Chapter 26
I’m not even awake properly when I feel a smile stretch across my face.
Last night was, well, I don’t know what it was, but I loved it. I loved every minute of it, right up until Jordan got called into work but, to be honest with you, that only left me wanting more. If it was a power move, it worked – although I’m pretty sure it was a genuine emergency.
I mean, come on, we almost kissed, and it felt like the kind of moment that only happens in the movies. Or very, very good dreams. We were so close. Like, centimetres – or seconds, depending on how you measure it.
I know I didn’t imagine it, or dream it. I wanted to kiss him and he wanted to kiss me too. That was one hell of a little black dress I picked out.
I roll out of bed, still in a dreamy, hearts-for-eyes haze, and walk over to the door between our rooms. I knock gently. No answer. I try again, louder, but there’s still no reply.
He must have gone to the office already, so it really must be an emergency. Well, I don’t have anything else to do, so I may as well throw on some clothes and meet him there. Presumably he’ll let me in now, no questions asked.
I throw on an outfit and head to Matcher US HQ with a real spring in my step.
I know, it’s not like I’m going to walk through the door and he’s going to pick me up, An Officer and a Gentleman style, or pin me to a desk and have his wicked way with me right then and there – I’m not against it, by the way, but I know that it’s not very likely.
Jordan is on a call when I get there, so I get to know the other members of the UK team.
There’s Pete, who is some kind of tech guy, and Bella, who handles PR.
It’s nice, to hear a few more English accents, to make me feel a bit more at ease.
I’ve never felt more self-conscious of having a different accent, mostly just because it seems to fascinate people here.
Well, I’m from Yorkshire, and that is not the accent they hear in the movies.
Eventually he emerges from a private office, Jordan, in the same shirt he was wearing last night.
He comes over, catches my eye, and smiles like he’s genuinely pleased to see me.
‘Morning,’ he says casually. ‘Sleep well?’
‘Better than you,’ I reply. ‘Have you been here all night?’
‘Yeah, I got a few hours on the sofa,’ he replies. ‘But Alison is in now, and she needs her office.’
He nods towards a woman who I recognise as the one he was in the bar with. Hmm, so it really was a work meeting.
‘Has the crisis been averted?’ I ask.
‘Just about,’ he replies. ‘Tech problem. Some kind of cyberattack, but we’re out of the woods now, I think. Although I’m sure you’d love to see someone take Matcher down, huh?’
He gives me a cheeky smile.
‘If I knew how to…’ I joke.
‘You know, if you press that big red button in the corner, you can shut the whole of Matcher down,’ he replies.
‘Oh reeeeally,’ I reply, joining in on the bit.
He grins.
‘Tempting, isn’t it?’
‘It might have been, a few months ago, but now I’m happy to let it slide,’ I say with a smile. ‘I’m over it.’
I know we’re only joking around, but I am. People are always going to do whatever they want and no one is ever going to change that by simply flicking the kill switch on one app. There are plenty of others to download.
I lean in closer and lower my voice.
‘You’ve still got my lipstick on your collar,’ I tell him, noticing the shade I was wearing last night.
He looks down, startled, then up at me with faux scandal.
‘Are you trying to get me sacked?’ he jokes.
‘It was only a light HR violation,’ I point out. ‘And I won’t tell anyone.’
‘They’ve all been too polite to mention it,’ he says. ‘But I should probably change, before my meeting later.’
‘Do you want me to run out and grab you a shirt?’ I ask.
‘Would you mind?’ he replies. ‘Don’t trek back to the hotel, buy a new one, and let me know what it costs.’
Going to his hotel room would have been ideal, as far as my mission goes, but I genuinely was just thinking about him needing a shirt.
‘No worries,’ I tell him. ‘Jot down your size and your budget, or whatever, and I’ll get right on it.’
‘Gosh, is this new girl?’ the woman I now know as Alison asks him. ‘The one you’ve been telling me about? She’s great – can I steal her?’
‘Get your own new girl,’ he replies. ‘Anyway, you’ve been with us a while now, I think you might need a new title.’
I laugh, my cheeks warming at the thought of him telling people about me.
‘I’ll be right back with that shirt,’ I say, terrible at taking compliments.
I head down in the lift, my brain buzzing, my smile so wide it hurts, thinking about what Jordan said and…
Wait… oh, hang on a minute. Suddenly it all makes sense.
They were calling me new girl – NewGirl, my name on WorkM8.
It’s so, so obvious now. Jordan is MrLoveByte.
The guy I’ve been chatting to all this time. How did I not see it before?
I mentally scroll through every conversation, every little clue I missed.
I grin, giddy, and not only because I figured it out – although honestly, now I’m starting to think maybe I would make a pretty good private investigator – but because it’s given me an idea.
I pull out my phone, fire up the WorkM8 app, and write a message.
NewGirl
I think you’re in New York…
It doesn’t take long.
MrLoveByte
I think you are too…
NewGirl
I think I know who you are…
MrLoveByte
I think I know who you are too…
God, this is fun.
NewGirl
Fancy a drink tonight? Hotel bar?
The reply pings back instantly.
MrLoveByte
I’m going to be working late but I’d love to. Shall we say 9pm?
NewGirl
Sounds good. Guess I’ll see you then.
MrLoveByte
Not if I see you first…
I actually squeal. In the street. Like an idiot. I shove my phone in my coat pocket and try to compose myself.
Oh, boy, it’s happening. I like him. I can’t hide it any more. I really, really like him. And I’m pretty sure he likes me too.
And we have another date tonight. Here’s hoping we finally get to seal the deal with that kiss. But how would we not, after I’ve played such a blinder?