Matt’s the last person in the world I need to be crushing on. He is only good for sharing takeout with and occasionally venting to when things in my life go south.
Besides, as soon as I get back to work, it’ll mean getting back to dating my next trope. I haven’t figured out who I’ll be writing about yet, but something tells me a few rounds of hot and heavy action, just like I had with Kellen, will set me back on the right track.
Because the last thing I need in my life is a crush on Matt. He would never let me live it down. I would have to move or something, and the very thought of that makes my stomach turn. But I would still rather put up with packing and moving and settling in someplace else than with the possibility of dying from embarrassment every time our paths cross.
CHAPTER TWO
“So, how do you feel about starting work again?”
I can tell Hayley the truth. I don’t feel like I have to put on any fake confidence with her. “God, I can’t wait. I’ve been going nuts with nothing to do.”
“I thought you were working on the jigsaw puzzle!”
I glance over to where the puzzle waits. Matt wasn’t kidding around or exaggerating. I’ve only filled in the borders. “Of course, I love the puzzle. It’s not the puzzle’s fault I’ve had the attention span of a gnat lately. I blame the internet.”
“I’m only teasing.” Hayley flashes one of her winning smiles, which is just as dazzling on my phone screen as it is in real life. “You need more than a jigsaw puzzle. You need a bigger life in general. But you knew that already.”
“My life is big in general! Can I achieve balance? I mean, I could try. But you have this way of making it sound like I’m the only person in the world who has ever failed to achieve work-life balance. And that just isn’t true.” I narrow my eyes at her. “Besides, don’t even pretend like you aren’t a workhorse.”
“I need to be if I ever want to make partner.” My best friend is a driven girl, and I have to give her credit for working hard toward her goals.
“But you know what I mean. You took calls, and I even saw you sneaking in work emails when we were away for your sister’s wedding.”
“Like I really wanted to do that! And it’s not like I was initiating. I was replying to emails from other people.”
“I know. I know. Look what it got you. A promotion to junior associate.”
“Exactly. You’re right though; we both work a lot. But you are practically a hermit. At least I’m around other people. Anyway, anyway”—she waves a hand around in front of the screen—“I didn’t call to argue with you.”
“Well, that’s good to hear.” I plop down on the couch, pulling my feet up under me. “So, what’s up?”
“You know what time it is.” Slowly, she raises the spinner, so I can see it.
“Are you sure you didn’t rig it this time?”
Last time we spun to see which romantic hero I would write about and therefore date, she’d changed every entry to Best Man, determined to hook me up with the best man at her sister’s wedding.
Kellen. He was hot and definitely knew what he was doing. That part of things went well. Extremely well actually. We were very compatible.
It was the whole drama after coming home that put an end to things. Namely the fact that he’d lied to me about his gambling addiction. These past few weeks, I’ve wondered if he’s the reason I was thrown off. It was difficult to end my book with a happy ending, knowing we hadn’t really gotten one.
I wish him well, and from what I understand, he’s working hard to turn things around.
And it’s time for me to move on. If only because I need to start writing another book soon.
And because, let’s face it, if Matt’s getting under my skin, I need to get laid.
“I didn’t rig it, I promise. Look.” She spins it once and then again. The first time, it lands on Biker—as in motorcycles—and the next time, Chef.
I snap my fingers and pout. “Darn it. I could go for a sexy scene on top of a prep table.”
“Who knows? Maybe we’ll land on it again.”
We do not land on it again.
What we do land on, however, makes my eyebrows just about shoot up off my head. “Oh, hello.”
Hayley giggles. “Cowboy! Giddyup, little lady!”
“Gee, what a terrible job I have.” I pretend to sigh and swoon.
“Listen, if you’re not up to the challenge, I would be happy to do this for you and tell you about it after our dates.”
“Oh, you’re such a sweet friend. Do I tell you that often enough?”
“It’s okay. I don’t do it for the recognition.”
Once I finish laughing, I shake my head. “Sorry. For this one, my research has to be firsthand. I’ll catch you up on how things go.”
“You know I’ll be waiting.”
“Now, the ever-looming question: where will I find this guy? It was one thing when I knew where to find a best man, you know?”
“You need help? I’ll find you a cowboy.”
“I love your confidence, but where the heck would you find a cowboy?”
“I have my ways.” When I roll my eyes, she sticks her tongue out at me. “We have all kinds of clients, remember?”
“Last time you hooked me up with one of your firm’s clients, it didn’t go so well.”
She grimaces at the memory. My brief fling with a rock star—a has-been, if I’m being honest—didn’t exactly end well. “We’ll do better this time. Let’s see … cowboys. That makes me think of ranchers and oil tycoons.”
“Tycoons. That sounds like the sort of client your firm would handle.”
“I’ll see what I can do. Maybe ask your grandmother if she knows anybody in the oil business too.”
I wrinkle my nose. “No, thank you. I’m not trying to date somebody who’s decrepit.”
“Decrepit, old men with money generally have young grandsons, who are prepared to inherit that money,” she points out with a sly wink.
“Why, Hayley”—I clutch my invisible pearls—“you sound downright mercenary.”
“Just saying. I’ll take a look at some of our client lists and find out if there’s anybody coming into town anytime soon. I’m sure we can find someone.”
“We don’t have to do anything, you know. I don’t want you to feel like you have to spend your valuable time working on this.”
“It’s a diversion. I mean, look what I would be doing otherwise.” She pans the phone’s camera, letting me see the piles of folders and stacks of paper spread out over her coffee table and the floor surrounding it.
The girl has a way of making me love my job more than I already did. “Is there anything I can do for you? Maybe order you up some dinner or a case of wine or something?”
“The case of wine sounds pretty good right about now,” she admits. “I’m going to try to take a little time off this weekend. Do you want to catch brunch?”
“Yes!”
“Is that enthusiasm for me or for brunch?”