Page 56 of Sparks Fly
“Yes, but isn’t the pasta worth it?” Effie asked. “Plus, Kira said she can meet us there.”
“Oh, Kira can meet us there, can she?”
Effie pushed the button for the elevator, ignoring Stella’s suggestive eyebrow wiggling. Stella was ready to continue needling her when she felt her phone vibrate in her pocket. She always had her phone on do not disturb mode during work hours and hadn’t thought to check it, but now she saw she had a few texts from Max.
Max
After waking up with you in my bed for two days, this morning was very disappointing.
Max
Probably should’ve started with hello.
Max
Hello. I missed you in my bed this morning.
Max
It’s after 5 which means you should be off the clock. I say this as I’m about to head into a work dinner but please be better than me.
Max
Can I call you later?
“Whoa, five texts?”
Stella jumped, her shoulder almost knocking right into Effie’s head.
“Jesus, relax,” Effie said.
She stepped into the elevator and Stella followed, grateful no one else was standing around to notice their tomfoolery.
“Why were you reading my texts?” Stella hissed.
“Because you were smiling at your phone so hard I thought your face might get stuck that way,” Effie snapped back. “And why are you whispering?”
“I don’t know.” Stella cleared her throat and spoke again at a normal volume. “Anyway, my texts are none of your business.”
“Right, well, are you going to see your capitalist overlord, or are you coming to Pasta Louise?”
“Capitalist overlord? Really?”
Effie shrugged. “I just call ’em like I see ’em.”
“I am not seeingMaxtonight,” Stella said, emphasizing his name. “I was with him all weekend, and he has a work dinner.”
“All weekend?”
Stella was about to answer when the elevator doors opened to reveal Miles. Looking at him now, she saw the resemblance to his brother was honestly uncanny. So much so that Stella quickly looked away and scurried past him, trusting Effie would be close behind.
Of course she was, and once they made it around the corner from the building, Effie raised her brows in question.
“Don’t look at me like that,” Stella said. “I just freaked.”
“He doesn’t know you’re sleeping with his brother, right?”
“Absolutely not,” Stella said. She looked around nervously. “Let’s not talk about this here in case someone overhears.”
