Total pages in book: 98
Estimated words: 91216 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 456(@200wpm)___ 365(@250wpm)___ 304(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 91216 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 456(@200wpm)___ 365(@250wpm)___ 304(@300wpm)
I follow her down the hallway, my feet dragging slightly. The fluorescent lights are doing nothing for my headache.
As we enter her office, Sloane heads straight for her desk, pulling out a small, velvet-covered box. She opens it with a flourish, revealing a stunning array of delicate gold necklaces, each adorned with a unique pendant.
“Voila! What do you think?” she asks, her voice brimming with excitement.
I move closer, squinting slightly to focus on the intricate details. Despite my hangover-induced haze, I take the time to admire the craftsmanship. “They’re beautiful, Sloane. Really stunning work.”
She beams at me, clearly proud of her latest creations. “I knew you’d love them. Tyler saw them yesterday and said they may be too basic, but he’s a man, so what does he know.”
Grrr, Tyler. I realize my groan was audible.
Sloane’s eyes narrow, her smile fading slightly. “What’s that about? You having issues with Tyler?”
I wave my hand dismissively, trying to backtrack. “No, no. It’s just . . . my head. The hangover, you know.”
Sloane doesn’t look convinced. She sets down the jewelry box and crosses her arms, fixing me with a penetrating stare. “Come on, spill. I know he can be a pain in the ass sometimes. He follows every rule to a tee, and can be super uptight. But he’s harmless. You just have to know how to work with the man. Not against him. Is he riding your ass?”
I sigh, knowing I can’t escape Sloane’s interrogation. “It’s nothing, really. He’s just . . . Are you sure he’s harmless? I get a weird feeling sometimes.”
Sloane’s perfectly arched eyebrow rises even higher. “Weird feeling? What do you mean?”
I hesitate, not sure how to put my vague suspicions into words. “I don’t know exactly. It’s just . . . sometimes I catch him watching me when he thinks I’m not looking. And he’s shown up at my house twice now completely out of the blue.”
Sloane’s expression shifts from curiosity to concern. “At your house? That’s . . . unusual.”
I nod, relieved that Sloane seems to be taking me seriously. “Exactly.”
“Has he done anything?”
I shake my head. “No. Not really. He’s asked me on a date, I guess. But in a weird way. It’s hard to explain. I’m trying to brush him off and not make it weird between us. But it’s weird between us.” I shrug. “I don’t want to make anything of it because nothing really has happened. But—”
Just then, we hear footsteps approaching. Sloane quickly picks up the jewelry box again, resuming our facade of casual conversation. As the door opens, I turn to see who it is, my heart racing.
It’s Tyler, his eyes immediately locking onto mine.
“Hey ladies,” Tyler says, his voice smooth as silk. “Hope I’m not interrupting anything important.”
I force a smile, trying to keep my voice steady. “Not at all. Just girl talk.”
Tyler’s eyes linger on me for a moment too long before he turns to Sloane. “I need those quarterly expenses on my desk by five, Sloane. I know you’ve been busy with the latest designs, but Jasmine has asked me to hunt these down.”
Sloane nods, her face a mask of professionalism. “Of course. I’ll have them to you by four.”
My stomach churns. I glance at Sloane, who I can tell is studying every move Tyler makes. She’s always been such a good judge of character. If Tyler is a creep, she’ll pick up on it.
“I brought in some Christmas cookies,” he adds. “They’re in the break room if you guys want any.”
A creep who bakes?
I force a smile. “Thanks, Tyler. That’s . . . thoughtful of you.”
Tyler’s eyes flick back to me, a hint of something I can’t quite place lurking behind them. “I made your favorite. Snickerdoodles.”
How does he know my favorite cookie? I’ve never mentioned it at work. I try to recall if I’ve ever mentioned my favorite cookie to anyone aside from my deceased parents. Then I remember that I said it in passing on one of my lives as I was showing off a line of Nightmare Before Christmas inspired pendants. It wasn’t even one of my more popular posts.
But does Tyler really watch every single one of my videos? Does he take notes? How would he remember such a small detail?
“Oh,” I manage, trying to keep my voice light. “That’s . . . nice.”
Sloane steps in smoothly, her tone cheerful but with an edge I recognize. “We’ll definitely grab some later. Thanks, Tyler.”
He lingers for a moment, his gaze uncomfortably intense. “Great. I hope you enjoy them.” With a final nod, he turns and leaves, closing the door behind him.
As soon as his footsteps fade, Sloane whirls to face me. She leans in, her voice dropping to a whisper. “Your gut is telling you something’s off.”
I nod, grateful she understands. “I hope he catches on that I’m not interested, and this doesn’t have to get awkward. I really don’t want to make this into something bigger if I don’t have to.”