26
Amanda refused to look at Ericka for the next full minute.
She focused on her food, determined not to acknowledge the fact that Samantha had just accused them of being on a date—out loud, on speaker, in the middle of their very much not-a-date business lunch.
She could feel Ericka's amusement radiating off her, even without looking.
Finally, after another bite of salmon, she sighed and put down her fork.
"Go ahead," Amanda said, waving a hand. "Get it out of your system."
Ericka arched a brow, feigning innocence. "Get what out of my system?"
Amanda groaned, leaning back in her chair. "I know you want to say something."
Ericka tilted her head slightly. "I just find it interesting that the idea of this being a date made you panic."
Amanda blinked. "I didn't panic."
Ericka smirked. "You choked."
"I did not—" Amanda stopped, narrowing her eyes. "Okay, first of all, you are twisting this. Second, Samantha is dramatic, and I've learned not to entertain her wild theories."
Ericka hummed, clearly not buying it. "So, it wouldn't bother you if she thought this was a date?"
Amanda hesitated, gripping her glass of water. "It's not. That's all that matters."
Ericka nodded slowly, as if she were considering something. "Right."
Amanda did not like that response.
She exhaled, crossing her arms. "You enjoy messing with me, don't you?"
Ericka smirked. "Immensely."
Amanda rolled her eyes, but a small smile tugged at her lips despite herself.
Ericka set down her utensils and leaned slightly forward. "So, if this isn't a date, what is it?"
Amanda arched a brow. "A business lunch."
Ericka tapped a finger against the table. "Mm. A business lunch where I take you to one of my favorite restaurants and order for you?"
Amanda opened her mouth, then closed it.
Okay. Maybe that sounded slightly less professional when said out loud.
Ericka smirked. "I'm just making sure I understand."
Amanda shook her head, pointing her fork at her. "You're insufferable."
Ericka chuckled, leaning back again. "So I've been told."
Amanda exhaled, choosing to ignore the way Ericka's voice sounded just a little too smooth when she said that.
She went back to her meal, determined not to let this spiral further.
A few more minutes passed in comfortable silence, the teasing moment fading back into something easier, something that didn't require labeling.
Then Ericka spoke again.
"You handled this morning well."
Amanda looked up. "I had to. They were trying to screw you over."
Ericka studied her. "You didn't have to do it alone."
Amanda shrugged. "Didn't have a choice. If I didn't catch it, you would have walked into that meeting unprepared."
Ericka set her napkin down, tilting her head slightly. "And that mattered to you."
Amanda exhaled, knowing she was stepping into dangerous territory, but she didn't hesitate. "Yes."
Ericka's gaze lingered, something unreadable flickering behind her eyes.
Amanda held her breath, waiting for whatever came next.
But instead of pushing further, Ericka simply reached for her glass and took a sip of water.
"Good," she murmured.
Amanda blinked. "Good?"
Ericka smirked, placing the glass down. "It's nice to have someone I can trust."
Amanda wasn't sure why that made something in her chest tighten, but it did.
She quickly grabbed her fork again, nodding toward Ericka's plate. "Eat your food before I start charging you for my therapy sessions."
Ericka chuckled, shaking her head as she picked up her fork. "Noted."
Lunch wrapped up with a comfortable ease that Amanda hadn't expected.
After all the teasing, the unspoken moments, and whatever this thing between them was turning into, she had half-expected Ericka to make some final, cryptic remark before they left.
But she didn't.
Instead, Ericka simply paid the bill without hesitation, sliding her card to the waiter before Amanda could even reach for her wallet.
Amanda frowned. "I could've paid for myself, you know."
Ericka arched a brow. "I know."
Amanda sighed, shaking her head. "You really don't let people do things for you, do you?"
Ericka smirked, standing from her seat. "No. But you already knew that."
Amanda exhaled, grabbing her bag before following her out of the restaurant.
The warm afternoon air greeted them as they stepped onto the sidewalk, and before Amanda could check the time, the sleek black car was already waiting at the curb. The driver, ever punctual, opened the back door for them without a word.
As they slid inside, Amanda glanced at Ericka. "Back to reality?"
Ericka hummed, stretching her arm along the back of the seat. "Reality was never far."
Amanda rolled her eyes. "Right. Because a two-hour lunch where you actually relax is normal for you."
Ericka smirked but didn't respond.
The car eased into traffic, and Amanda let herself settle into the seat, already running through the rest of the day's tasks in her mind.
"Your next meeting is at two," she said, opening her planner. "Then you have a check-in with finance at three, and legal wants a follow-up on this morning's contract revisions before the end of the day."
Ericka nodded, her gaze focused out the window. "Push the finance meeting to tomorrow. I want a full report before I sit down with them."
Amanda made a quick note. "Got it."
The car ride was smooth, the city passing by in a blur of movement.
For once, neither of them spoke.
There was no challenge, no teasing, no sharp-edged banter.
Just... quiet.
Amanda wasn't sure if it was a good kind of quiet or a dangerous one.
By the time they pulled up to the office, Ericka opened her door first, stepping out with her usual effortless grace. Amanda followed, already checking her emails as she walked toward the elevators.
The moment they stepped inside, the usual workday energy snapped back into place.
Amanda felt it.
A shift. A return to structure.
Whatever had happened over lunch, it stayed there.
And maybe that was for the best.
________________________________________
The workday had moved in a blur.
After the chaos of the morning, the rest of the afternoon had been surprisingly uneventful. Meetings were handled, emails were answered, and Amanda had spent most of the day doing what she did best—keeping everything running smoothly.
By the time 5:45 PM rolled around, the office had started to thin out, employees packing up and heading home for the evening.
Amanda was still at her desk, finishing up a last-minute report when she heard footsteps approaching.
She glanced up to find Ericka standing beside her desk, her expression unreadable.
"Ready to head out?" Ericka asked, casually tucking her hands into the pockets of her tailored slacks.
Amanda blinked. "You're leaving at a normal time?"
Ericka smirked slightly. "I'm capable of it."
Amanda scoffed. "Rarely."
Ericka tilted her head, amusement flickering in her eyes. "Do you need a ride?"
Amanda hesitated.
Of all the things she expected Ericka to say, that was not on the list.
"Are you offering?" she asked, arching a brow.
"I wouldn't ask if I wasn't."
Amanda chewed her lip, debating. She usually took her own way home, but after running on low sleep and surviving the longest day ever, the idea of not having to deal with the hassle of getting home on her own was... tempting.
Still, it felt like a dangerous offer.
Not dangerous in a physical sense—Ericka wasn't some kind of threat.
But being alone with her, in the quiet of the car, after everything that had been lingering between them lately?
Yeah. That was a different kind of dangerous.
But Amanda wasn't about to give Ericka the satisfaction of knowing she was overthinking this.
She grabbed her bag, standing up with a casual shrug. "Sure. Why not?"
Ericka's smirk deepened slightly, but she didn't say anything. She just turned and walked toward the elevators, and Amanda followed, ignoring the slight twist in her stomach as she did.
By the time they stepped outside, the sleek black car was already waiting at the curb.
The driver opened the back door, and without hesitation, Ericka slid inside.
Amanda hesitated for only half a second before following, telling herself this was just a ride home.
Nothing more.
Right?