Page 77 of One Night Only
“Nice,” Will finishes. “He’s nice and harmless and one of the team until he takes your main client and your job right from under your nose.” His face scrunches up. “You didn’t sleep with him, did you?”
“No! Will!”
“All I’m saying is just because he wants to tap that doesn’t mean he’s—”
“Knock knock.”
We both jump as Matthias appears in the mouth of our cubicle, a folder in his hand.
“Am I interrupting something?”
“Yes,” Will says as I shake my head. I kick him under the desk.
“Do you have a moment, Sarah?”
“Of course.”
Matthias glances at Will, who barely conceals a sigh. “I’ll grab a coffee,” he says, shooting a pointed glance at his back as he walks past.
Matthias perches on the edge of Will’s desk, facing me. I feel like I’m a kid being kept after class by a teacher. An incredibly hot teacher, but still.
“So,” he begins.
“So,” I echo when he doesn’t continue.
He smiles slightly. “About Saturday night. I shouldn’t have run off like that.”
“Are you kidding?” I blurt out. “That was totally on me. I was so rude.”
“I get it. No one likes bumping into their ex.”
“My… He’s not my ex,” I say. “He was just someone I didn’t expect to see again.”
He doesn’t say anything for a moment, as if waiting for me to say more. “Well,” he says when I don’t, “I would like to seeyouagain. Why don’t we start over? Try somewhere else this week? I believe I owe you a drink.”
I don’t answer immediately. It’s not that it didn’t occur to me that he might ask again. I just hadn’t figured out what I would say if he did.
I know what Dad and Soraya would want me to say. I know what Ishouldsay. I should say yes and go out with him again and give my full attention. I should be grateful he’s forgiven me for what happened and give him a chance. And it’s not about what Will said. Will, who likes to see drama wherever he turns.
It’s about the fact that I’m looking at him in the exact way I looked at him outside the bar and I still feel…nothing.
There’s no spark there. Not even the promise of one.
It wouldn’t be fair to him.
“I think it’s best if we just stay friends,” I finally say, my body heating in embarrassment.
“Oh.” Matthias doesn’t bother to hide his shock. I doubt he’s used to being rejected. “Sure,” he says. “If that’s how you feel.”
I nod. “I’m sorry,” I add as he straightens from the desk, standing so I have to look up at him.
“Don’t be.” But he sounds annoyed even if he’s trying not to show it. “Is it that guy from the bar? The non-ex?”
“It’s more that he’s recent history,” I say, trying to explain. “And this isn’t about him. It’s about me. I don’t date and it would be messy with work and… ” I stop talking, not knowing what to say. I can tell he doesn’t believe me.
He watches me for a moment, and I sit nervously waiting.
“Okay. Thank you for your honesty.”
