One Kiss: An Office Romance

exclaim.

Maxwell takes a deep breath. He glides forward and drops a pile of papers on my desk, then quickly sneaks in and kisses me, just for a moment, just enough to make sure I am breathless all over again.

“Maxwell! We are at work!”

“Yes, well, I deserve it!” he winks. “Take a look at the contract.”

I glance at the papers, aghast at what I see. It is a brokerage contract, with an estimate of the value of our working relationship, and a single line item estimating my commission.

“Shut up! No way!”

My name is right there, next to the words “lead broker.”

“Maxwell, why are you doing this? Do you guys know each other? You should be on this. Why would you give this to me?”

He shrugs mischievously. “If I know Raj, he’s going to have you running all over town. You are going to work your ass off for that commission. Why should I get any part of it?”

My mind reels. This commission is life-changing. I could practically start my own company with this. A lot of people would. It puts me in a new tax bracket. I know people say “more money, more problems,” but I am willing to give it a try.

Last time I got a big commission check, I had a list of things I could do, and I didn’t do any of them. This time, it will be different. We will take that trip. I will call my mom about paying off her townhouse. I will call Landry about…

“Maxwell? Can I ask a question?”

He leans against the corner of my desk, sliding his eyes up and down my outlines.

“What kind of question?” he asks slyly.

“Not that kind of question!” I insist. “More like… am I supportive? To Landry, I mean? Do I sound—”

“Judgy?” he finishes for me.

He doesn’t say another word, but the look on his face says the rest of it. I have been. I know it. She came to me for support, and couldn’t even tell me. That’s how judgmental I am. She couldn’t even tell me! I had to find out in the hospital.

“Okay. I think I need to make a phone call.”

“Well, congratulations,” he says softly, brushing his shoulder against mine before he leaves the room.

I don’t expect Landry to pick up the phone, and she doesn’t. Instead I get her voicemail, and I’m not entirely sure what to say.

“Landry, I know you’re mad. You have every right to be mad,” I begin. “I’ve been a jerk. I’m sorry. I could give you a million excuses why I’ve been a jerk. They all seemed like good excuses at the time. But now… I just feel kind of stupid. You’re my sister, and I love you. I’m going to love your baby. And I’m going to love you for having your baby. Okay? I love you.”

Hanging up the phone, my stomach is in guilty knots. I’m just not sure that’s enough.

Chapter 19

Maxwell

The look on Clarissa’s face when she saw the Raj Abnar contract was absolutely priceless. Her eyes widened dramatically, and the tip of her nose went pink, the way it does when she’s really excited about something. Though she tried to protest, she really does deserve it.

“Hey, do you want to take an early lunch?” I ask her.

She looks up at me from behind her laptop, cautiously happy to see me.

“Don’t you think we’ve been obvious enough for today?”

“No, I think you worry too much,” I counter. “Besides, how often do you sign a deal with a client like that? Don’t you think you deserve to celebrate?”

She rolls her eyes theatrically. “Well, it is hard to argue with that,” she finally confesses.