Don't Go Baking My Heart

“So, what’re your expectations for tonight?”

“Make it to the end without wanting to strangle Evan.”

“Oh, I’ll deal with him. You don’t have to worry about it.”

He glanced over at her quickly before looking back at the road. “What does that mean exactly?”

“You have seen me in this dress, right? I’ll turn up the charm, and boom. All you have to do is be nice to your co-workers. Less of a grouch.”

“You mean actually talk to them?”

“Yes, I know, the horror, right?” she joked. “You have to make small talk.”

“My least favourite thing.”

“You hate small talk? What a surprise.”

He shot her another one of his stormy looks as he pulled into the Valpark Shopping Plaza where Silhouettes was located. “Your sarcasm isn’t appreciated.”

She stretched her arms wide as she exited the car, noting that Devon’s gaze slid over to her before he focused on locking the car. Keep fighting it, buddy. Makes it all that much sweeter when you give in.

Out loud, she said, “I thought I was speaking your language with my sarcasm?”

He took a deep breath. “You really think you have me figured out, don’t you?”

“No more than you do me, but we’re going to become friends, remember? Friends share things eventually.”

She started walking, and Devon fell in beside her. His gaze was a heavy weight on the side of her face, and Reba smiled. She didn’t have to turn to him to figure he had his default expression on. Honestly, if his frowning gave her this much pleasure, what would a genuine smile from Devon do to her? Probably wet her damn panties.

They walked up the steps to the club, and Reba was delighted when the guy at the door gave her a once-over before breaking into a huge smile. “Very nice!” he said.

She gave him a wink before turning to Devon, who was busy looking like he wanted to turn around and walk back to the car. Well, too bad. Reba wasn’t missing Saucy Saturdays at Silhouettes for anything. She was dressed to impress and needed to be seen. Devon was just going to have to suck up his sour vibes for tonight and make an attempt at conversation.

It was free entry for the karaoke—a cover charge would apply around nine when the singing ended and the lounge turned into a club vibe—so Reba waltzed in with Devon keeping pace at her side. The inside was moderately packed as they moved into the main area where the karaoke screen was set up. A few couches were already occupied with patrons chatting with their colleagues while they munched on some finger foods.

Reba looked around. She wasn’t certain she would definitely recognise Devon’s boss or his co-worker, Evan, in the dimly lit space, but she hoped a familiar face would jump out at her. Devon stood still, saying nothing.

“You see them?” she asked because the man was tall enough to do a wide sweep of the place and pinpoint where his co-workers would be.

“Yes.” He made no move to enlighten Reba. His stony expression remained unchanged.

“Well? Where are they?”

He jutted his chin off to the side where the group was laughing while huddled together.

“So we going to let them know we’re here or what?”

“I…” Devon shook his head like he wasn’t certain what to say. Reba took a good look at his face. His brow was furrowed, nothing unusual there, but his teeth digging into his bottom lip was something else entirely.

Devon didn’t seem like the type of man who was given to overt displays of emotion unless it was his grumpiness.

“What is it?”

“I don’t…” He scrubbed a hand over the top of his head. “I don’t know if I can do this. Or want to do this.” Jaw tight, that muscle was getting a workout again.

“Oh.” It all became crystal clear in an instant. Devon was nervous about actually mingling with these people outside of work.

Reba had chalked up his unwillingness to do so in the past as a simple desire not to engage with the people he saw every day at work outside of that environment, which she supposed was fair. She didn’t know how his co-workers were in the office. She hadn’t considered this may be an actual source of anxiety for him.