Page 35 of The Physical Attraction Seminar
“Oh, my god. I’m hanging up. See you on Monday.”
“Not so fast,” he interjects just as I’m about to end the call. “I’m on my way to your apartment right now.”
“You’re what?”
“I said I’m on my way to your apartment. I’ll be there in about ten minutes.”
I jump up from the couch, frantically straightening the pillows while I hold my phone between my shoulder and my ear.
“Uhh, no, you’re not. You can’t just show up here unannounced.”
“I have food.” I can sense the sly grin on his face from a distance. “Tofu pad thai and fried rice from Bua Thai.”
I suddenly become aware of the chaotic state of our apartment—the sink filled with dirty dishes and blankets scattered haphazardly. He can’t come over when it looks like this. I pause, catching a glimpse of myself in the mirror by the front door, and notice how disheveled my hair is. Scratch that. He can’t come over whenIlook like this.
“I mean, it’s only right that you buy me dinner after you so rudely ruined mine the night we met,” I taunt. “But maybe we can reschedule for?—”
“No ‘buts,’” he cuts me off. “See you in a few.”
Before I can utter another word, he hangs up.
I immediately make a mad dash to my closet and swap my stained t-shirt for a slightly nicer yet still casual one.Then I beeline for the bathroom, snatch up my brush, and proceed to fix my hair on the way to Camila’s room.
I swing open her door abruptly, not bothering to say hello. “You have to leave.”
“Excuse me?”
I feel a tinge of guilt seeing her lying all cozily in her bed. She’s probably about to unwind with a crime show before drifting off to sleep like usual.
“You, Camila Carolina Greene, need to leave the apartment. Now.”
The hinges creak when I swing open her closet door and start rummaging through her clothes. Hangers clink together while I stuff her weekender bag with outfits.
I grab a sweatshirt hanging on the rack and hold it up for her, waiting for her to decide if she wants to take it. She nods, then abruptly shakes her head, her face filled with confusion.
“Let me repeat my last statement because obviously, you didn’t hear it the first time,” she grumbles, standing up out of bed. “Excuse me?”
I turn to her, letting the overflowing bag fall by my side. “I have something to tell you, but I need you to sit back down and promise that you aren’t going to murder me.”
“You just told me I needed to leave, and now you want me to sit down? Make up your mind, Ly. You sound like a crazy person right now.”
“Please, just sit down. I’ll explain.” She drops back onto the corner of the bed and sinks into its soft, plush mattress. “Good. Now, promise you won’t murder me.”
“I promise I won’t murder you.”
“Thank you. Now, promise you won’t hire someone else to murder me.”
A rare smile curls at the corner of her mouth. “I promise I won’t hire someone else to murder you.”
I close my eyes, take a deep breath to calm my nerves, then reopen them. This is it. I just have to rip it off like a band-aid. “I slept with Barrett Banks.”
“What the —”
“The night before my interview.”
“Wait. How? Didn’t you already know he was going to be your boss by then? I thought Elliot told you his name.”
“You see…” I start pacing back and forth in front of her bed. “I was a little too shell-shocked during the initial announcement to catch the company name. Then, neither of you mentioned it when you broke the news to me. Elliot only mentioned his last name, but Barrett and I agreed not to share last names.”
