Hear Me Out: A Grumpy/Sunshine, Forced Proximity Romance (Work For It Book 1)
1. Why Is He Like That?
“Ilove you.” Stuart’s deep, booming voice rings out across the first floor of The Base. I almost spit out my coffee, grabbing a napkin to quickly catch the little bit that does escape. For a split second, my heart thumps like I touched a live wire before my brain reengages. Stuart loves everybody.
He says “I love you” at least three times a day to various people and things. This morning he told the copy machine he wanted to have its babies after it finished a difficult collating job.
Last week, I heard him say “I love you” to the coffeemaker. And to Joanie, a member here at The Base, when she helped him format a Word doc. And the guy who delivered the morning fruit plate. And the person who does maintenance on the printers and copiers.
It’s fine that he’s never said it to me, even after that one time I handed him a fork for his lunch when we happened to be in the kitchen at the same moment.
He stands next to Colin, another of The Base members, as they look down at a phone screen. “This app is going to save me so much time,” Stuart says as he slaps Colin on the shoulder. Colin smiles down at him and hands back the phone.
Next to me, Joanie sighs. But she’s always sighing because to her everything is a good start to a romance novel she’ll write in the future. I’m afraid to ask if the sigh is for Stuart or Colin or the new relationship the two have with the phone.
Joanie leans into my shoulder and whispers, “He’s so sweet.” I still don’t know if she’s talking about Colin or Stuart. “I saw you two at the New Year’s street party, you know.” Ah, that.
“It’s not what it looked like,” I grumble into my coffee. Have you ever tried to will a blush away? There’s no stopping it once it gets started. “This coffee’s too hot.” I take another sip.
“It’s not like what looked like?” Her dreamy smile turns predatory and frightening. “I didn’t say what I saw you two doing.” Fuck, does she play poker?
“Come on, it’s Stuart,” I protest. “He’s deeply unserious.”
Joanie snorts. “Like you need someone who’s serious, Little Miss ‘I read Heart of Darkness on my lunch break.’”
“It’s a classic,” I grumble.
She waggles two fingers in my face. “First, you’re a snob. B, Stuart’s a snack. I mean look at him, with his auburn hair and his glasses. And don’t get me started on his suspenders. You can’t tell me you’ve never thought about doing something filthy with the guy involving those elastic bands of naughtiness.” Jesus, she talks the same way she writes.
An unexplainable wave of...something...hits me when I listen to Joanie breaking down all the ways Stuart Smyth is attractive. I try to snuff out the proprietary anger, but it won’t die. I hate that she’s right. I hate that when you add up his sunshine personality, forearms that should be illegal in most states, and his firm lips that I haven’t stopped thinking about, Stuart is fiercely tempting. I’d bet most people don’t see it when they first meet him, but the draw of Stuart reveals itself when he turns his glittering brown eyes on you. Those eyes might be part of the reason I kissed him.
“If you like him so much you should ask him out,” I snap. I regret my tone as soon as it comes out and open my mouth to apologize, but Joanie’s grinning like she just made a meal of me.
“You’re exhausting.” The sigh comes from the bottom of my feet.
“You bet your Doc Martens I am.”
“How’s the new book coming?” Deflect, deflect, deflect. Joanie’s romance novels tend to be low drama and sweetly steamy. I may not admit it to her, but I love them. She’s under the impression I only read biographies of serial killers and depressing classics.
“I see you trying to distract me, but thanks for asking. It’s going great.” I’m not sure I believe her, the way her eyes narrow on Colin when she says it, like she’s trying to puzzle something out. Knowing Joanie, she’ll probably tell me what’s really going on when she’s ready.
I met Stuart, Joanie, and the rest of The Base group when the owner, Sylvie, hired me to be the in-house audio engineer. Stuart’s the office manager of this bustling, thriving coworking space.
Wavecrest locals come here when they need a place to take a budding business idea and turn it into a small company, or just a desk to park their laptop. Sylvie’s version of a coworking hub relies heavily on community and collaboration, not just printers and free coffee.
Some members approached her about needing some help with audio projects, so she converted a small upstairs conference room into a sound studio where members can record podcasts, audiobooks, or whatever they need for their business. Then she hired me. It’s my job to help them with recording and editing. In a few months she wants to add a video recording studio.
But for now, I get to do work I love. I stay locked away in my little audio studio upstairs, surrounded by all the toys that go along with the job. Joanie narrates her own audiobooks, so I’ve been lucky enough to work closely with her. Not that I ever let on how much I appreciate her sunshine presence in my little cave, even if she sees something between me and Stuart that isn’t there.
I try not to pay attention, but my eyes follow Stuart as he moves from person to person, checking in with Base members with an easy smile showing off his dimples. I press my hand against my throat, trying to calm my thudding pulse. There has to be a way to curb how inconveniently attracted to him I am. Not attracted, simply curious.
Joanie nudges me, and I take it as a hint to rein in my thoughts and head back upstairs