much. Is something wrong?”
Before she could catch herself, she snapped, “What? Does something have to be wrong for the chubby girl not to finish her lunch?”
Tristan frowned, although his green eyes widened. He was surprised and confused.
And she didn’t blame him. She certainly had never spoken to him that way before. She hadn’t dared, so what had gotten into her now?
But the waitress came up with their bill, not giving Tristan a chance to ask Georgia what the hell was wrong with her. But Georgia was sure this was just a small reprieve before that question came.
Why hadn’t she just kept her mouth shut? What was the point of acting like a silly, petulant child?
Tristan glanced at the check and handed the waitress a hundred dollar bill. “Keep the change.”
The waitress beamed. She certainly didn’t think he was a jerk, which somehow made Georgia feel even more stupid.
“Are you ready to go?” he asked Georgia, his tone calm with no hint of confusion or anger.
She nodded, sliding out from the booth. They both walked to the car, although this time his hand wasn’t on the small of her back, waiting to steady her as she picked her way over the cracked asphalt.
But he did open the car door for her, and she slipped onto the leather seat. She waited nervously as he walked around the car and got inside, his large form seeming to eat up all the space in the car.
He didn’t speak as he turned the key and the car purred to life. Nor did he say anything as they pulled out of the parking lot and headed back in the direction of HOT!
The silence ate at her, making her more and more uncomfortable, and when they finally reached the parking garage of the HOT! building, Georgia couldn’t take it anymore.
As Tristan parked in his reserved parking place, she turned to him, nervously blurting out, “I’m sorry for being so rude back there. I—I don’t know why I said that.”
He glanced at her, his expression unreadable. Then he got out of the car.
Georgia’s stomach sank. This was it. She’d managed to keep her job while working for Finola White, but now she was going to lose it. She could not lose this job.
She reached for the door handle, but Tristan was there, opening it for her. This time when he offered her his hand, she accepted it, deciding no good would come of refusing him again.
His hand was warm and strong and he helped her out easily. Then he promptly released her fingers.
He studied her for a moment, his expression still indecipherable.
“Thank you for helping me pick out the furniture,” he finally said. “Head back to the office. I have some other errands I need to run.”
Surprised that that was all he was going to say, she could only nod.
She walked away from him, pausing at the door that led into their building and the elevators up to the HOT! offices. He was watching her, but when she looked back, it was his turn to nod at her.
She still couldn’t read anything he was thinking, and that scared her, but she just went into the building and back to her desk.
After a moment of nerves and worries, she decided the best way to secure her job was to get back to work and start checking the items off her list.
By six o’clock, the list was completed and Tristan still hadn’t returned. That didn’t help her nerves, but she told herself not to borrow trouble. She’d worry when she knew she had something to worry about.
Plus, she had plenty of other things that needed her attention.
Still, while standing on the subway, jerking and jostling toward home, she wondered if she’d have a job tomorrow morning. She needed this job.
But when she stepped into her apartment, all thoughts about HOT! and its infuriating editor–in-chief disappeared.
“How is she?” Georgia asked softly as soon as she entered her small kitchen to find her neighbor Ellen fixing two cups of tea.
Ellen automatically reached into the cupboard to get a third cup.
“She’s been pretty good today. Just one
Before she could catch herself, she snapped, “What? Does something have to be wrong for the chubby girl not to finish her lunch?”
Tristan frowned, although his green eyes widened. He was surprised and confused.
And she didn’t blame him. She certainly had never spoken to him that way before. She hadn’t dared, so what had gotten into her now?
But the waitress came up with their bill, not giving Tristan a chance to ask Georgia what the hell was wrong with her. But Georgia was sure this was just a small reprieve before that question came.
Why hadn’t she just kept her mouth shut? What was the point of acting like a silly, petulant child?
Tristan glanced at the check and handed the waitress a hundred dollar bill. “Keep the change.”
The waitress beamed. She certainly didn’t think he was a jerk, which somehow made Georgia feel even more stupid.
“Are you ready to go?” he asked Georgia, his tone calm with no hint of confusion or anger.
She nodded, sliding out from the booth. They both walked to the car, although this time his hand wasn’t on the small of her back, waiting to steady her as she picked her way over the cracked asphalt.
But he did open the car door for her, and she slipped onto the leather seat. She waited nervously as he walked around the car and got inside, his large form seeming to eat up all the space in the car.
He didn’t speak as he turned the key and the car purred to life. Nor did he say anything as they pulled out of the parking lot and headed back in the direction of HOT!
The silence ate at her, making her more and more uncomfortable, and when they finally reached the parking garage of the HOT! building, Georgia couldn’t take it anymore.
As Tristan parked in his reserved parking place, she turned to him, nervously blurting out, “I’m sorry for being so rude back there. I—I don’t know why I said that.”
He glanced at her, his expression unreadable. Then he got out of the car.
Georgia’s stomach sank. This was it. She’d managed to keep her job while working for Finola White, but now she was going to lose it. She could not lose this job.
She reached for the door handle, but Tristan was there, opening it for her. This time when he offered her his hand, she accepted it, deciding no good would come of refusing him again.
His hand was warm and strong and he helped her out easily. Then he promptly released her fingers.
He studied her for a moment, his expression still indecipherable.
“Thank you for helping me pick out the furniture,” he finally said. “Head back to the office. I have some other errands I need to run.”
Surprised that that was all he was going to say, she could only nod.
She walked away from him, pausing at the door that led into their building and the elevators up to the HOT! offices. He was watching her, but when she looked back, it was his turn to nod at her.
She still couldn’t read anything he was thinking, and that scared her, but she just went into the building and back to her desk.
After a moment of nerves and worries, she decided the best way to secure her job was to get back to work and start checking the items off her list.
By six o’clock, the list was completed and Tristan still hadn’t returned. That didn’t help her nerves, but she told herself not to borrow trouble. She’d worry when she knew she had something to worry about.
Plus, she had plenty of other things that needed her attention.
Still, while standing on the subway, jerking and jostling toward home, she wondered if she’d have a job tomorrow morning. She needed this job.
But when she stepped into her apartment, all thoughts about HOT! and its infuriating editor–in-chief disappeared.
“How is she?” Georgia asked softly as soon as she entered her small kitchen to find her neighbor Ellen fixing two cups of tea.
Ellen automatically reached into the cupboard to get a third cup.
“She’s been pretty good today. Just one
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