Page 7 of Landing Her Eagle
DAPHNE
I glanceat the text conversation we had while I walk in. Awesome. My car does autocorrect on crack too. Incontinent? Nexium? I need a blow job? New job! I need a new job!
But his reply…Me too?! He needs a blow job?
Or did he know I meant a new job, and he’s me too-ing that? Why would he want a new job? His job is incredible. He gets to go to so many places and have new experiences.
“You could have them too, if you’d stop being a wuss and go with him,” I mutter to myself. Ugh. I need to get to my desk. I hope this isn’t a very Monday-like Friday.
It is. It is the Monday-est Friday ever.
“Damn it!” The scanner chews up the documents I need to email to a client who is bugging me for them. My coworker, Mallory, took the day off so my misery has no company. I open the doors, following the copier instructions on the screen, my frustration mounting as I go through each step.
I slam the door after completing Step E when I hear a deep voice behind me. “Easy, Daph. What did this copy machine ever do to you?”
Glancing over my shoulder, I see Liam, Logan’s cousin. “Hey, Liam, what are you doing here?”
Putting his hands on my shoulders and easing me aside, he says, “Move out of the way, and let me help so you don’t assault the office equipment.” He sweet-talks the copier. I swear he tells it what a wonderful machine it is and how hard it works and he’s sorry it’s not appreciated. He calls it Gabrielle, no lie.
“So, what are you doing here? I thought you were in Colorado or Arizona, checking out the outlets there. Are there hidden cameras I should pretend to not be aware of?”
“No, no cameras. I’m not doing an ‘undercover boss’ type of thing.” He fiddles with a knob. “I’m not here to spy. I’m home for a couple of days and am taking care of some maintenance things in the office. No reason to call the management company when I can change lightbulbs myself. Your area needs a revamp.”
Nodding enthusiastically, I plead, “Please tell me technology is getting an upgrade! What we have is functional, but I feel like down here is where the tech and furniture comes to die. It’s fine getting cast-offs from upstairs, but I would love to edit a pdf without using an electric typewriter and Wite-Out.”
“Wow.” He laughs. “That’s old school!”
“I know! It’s crazy.” I successfully run my document through the scanner. “Well, this was fun, but I have to send this.”
He follows me and leans against Mallory’s desk. “Is Logan in town?”
“He’s in Prague. I’m not sure where he’s going next.”
“Are you two dating yet?”
I sigh. I’m so tired of this question. “We’re friends.”
He grins. “Do you have plans for this weekend?”
A blush rises in my cheeks. Liam is a flirt. He was flirting with the copier five minutes ago! But it’s nice to have the attention. If I wasn’t so hung up on Logan, I could easily crush on Liam. My head says Liam is the safe choice. He’s here more than Logan. He doesn’t tie my emotions into knots like Logan does. Liam travels for his job too, but I don’t worry like I do when Logan is gone.
But my heart belongs to Logan, and if anything happened between me and Liam, that would end any hope of romance with Logan—and possibly our friendship too.
“I’m running errands,” I say too quickly, hoping to hide my embarrassment. “What about you?”
“I’m going to the hockey game Saturday and meeting friends at Devil’s Den tonight. You want to come along? Either? Both?”
“Nope, but thanks. And thank you for rescuing me from temperamental office equipment.”
“Glad I was here to help. Seriously, call me if you want to hang out or if you ever give up on him.”
Liam and Logan are close friends and cousins, but they’re competitive too. I’m not a prize to be won.
“Are you around for the rest of the afternoon?” I ask.
“Nope. I’m checking out a property in Atlantic City. I’m going to head out now. Take care.”
After he leaves, I sit down to work on filing for the rest of the afternoon. That’s mindless. I need mindless.
