Page 48 of Yule Know It When You See It
“But what if I’m right?”
Desiree shrugs one shoulder. “Then you’ll know, and you can go to Simone to get his ass canned.”
“That’s a little harsh, don’t you think?”
“Why?” Desiree flags a waiter. “If heisthe type to go behind someone’s back, are you telling me you’d want to work with him again, let alone continue to fool around with him?”
I bunch my shirt in my hand, hating the idea of never kissing Axel again. Not feeling his fingertips against my skin. Not ever experiencing what it’d be like to experienceallof him. “And if I’m wrong?” My gaze bounces to Des’s, desperation and exhaustion obvious, and I didn’t try to hide it.
“Then he’ll either not be able to get past it, or he will, and you two will have a big ol’ laugh over it and jump in the sack.” Desiree offers a sympathetic smile that makes me shrink to the size of a field mouse.
“Yeah,” I whisper, grabbing the Styrofoam to-go box the waiter rests by my pizza and boxing it up.
“Be right back. Going to thank the new manager, and we’ll walk home, kay?” Desiree stands, still smiling, and whisks away.
I stare so long at the table the checkered pattern begins to animate. The lines move left to right, boxes overlapping. It’s enough to have me closing my eyes, dizziness making me topple in my chair. A hand rests on my shoulder, and I jump, kicking my chair back.
Desiree fans her palm at me. “You’re incredibly jumpy.”
“Sorry. I think I got a grand total of sixty minutes of sleep last night.” I fumble putting on my jacket.
“I can imagine. Let’s get you home. Hopefully, our conversation will let you rest better, hm?” Des rubs between my shoulder blades.
“You better be leaving a good review for this place. Don’t need the advertisement of a new owner to steer people away.”
We move to the icy winds outside, and shove our hands in our jacket pockets.
“It’s mostly good. I had to be honest and say they burnt the crust on one side.” Desiree winces with one eye.
“What? But people hardly ever eat that part of the crust,” I shout.
Desiree laughs, causing bursts of warm air mixed with the cold swirling between us. “Calm down. I told the owner it was probably a matter of installing new heating coils in one of the ovens becauseyourpizza was fine. And I told him if he did that and invites me back once he does, I’ll wait on publishing to give him a fair chance.”
Beaming over flipping deep-dish pizza that, apparently, I’ll stand on a soap box for like a darn preacher, I curl to Desiree’s side and hug her. “Thank you.”
We part ways at the one street that separates our apartment buildings, and I’m halfway through my door when my phone buzzes with an incoming text. My heart throttles against my chest, hoping somehow it’s Axel. This tells me a lot more than I’m willing to admit. But turning on my screen reveals not a text from Axel but a group text from Mary:
Mary
Hello, co-workers! Don’t forget that tomorrow is the annual office Christmas party! You don’t have to wear an ugly sweater, but please do wear something festive in green and red so we really bring out the cheer. Have a great day!
The party. I can easily pretend I’m sick and avoid both it and Axel and the whole freaking thing, but—no. I enjoy these parties and won’t let someone take that from me, even if they wind up being a manipulativecotton-headed ninny muggins.
To say I tried to follow Spencer’s advice would be a gross understatement. I made every attempt possible to talk things out with Theo, but she clearly had it in her mind that she, too, would try anything imaginable tostayaway from me. I wish I was kidding. As soon as she’d waltzed into the office, with her hair hanging over her face like I wouldn’t recognize those fiery tresses, she zoomed past her desk and busied herself elsewhere. For an hour, she didn’t even bother to take off her jacket.
For a brief moment, it became amusing, watching her duck in and out of places like a prairie dog checking if the coast was clear. Had she really thought I didn’t see her? Well, Ihadand fought every compulsion not to lock gazes with her and give away my apparent upper hand. I could’ve been more brash with my desire to speak with her, but if she was that adamant? I also didn’t want to make her uncomfortable. Especially when every time I did seem to draw nearer to her, she skittered away like a startled wild mare.
And all hope flew straight out the window when she and Desiree left the office and never came back. The final click on the hanging wall clock as the big hand reached twelve and the little one moved to five sounded louder than usual that day alone.
But today is another day. Because today is the office holiday party and as good of an opportunity as any to finally get her to talk to me. To tell me what I did or what I said to make her suddenly act so aloof toward me. The level at which it’s been driving me insane is all too telling. I’ve felt it before, but never to this magnitude and never so—quickly. I’m falling for her. Pure and simple. I’m falling for her something fierce.
I own nothing in either red or green in my wardrobe and stopped in my favorite men’s clothing store while running errands earlier today. Never being a huge fan of the color red, aside from the Hawks, of course, I opted for what the clerk called a Henley shirt in “hunter green.” I can’t say I’ve ever bothered to learn what shades of green were meant to be called. As far as I’m concerned, there’s light, dark, and neon green.
I stand in front of the mirror, slicking back my hair, tidying up my beard, and pushing the long sleeves up to my elbows. A glance at my watch reveals I better get my ass moving if I’m going to walk and get to the office in time. Something tells me Mary becomes a different person at these events. She’s poured so much time and effort into it, and to have things go awry—example—people showing up late, could make this other side of her come out. It’s a hunch, but one I’d rather not test.
I grab my jacket, and my phone vibrates in my back jeans pocket. After slipping my arms into the coat sleeves, I look at the screen on my way out the door. Spencer. Of course.
Spencer
