Page 50 of Sliding into Love
"Me too. But—" He looks up, meeting my eyes with such warmth it makes my breath catch. "This feels like getting a piece of that back. Not the same piece, but a new one that honors what was lost."
"That's very poetic for a Monday morning."
"You bring it out of me." He sets the mitt down carefully, then reaches across the desk to take my hand. "Seriously, Royce. This means more to me than you probably realize."
"I think I'm starting to understand." I squeeze his hand. "And for what it's worth, I'm glad you like it.”
He glances at the clock on my wall. "We should probably actually finish these contracts before lunch."
"Probably."
But neither of us moves to let go of the other's hand, and when we do finally get back to work, there's a new lightness in the air. A sense of understanding deepened, of knowing each other just a little bit better.
And when Kenneth leaves hours later, the stuffed mitt is tucked carefully under his arm, treated as if it were precious and irreplaceable.
To him, I realize, that's exactly what it is.
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
KENNETH
My laptop is setup on a folding chair, angled so the camera captures the front row of empty chairs in the media room. I'm early—fifteen minutes before Claudia and Becka's virtual elopement ceremony is supposed to start—and I'm second-guessing everything.
Inviting Royce was impulsive. After they gave me that mitt a couple days ago, I found myself hopeful there could be more than animosity between us.
We've been working together for a bit now, and lately there's this tension that I can't quite name. It crackles in the air when we're alone, that makes my stomach flip when they smile at me, that keeps me awake at night wondering what if.
I’m sure it’s one sided. There’s no chance they want me inthat way.
Besides, we're professionals. Colleagues. And I'm leaving the team in a few weeks anyway, so whatever this is between us probably doesn't matter.
Except Claudia texted me two days ago.
Claudia:Bring your person to the ceremony! Weddings are romantic. Who knows what might happen?
I'd stared at that message for a full five minutes before typing back.
Kenneth:I don't have a person.
Her response was immediate.
Claudia:The way you talked about them at the party says otherwise. Invite them, Kenneth. What's the worst that could happen?
I casually mentioned it to Royce yesterday while we were reviewing game schedules, trying to sound like it was no big deal. "Hey, so that friend I mentioned from my parents' Christmas party? She's getting married this weekend. Well, eloping. It's virtual. I'm invited to watch, and I thought... if you're free... you could watch with me? I feel weird attending a wedding alone, even virtually."
Royce had looked up from their tablet, surprise flickering across their face. "You want me to attend a wedding with you?"
"It's not like a date or anything," I'd rushed to clarify, even though part of me desperately wished it was. "Just two colleagues watching a friend get married. Moral support. You can say no if it's weird."
"Itisweird." They'd smiled, that soft genuine smile that made my heart do stupid things. "But I think I'd like that. What time?"
Now here I am, waiting, wondering if I made a huge mistake. What if this pushes things too far? What if Royce realizes I have feelings for them and it makes everything awkward? What if?—
A knock interrupts my spiral.
I turn to find Royce standing there in dark skinny jeans and a soft baby blue sweater that makes them look unfairly attractive. They're holding a bottle of champagne and two glasses.
"I figured if we're attending a wedding, even virtually, we should have a drink to toast with," they say, stepping inside.
