5. Chapter 5
Chapter 5
Lis
I wake early on Monday morning to a text from Spencer and a heavy weight on my feet.
Spencer: Evelyn. The Mummy.
Me: You Googled it, didn’t you?
He sends me a picture of a movie collection spread out on the floor around his crossed legs. A DVD copy of The Mummy starring Brendan Fraser sitting right in front of him.
Me: Did that take you all night?
I sit up while I wait for his response and scratch Cerberus between the ears. He looks up at me with a forlorn expression.
“I know lazybones, but if we get up, I’ll take you for a run.” His tail flops on the bed a few times and my phone buzzes.
Spencer: Not all night. I had the idea at 2am. Figured it out around 4 but didn’t want to wake you. I didn’t wake you did I?
Me: You didn’t. I was just getting up.
Spencer: What are you wearing?
I laugh out loud, hesitating for only a second before turning on the camera and taking a picture of my pajamas: cozy pants and his hoodie.
Spencer: You look hot in my clothes.
A shiver tingles through me, settling between my thighs, making me want to skip taking my dog out and just run to Spencer’s apartment instead. Then Cerberus moves up the bed to get more head scratches and I know I can’t give in to my desires. As much as I want to.
Me: Leave me alone. I have to get ready for my new job.
I give my dog his required scritches and wait for the message I can see Spencer is typing.
Spencer: You’re gonna kill it firecracker. Call me when you’re done and tell me how it went.
I set my phone down to find my running gear. Since I don’t start for a few hours, I have time for a short run, the most Cerberus can do anyway, with his stubby legs. My phone buzzes again.
Spencer: And what it is. We never talked about what we do.
Me: I’ll tell you all about it later. I’m heading out for a run along the seawall. Watch for me?
Spencer: Are you asking me to stalk you? Because yes please. I’d offer to join you but gross.
Someone knocks on my door and I tell them to come in while I pull on my sports bra.
“Is that Spencer you’re texting?” Daze says when she enters.
“Maybe.”
“Did you sleep in his hoodie?”
I pull on my pants and then turn to her. “Why do you ask questions you already know the answer to?”
She just grins at me. “I’m heading to work. Have an awesome day. Sophie and I want to take you out to celebrate tonight. Unless you have other plans?”
I look at my phone. He hasn’t asked me out tonight. I want to see him again. Soon. But I also don’t want this to move too fast. Whatever this is. Especially since I just said I was giving up on dating.
“No plans,” I say.
“Great. See you later, then.” She kisses my cheek, gives Cerberus a pat, and then she leaves.
I plug in my headphones and my little buddy and I run. I pass Spencer’s apartment in only a few minutes and a text buzzes my phone, interrupting the music. I glance down to see the eyes emoji followed by the kiss emoji. I find his window and blow a kiss toward it. Then I get another text from him.
Spencer: I didn’t know you had a dog. You are so full of mystery firecracker. Looking forward to talking to you later.
I don’t bother to fight the stupid grin. Cerberus and I run all the way to my new place of employment before turning and running back to my apartment for a quick shower and to change. I get my dog settled with Sophie—who works from home—then walk the same route back to Blue Vista Events.
I enter the building and am immediately greeted by the owner, Victoria Sterling. She is stunning with long black hair, crystal blue eyes, and a statuesque figure that makes me jealous. I left my heels at home in favour of shoes I would normally work in, black Doc Martens. Though they’re fancier than the ones I usually wear with embroidered flowers on the sides. I wore clothes I would never consider working in as well, a bright red blouse and black dress pants, trying to look professional to meet the team. I’d scooped my rainbow hair back and twisted it up, keeping it in place with a large claw clip, while still showing off the color I’d paid a lot of money for.
“Victoria,” I say as I hold my hand out to shake hers. “It’s good to see you again. Thank you so much for this opportunity.”
“The pleasure is all mine, Amaryllis. I’m glad it worked out. Yours was by far the best application we received.” She leads me to a conference room just off the lobby.
“Please. Just call me Lis.”
Her smile slips for half a second and I wonder what I’ve said wrong.
“Did you say Lis?” she asks.
“Yes, I—”
“Lis? What are you doing here?”
I turn away from Victoria and my heart stops beating.
Spencer is there on the other side of the conference room with two other people. I can’t see them as my vision narrows to the man I spent all night with on Saturday. My face grows hot as we stare at each other.
“Lis is our new head chef,” Victoria says into the growing silence.
I can’t tear my gaze away from Spencer to look at her. I realize I’m shaking as the dots start connecting in my fried brain. I was scheduled to meet with the top staff at Blue Vista today. The owner, the event coordinator, the acquisitions coordinator, and the staff coordinator. Victoria and three other people.
I wrench my gaze away from him to look at my new boss. Then back at him. I swallow, terrified of what she knows. He said his best friend’s name was Vic. That she was his roommate as well. That he was going to text her to make sure she wasn’t coming home early.
“Give us a few minutes?” Spencer says and everyone leaves the room until it’s just me and him.
“Do they know?” I whisper.
He grimaces as he stands and comes around the table to me, leaning against the edge of it.
“They do. Derek and Adalie were at the bar with me. They saw us together. And Vic is my roommate.” He scratches the back of his neck. “I may have mentioned you once or twice. But I swear it was because I thought I was going to call you and take you out again. Not because I was bragging or anything. I really like you, Lis.”
My heart is breaking. Because he really likes me. And I really like him. And we had so much fun together. And he’s a nerd, just like me. And he thinks I’m beautiful. And—
“We can’t see each other again,” I say. The words feel like claws on my soul. “Not romantically, I mean.”
“Lis,” he says, and I can hear the protest, so I stop him before he can say more.
“No, Spencer. I can’t.” I bite my lip, searching for a way to explain. “I’m head chef here. Do you know how many female head chefs and executive chefs there are in Vancouver?”
“I’m going to guess by your question the answer is not many.”
“No. This is an unbelievable opportunity for me. Something I’ve been dreaming about for years. I can’t do anything to mess it up.”
“Being with me won’t mess it up.”
“Maybe that’s true. But what if we get together and then it doesn’t work out? What if we break up and it’s weird and we can’t stand each other anymore? Victoria is your best friend. You think she’ll choose me over you?”
“Vic. Her friends call her Vic.”
I smile sadly. “I’m not her friend, Spencer. I’m her employee.”
He straightens, catching my hand in his. “But what if it does work out? What if it doesn’t end? What if we have the greatest love story ever told?”
My heart is pounding in my chest because I want to. God knows I want to try. I want to see where this could go. But after last time, I just can’t risk it.
I shake my head. “I sorry, Spencer. We had one night together and one date. And they were amazing. But I can’t.”
He stares down at me for a long time. Then he lets go of my hand to cup the back of my neck. My eyes close at his touch and he leans down, pressing a gentle kiss to my lips. A kiss that says goodbye. My heart shatters into a million pieces at the thought that I’ll never get to kiss him again.
He pulls away.
“Okay. We’ll do it your way. But for the record, I think you’re wrong.”
He lets me go and my whole body feels frozen. He leaves the conference room to call the others back and as the space between us grows, the colder I get.