weekend, Elise.”

My brain tries to short circuit as his smooth words fall from his lips. “Uh, thank you. Same to you.”

The smile I get in return is both friendly and predatory. It warms my core and sends pleasure down my spine. It takes all my strength to keep walking past Alex, but I can’t keep Kate waiting any longer.

I slowly walk towards my locker to retrieve my purse after the meeting ran over, even though I really just want to run.

Meetings running over are normal because Mr.Strickland is extremely long winded and even though I’m tired of the twelve to fourteen hour days, I need this job. I just don’t want to stand Kate up again.

I reach into my bag and change from my work heels to my practical and comfortable black flats for the mile walk to the bar.

Small town jobs are scarce, especially good paying ones like being Mr. Strickland’s executive assistant. Besides the tourist months and endless lifeguard jobs on the beach, you have to drive forty-five minutes to the nearest metropolitan city for jobs.

No one, not even me, knows why Strickland Enterprises decided to set up shop here, but I’m grateful for the job.

Especially since I don’t have a car, and I have to walk everywhere.

I let my thoughts wander as my feet lead me down the all too familiar path.

Alex actually attended the team meeting and seemed to pay attention most of the time. I kept catching him glancing my way, but that’s because I was staring at him. I guess he’s trying to get a crash course on Daddy’s businesses.

Although, to be fair, he has been coming around more often these past couple of months. He never came around when I first started working for his dad, and Mr. Strickland never bothered to try to get him there.

I wonder if Alex remembers the night on thebeach. The night my life went from bad to worse. The night that gave me hope I wouldn’t be alone in the world.

When I get to the front door of the bar, I immediately see Kate flirting with our favorite bartender, Michael. He runs a hand through his shoulder length black hair as he smiles at whatever she just said.

My gaze moves over to Kate. She’s the opposite of me. She’s tall, skinny, and her hair is in a short black bob. She could be a model, but she refuses to believe me. Either that or she doesn’t want to work because she’s already rich.

Michael pours her a shot of amber liquid and hands it to her, which she immediately downs before meeting my gaze through the glass window in the door.

I push through the crowd of people to get to my best friend.

“Elise! About damn time! Where have you been?” She pulls me into her lean body and wraps her arms around me for several seconds.

“I’ve been working. Where else would I be? Not gallivanting across the globe like you, even though you look fabulous.”

She rolls her eyes and shakes her head. Her short hair whips around her face with each move. “Pfft. You could have. I offered to kidnap you and take you with me. You could be tanned and pampered right now instead of overworked and under fucked.”

I wish I could have taken her up on her offer, but that’s not who I am. I can’t leave my responsibilities behind to chase the wind or unknown dreams.

Letting out a sigh, I ignore her statement about me being overworked and under fucked and signal to Michael for another shot. “I know you would have kidnapped me in a heartbeat, and as much as I appreciate it, I have my job and apartment here.”

Michael pours a half shot of whiskey into two shot glasses before filling the glasses the rest of the way with soda.

I take my shot glass and say, “You know just how I like it. Thanks.”

He returns my smile as I tilt my head back and down the shot. The whiskey burns my throat before settling in my stomach. This is just what I need to let loose and let go of work for a while.

Kate places her now empty shot glass back on the bar. “Another shot, please dear, and pour one for yourself. We’re celebrating.”

Michael fills his shot glass to the brim with the amber whiskey and fills ours half way before topping ours with soda like he always does.

He eyes Kate like she’s the brightest diamond in the world and he wants her all to himself. “What are we celebrating?”

She leans over the bar, her face a few inches away from his, when she whispers, “My birthday is tomorrow. Do you want to help me celebrate later when you’re off work?”

He swallows, but doesn’t speak. He only nods.Gone is his usual confident and flirting self and in its place is this new shy, speechless one.

---