23. Freudian Slip
Sophie
“Another round.”
The waitress nods at Ava, then winds her way through the crowded seating area back to the bar. I’m already feeling tipsy from the two drinks I already inhaled, and my feelings turn sappy as I look at Ava and Zoey.
“Thanks for coming out with me tonight,” I say. “You guys are the best.”
“Yeah, we are,” Ava says, grinning. “Plus, you said you’d pay, so how were we supposed to refuse that?”
Balling up a cocktail napkin, I toss it at her head. She bobs to the side, and it flies right past her ear to bounce off the wall behind her.
“We had to come celebrate your first week at your new job,” Zoey says with a soft smile. “How was the party last night?”
“It was good,” I say, hoping they don’t hear the crack in my voice.
I don’t know if I’m ready to dissect what happened with Jared in the back office. Not that anything really happened, but what if Scotty hadn’t interrupted us? Would Jared have kissed me?
Would I have kissed him back?
“God, Sophie, your new boss is so yummy.”
I snap out of my internal monologue to see Ava staring at her phone. Zoey leans in to see, too, giving a little tongue-rolling growl. Ava turns her phone around to show me the screen, which is lit up with a picture of Jared at some ribbon-cutting ceremony, his arms crossed over his wide chest as a woman in a yellow dress holds up a giant pair of scissors.
The waitress arrives with our drinks, and I silently send up thanks for the reprieve. I do not want to talk about how attractive Jared is. Not with the two people who know me better than anyone and will see through any attempt I make to pretend I’m not attracted to him.
“Come on, Soph. You have to admit he’s good looking,” Zoey needles when I don’t respond. “This picture is great, but he’s even hotter in person. Don’t you think?”
“Maybe,” I say, shrugging, then pin her with a dark look. “But he’s also a domineering asshole.”
“Dominant?” Ava chimes in, her eyes wide and bright.
“That is not what I said,” I sigh, knowing she’ll ignore my protest and run with it.
“Has he promised to punish you if you’re a bad girl?” she asks, waggling her eyebrows.
“Ava.”
“I bet he’s hot in bed, all grumpy and growly,” Zoey adds.
“Not you, too,” I groan, dropping my forehead to the table and banging it lightly.
I pick up my drink and chug it, ignoring my friends as they groan and smack their lips with each new picture they find of Jared. Excusing myself, I head to the restroom. After using the toilet and washing my hands, I head straight to the bar for another drink.
I hope my friends are done drooling over my asshole boss by the time I get back over there.
I sip my cocktail as I walk back to the table, watching Ava and Zoey talking with their heads together. Great. If the mischievous expressions they’re wearing are any indication, I’m not going to like this.
“We’ve decided,” Ava says as I slide into my chair.
“I don’t want to know,” I reply.
“You need to formally introduce us to your new boss. We’ll hit on him, and if he takes either of us up on our offer, we’ll bump uglies with him and report back.”
“Bump uglies?” I repeat. “What is this, nineteen ninety-seven?”
“Don’t you want to know if he actually growls when he’s all hot and bothered?” Zoey asks, her words slurring a bit.