Chapter 22: 22

It doesn’t matter anymore, though. Somehow, we’ve been drawn back together. Partly by fate, maybe, but we have a hand in it, too. If it weren’t for Jason’s deal, I’d probably be hiding away in the marketing department, avoiding any run-ins with my past.

“We have a meeting about that later today, correct?” Jason asks.

Giselle nods. “Kelly put it on both our schedules, I think. Though you haven’t been to your office yet.” She looks intrigued, sending another glance my way, her perfectly manicured brows drawing in as if to say,No one ever keeps Jason Shane away from his office…who are you?

It’s almost 9 a.m., after all. But we both needed time to get home and recuperate from the retreat.

It was odd to be back in my apartment, all alone, after sharing a suite with Jason for two weeks. Odd not to listen to the shower running and know he was in it; odd to fall asleep without the knowledge that he was only inches away.

Jason and Giselle chat a bit more, catching up on open positions and the possibility of sending a recruiting officer out to MIT next month. I find myself sinking comfortably into the background, contemplating what projects might need to be tackled now that we’re back and how my team did without me.

“Ready?”

I startle, looking up at Jason, who’s already standing.

“Yes. Thanks.”

My hand slips easily into his as he helps me up. Giselle is still watching the two of us closely, and a frustrated bubble forms in my chest. We’ve just spent two weeks convincing everyone this is real; I thought the pressure was off, but no, apparently, the show must go on.

His hand hovers over my lower back as we leave Giselle’s office and the HR suite. This side of the building is quiet, mostly the billing department and HR, plus a meditation room I haven’t had a chance to look at yet.

There’s a tug on my hand. Jason pulls me into a little windowed alcove with pseudo-privacy on the fourth floor. It’s quiet, but down below cars meander by and pedestrians hurry to wherever they need to be. “That’s sorted then,” he says quietly. “We shouldn’t have any technical issues with the relationship now. It’s all just appearances from here on out.”

“Okay…yeah. I can do that.”

“Can you?” His brow lifts, a cheeky smirk on his lips. I tamp down the urge to press up on my feet and kiss him.No one is watching right now. Reel it in, Atkinson.

“So what’s the agreement now?” I ask, ignoring his teasing remark. “Lunch a few times a week? Should I come by your office, or would it make more sense if you came down to check on me? More people to witness it on the fifth floor.”

He hums in thought, hands in his pockets, the collar of his shirt pulling just enough to expose his throat. My mouth waters.

“Both, I think. Lunch three times a week. I’ll take you out, if you want, but we should at least do a coffee here in the morning.”

“Giselle won’t be mad that you’re not in your office at eight o’clock sharp?”

His eyes flash with amusement. “Jealous?”

Giselle is a beautiful woman, but…no. My stomach knots, something tells me that Jason is all mine.

For now, at least.

We settle into a comfortable moment of silence. Jason sighs and reaches up to wind a stray piece of hair back into my bun. “I wired half the money over to your account today.”

“You didn’t have to do that,” I protest, but secretly I’ll be happy to get some of the bills that are in collection out of the way. My body starts to relax at the thought, and I put a hand on his waist to support myself.

“Why not? You’ve been working hard.”

“Mmm, well. Itishard work, faking being in love with you.” I give him a smirk with the taunt, praying he doesn’t guess the half truth in it.Being in love with you.Ugh. I’m happily heading for a train wreck. What is wrong with me?

Jason’s cell buzzes and he looks down, a frown appearing. “Okay—I really should get upstairs now. But we’ll talk later. I have a busy day, so we can touch base after work if I don’t see you. We should set up a date.”

“Or you could just ask me out, like a normal guy.”

“I could, but this is a business transaction, darling.” There’s a purr in his voice as he says it that makes my core tingle with anticipation. He turns and strides down the hallway, his broad shoulders making my stomach flutter.

With a sigh, I step out of the alcove…and right into Adrian.

One look at her somber expression tells me she heard everything. Orenough.

“Adrian, w-what—?” I stutter out.

“I was just coming to find you. We have a meeting in half an hour with the social media team to go over the schedule, and you need to approve their ad campaign design.”

My mouth is still open as my brain tries to catch up. Adrian takes my arm and pulls me right back into the little nook I’d just been tucked up against Jason in.

Only Adrian is five-foot-five and thin as a toothpick. Her dreads fall to her chest and look like a version of Medusa’s hair coupled with the anger on her face.

“What the hell is going on here, Mel?”

“I…”

“While you were gone, HR reached out to the supervisors on the team, so we all know about you and Jason. That in itself was a shock,butwhat did I just hear,Mel?Are you two actually together, or not?” My mouth snaps shut. There’s just so much to explain. Literal years to explain. Our whole history together, the situation with my aunt, how desperately I need the money, how desperately Jason needs me…

Not you,the voice in my head reminds me.Just someone to fill in a gap.When he doesn’t need you anymore—

I cut the thought off before it can continue and shake the fog away.

“It’s…complicated.” “Well, try to explain it. Because I don’t want to work for a liar, and you’ve been lying to me, one way or another.” She crosses her arms.

“Okay. Yeah. First, I’m sorry, Adrian. None of this was planned.” The apology only makes her face go blank with dread, and I rush on. “Jason and I…we have a history. A long one. And when I came to Dupont, we weren’t in a relationship—I didn’t even know he was here.”

“But you did know him? Before you got here?”

“Yes.”

“That explains why he was watching you all the time the first few days.” She mutters the words, but my eyes snap to hers, confused. He was watching me? “So?” she prompts.

“I ran into him my first day here, and I thought…or I didn’t think…ugh. I don’t know. I guess I thought everything would be fine. I really, really need this job, Adrian.”

I take her hands, practically pleading with her, and her eyes soften.

“Why? No offense, Mel, you’re good at this, but it doesn’t really seem like your kind of gig.”