Page 1 of Dirty Desires
ChapterOne
Nina
I inhaled the exquisite scent of the espresso I brewed in the Hammacher Schlemmer Four Specific Brew Barista Machine my friend and coworker Lila Cofield had bought for me to create Liquid Heaven. That’s what she and my other coworker Julia Wolfe called anything I brewed up for our late morning pick-me-ups at WOLF, the news network we all worked for.
We would convene in Lila’s office around ten each and every weekday to chat about anything and everything as we sipped on some high-octane formula to keep going strong throughout the day. Well, until lunch anyway.
We had worked together for a little over two years and knew each other inside and out. Julia had married the owner of the network, Artimus Wolfe, not long after she went to work as his assistant. Lila was the co-anchor of the Morning News and she and her co-anchor, Duke Cofield, had begun seeing each other not long after they started working together. After a two-year relationship, they’d gotten married just a couple of months ago.
And then there was me. Nina Kramer, cue card girl, social media assistant to Lila, and single as could be.
I had my eye on a man who also worked at our network. But with over two years passing without us becoming anything more than just friends, I had nearly lost hope of anything progressing between us.
The office door opened and Lila and Julia came in with upturned noses to take in the coffee’s aroma. “Is it almost ready, Nina?” Lila looked past me, checking out the machine.
“Almost.” I got the mugs ready, placing them on the table as the last bit of espresso came out. “Have a seat, and I’ll serve it up shortly.”
Julia and Lila took seats across from one another on the two sofas that faced each other. We had a little triangle laid out and I always sat in the chair at the pinnacle of the sofas. It made for easier group chatting that way.
The round coffee table in the middle served us all. Julia had brought blueberry scones and laid them out nicely on a paper lace doily. “I picked these up at the bakery two blocks over. I haven’t tried them yet. I hope they’re as yummy as they look.”
Running one hand through her blonde ponytail, Lila winked at Julia. “I’m sure they’re delicious, Julia. So, what’s this big news you were talking about as we walked to my office? I admit, you’ve got me very curious.”
I filled the cups with a mixture of coffee, espresso, and caramel cream, then placed them on the table in front of my friends. “Here you go, girls. And what’s this news, Julia? I’m curious too.”
Julia picked up the mug, taking a long sniff of the coffee before she’d even say a word. Lila and I exchanged glances, her right eyebrow raised, her blue eyes sparkling the way they always did when she was set on getting some answers. Always the journalist was our Lila.
We both turned our eyes on Julia. Her long dark hair had been pulled back; her big brown eyes seemed to laugh at us. “You two! It’s nothing, really”
Lila was adamant. “You can’t say you’ve got big news then just shut up, Julia. Come on. Spill it.”
“Yeah, Julia. Spill it.” I sipped my coffee as I continued to stare at her.
“Okay,” she finally gave in. “Artimus and I are going to start trying for a baby.”
I was stunned.
Lila was ecstatic as she jumped up and went to grab Julia up in a hug. “I’m so happy for you two!”
It wasn’t that I wasn’t happy for her and Artimus, but I was feeling left out.
And just as I had nearly pulled myself together to stand up and join in the hug, Lila burst out, “Me and Duke are trying too!”
“Ah!” the two of them screamed as they jumped up and down.
Now I really felt left out. I sat there in silence, trying to push the selfish thoughts out of my head, but they wouldn’t be pushed away.
Why have I waited so long for Ashton Lange to realize we’re meant to be together?
Now here were my best friends having babies. Or trying to, anyway.
Both of them were married, and now they were both working on growing their families with the men they loved. And what was I doing?
Making coffee, writing on cue cards, and answering tweets for Lila. And nothing else!
My social calendar seemed be too full of time spent waiting on Ashton Lange to make a move. Now I was beginning to realize just how stupid that had been on my part.
The sudden silence made me look up at my friends, only to find them looking right back at me. Julia looked back to Lila. “Maybe this wasn’t the best time to say something,” she said, looking a little shamefaced.
