CHAPTER 13 #3
After eating something called a jammy egg and cheese, she carried her coffee back across the parking lot and into the stadium.
She would need to get that report she’d promised to Chard done by the afternoon.
She had hoped to get a jump on her work last night, but that hadn’t happened, so she spent the next four hours working at her desk, toiling away with spreadsheets and graphs to show the overall growth that had happened across the socials for the team, as well as comparing them to the latest pre-sales for tickets and the increase in memorabilia sales, such as tee shirts and hats, from both their online store and the shops located in the stadium, all the while trying not to think of Theo.
However, she would sporadically remember the impression of his mouth on hers and mess up on whatever she was working on.
It was irritating, to say the least.
Sometime in the afternoon, a knock sounded at her door, and, looking up, she saw Josh, dressed in a brown pinnie, holding a pair of bright green heels. His lush brown hair was pushed back, and there were beads of sweat around his hairline and his temples, as if he had just finished working out.
She leaned back in her chair. “Hi, Josh. What can I do for you?”
“Special delivery.”
“Thank you,” she said, standing. “I was going to come down and get them eventually.”
“It was no trouble. I figured I’d run up here before practice. We just finished the stadium sweep, and I found these in the closet. I was looking for an excuse to sneak away, anyway.” He came more fully into the room and dropped her shoes on her desk. “We missed you last night at La Strega.”
“I was unfortunately detained.”
“So I heard,” he said, grimacing. “Sorry your night was a bust.”
“It’s fine.” She took the shoes and plopped them on the floor next to her chair. “Did you guys have fun?”
“Oh yeah, but it would have been better if you were there.”
Scarlett smirked, brushing off his attempt to flirt as she glanced down at her computer screen.
“That’s sweet of you to say, but I’m pretty sure there’s a rule about fraternizing with coworkers, Josh.”
“Who told you that?”
“Supposedly it was in the fine print of my contract.”
“Was there? I never heard of that.” Evidently, she wasn’t the only one. “It wasn’t in mine. Besides, we’re not really coworkers.”
“We work for the same organization.”
“Yeah, but in different branches.”
“I don’t think there’s much discrepancy.”
“Still, I think if you were to go to a restaurant, and I happened to be there already, we could probably share a table, maybe some conversation?”
Scarlett glanced up at Josh. He was younger than her, maybe by a few years, and very handsome in a classic sort of way. His eager, friendly smile should be enough to make her pulse jump, even a little, but it didn’t.
“I appreciate the offer, Josh, but I don’t think that’s a smart idea.”
“Why not?”
She had to admire his persistence, but then Theo’s words sounded in her mind.
“Because it’s not like this could evolve into anything.”
His brows cinched together. “What do you mean? I’m just trying to feed you. Maybe get to know you a bit. Ya know, like what people do on dates.”
Yes, that was what normal people did. They dated and had conversations and learned about each other. They put themselves out there, and sure, sometimes it didn’t work out, but at least they’d tried.
Too bad Josh wasn’t someone she wanted to try that with. Of course, Theo hadn’t wanted to try it with her either.
Glancing up, she saw Josh’s waiting grin.
“Listen, Josh, it’s sweet of you to ask, but—”
Theo appeared in the doorway then, carrying a short, wide white box. His eyes immediately landed on Josh’s back. Instantly scowling, he stepped into the room as Scarlett placed her hands on the desk.
“What are you doing here?” Theo growled.
“I found Simmons’s shoes in the closet and decided to bring them to her.”
“Practice is starting. Get on the field.”
“Sure thing, boss.” Josh brought his index and middle finger up to his forehead and gave Scarlett a mock salute. “See you later, Simmons.”
As he disappeared into the hallway, indignation slammed her square in the chest. Theo had some nerve coming up to her office after what he’d said to Chard. What else had he said? She walked around the desk.
“Scarlett—” he started, but she walked right by him and stuck her head out of the doorway.
“Majka!” she called down the hall. He spun around. “La Strega, seven o’clock, Friday?”
Although he was several yards away, he lit up. “After the game?”
“Yes.”
“Yeah!”
“Great,” she said, spinning back into her office, ignoring Theo as she marched back behind her desk to take a seat.
Heart pounding, Scarlett tried to appear flippant as she stared at her computer screen.
It was wrong to agree to go on a date with Josh, particularly because she wasn’t interested, but maybe she would be.
Who knew? She wouldn’t learn anything about him if she didn’t at least give him a shot.
And the satisfaction of doing so in front of Theo was…
well, the most gratifying thing she could ever remember doing.
After a long, tense moment, he spoke.
“I thought I told you that dating was prohibited.”
“We’re not dating,” she said with a smarmy sneer. “We’re having drinks and getting to know each other, like normal people do.”
“If you start a relationship—”
“It’ll be no concern of yours because you don’t work for HR, and I don’t answer to you. Now, unless you have some insights into how we can better advertise for the upcoming game against Leeds, I’m going to have to ask you to leave.”
Scarlett refocused her attention on the computer and was grateful when he didn’t speak.
Instead, he dropped the box he was holding on her desk and walked out of the room in two big strides.
She stared at the doorway for longer than she cared to admit before pulling the box over to her and opening it.
Nine triangular blueberry scones were tucked neatly together in rows of three. Scarlett sighed as she brought her hands up to her face and rubbed her palms into her eyes.
Well, shit.