Total pages in book: 29
Estimated words: 26992 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 135(@200wpm)___ 108(@250wpm)___ 90(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 26992 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 135(@200wpm)___ 108(@250wpm)___ 90(@300wpm)
I was supposed to sort mail and retrieve it. It’s crazy the amount of certified mail that is sent out from here each day having carriers pick it up. It is a full-time job, but somehow I keep getting more and more things tossed at me.
I can't avoid it either. Every other time I drop something off at someone’s desk I’m asked to do another task. So I do it because I’m not even sure if I can say no. I am getting close to my ninety-day evaluation which would include a raise, and I’m not willing to risk not getting it.
Thomas and Dunn finally pick what they want off the menu, and I write it down. I’m hoping that I’ll be able to get out of here soon, but it’s not looking that way.
“Why don’t you have a seat here, honey.” Thomas taps the seat next to him. “I’m Sure Graham and Miller will be here shortly. Take a load off.” I don’t want to sit down next to Thomas. The man is handsy. I also hate how he is always calling me by a pet name. They range from honey to sweetheart and a few babes thrown in there as well. I’m not sure he actually knows my name at this point. But every time he calls me by something else I get a creepy feeling.
Luckily, before I have a chance to respond, both Miller and Graham walk into the conference room and give me their orders. I’ve never been so grateful to see my bosses.
“Anything else?” I ask.
“Why don’t you order something and join us?” Thomas suggests. The man is old enough to be my father.
“I have dinner plans already.” His eyes narrow on me. Miller and Graham both openly smile at the awkwardness.
“Boyfriend?”
I shake my head no. “My sister.”
“Place the order, Ms. Evans. I’ll handle the delivery. Go have dinner with your sister,” Dunn cuts in, giving me a half smile. He’s easily my favorite here. I’d heard his assistant was retiring soon. I was hoping I might be able to fill her spot.
“Thank you so much.” I give him a smile back before I slip from the conference room. I place the order on my phone before I grab my stuff to head out of here. I check the time and see I’m going to have to wait another twenty minutes for the next train.
My mind drifts back to my new neighbor. It’s been doing that all day. I’m not sure why. Not having an interest in men was easy. My mom was a romantic at heart. The problem was she always picked the wrong men. She had a thing for rich, entitled jerks. I made a vow to myself that I would never end up with one of them.
She got her heart broken too many times to count. It makes my own heart ache thinking about how she never did find her happily ever after. I think until the day she passed away she still held some kind of torch for my father. He never deserved her, but love is blind sometimes and not always in a good way. I’ll never understand what she saw in him.
I plan to keep my promise to myself. Then why do I keep thinking about Jay? He’s not some rich snob. At least I don’t think he is. He can’t be if he lives in my building, but his SUV was fancy.
I’m not sure what something like that might cost. I don’t even have a driver's license. I take the train everywhere. It is faster generally, but it was also nice to get a ride in his SUV. A car is a luxury that I won’t be able to afford for a long time, if ever.
I give Chuck, one of the security guards, a wave goodbye as I head out of the building. I pause when I see the familiar SUV from this morning sitting at the curb, but the windows are too dark for me to see in.
Then I see him. Jay rounds the front of the SUV, walking toward me. What is he doing back here? I don’t know if this should freak me out or if I should find it sweet.
“I was down the street. I was going to stop by and see if you needed a ride.” He gives me a warm smile and his bright blue eyes hold my attention. He changed, and he’s now in a pair of jeans and a black plain shirt that stretches across his wide chest.
“You didn’t have to do that.” He gives a shrug like it really is no big deal.
“It’s the neighborly thing to do.”
“I can’t date you,” I blurt out. His eyebrows raise, but that smile stays on his face.
“I know, but we can be friends, right? We live across the hall from each other.” I worry my bottom lip between my teeth. He generally seems like a nice person. The problem is I’m not sure I can be his friend. I keep thinking about him in ways that you don’t usually think about people that are only friends. Hell, I masturbated to thoughts of him last night, and it was the fastest I’ve ever gotten myself off. I told myself it was because it had been so long since I’d done that. Even with me going off so quick it still hadn't been enough. I think my body knew he was across the hallway and wanted more. He was only a hop, skip, and a jump away, and my body didn’t want second best when the real thing was so close. But he’s right. I’m going to be seeing him every day most likely. It would be nice to have a friend besides my sister.