Page 73 of Known By You
“You gotta get a grip, man,” Adam said, disappointment ringing so loudly in his tone, I felt the need to take a seat at the sound of it.
“We would love to keep her on as long as she’s here. I can’t imagine that’ll happen if she’s feeling harassed,” Bruce said, his tone chiding.
My cheeks heated as mortification set in. “I didn’t mean to make her uncomfortable, I?—”
My words halted as Bruce’s face cracked in a smile.
Pretty sure my heart stopped beating altogether when Wilder’s did, too, albeit a much smaller one.
Adam’s chuckle solidified the realization, and I finally sucked in a breath.
“Wait. This is a joke?” I asked, the truth dawning.
Bruce laughed. “Sorry, Barb. We had to. You were justso transfixed. But I’m fairly certain she didn’t notice, or if she did, she was very subtle about it. She’s not used to our way of doing things so she had more to pay attention to.”
I shoved at Adam’s shoulder, and he looped his arm around my neck.
“No, no, no, none of that. You were obvious as all get out, but you got lucky. This is a legitimate heads up.” He released me.
Breathing came more easily now, but my heart rate was still thrumming in the wake of the genuine dismay I’d felt. “Lesson learned. I’m pretty hard to embarrass but the thought that I’d made her feel bad…” I shook my head.
“Our boy’s got a real crush,” Bruce said, sounding like a proud papa.
I groaned and covered my face. “Please can we not?”
Adam shook me by the shoulders, and as much as I was annoyed and my face was likely bright red, I loved it. Because none of this was mean-spirited or to shame me. They were messing with me, yes, but also giving me a little nudge that I had work to do, and also cheering me on.
“Just lock it up at work, okay?” Bruce suggested as he and Wilder walked out right as Cookie sauntered back in.
“Got him good, sounds like,” he said, grinning his pretty boy smile.
“Oh, great, you were in on it?” I asked, knowing instantly he had been.
“I figured they were going to say something when you didn’t follow me out, so I hung by the door.”
Adam laughed softly again, then crossed his arms and widened his stance like he was settling in. “I know you said you’re hanging out and my sources tell me you’ve been seen coming and going from her place almost daily. You good?”
A sigh escaped. “Yeah, Doc. I am.”
“Taking care of yourself?”
Knowing Adam, this likely meant a few things—everything from my head and heart to my actual body. He didn’t need all the details, but I could freely say, “Yes. We’re taking it so slow we’re hardly moving.”
In some ways, it felt like we’d taken a giant step back from where we’d been before having the conversation where we agreed to hang out and be together.
Hence the daydreaming…
“Good. Then I’m glad for you.” His brow furrowed. “Just go easy. You have a lot of love to give, and I hate to see you try with someone who won’t take it.”
I huffed a laugh like he’d made a joke, even though I felt it in my chest. “Noted.”
Adam left and Cookie and I moved, too, wandering toward the break room with empty coffee mugs in hand.
“So you seem good, but also kind of…à côté de la plaque.” He didn’t know.
Welcome to the club.
Every minute with Liz was one I wouldn’t trade, one I couldn’t get back, and one I tried desperately not to spend thinking about how much longer I did or didn’t have with her.
