The One I Want

Studying the B cup in my hand, my gaze goes to her when she stands. “Wow, and here I just wanted a better-tasting coffee.”

“That too.” She taps my desk and then turns, walking to the door. “Also, Blue Ridge costs 12.48% less than our current brand. I love a good deal.”

I thought the skirt would be a problem. I never saw her rattling off figures as the next weapon she’d use to distract me. She plays unfairly.

Thinking she was about to leave, I say, “Before you go—”

“Don’t worry. I’m not going anywhere just yet.” She turns and paces back, but then she detours to the couch, sitting down. “I’ve been thinking.” Stealing a moment to herself, she glances out the window. Pretty sure I need to expect the unexpected with her after she works through her train of thought.

I click the main TV on but am quick to mute it. Stressing that someone might see us, I ask, “About?” hoping to move this along before more people arrive in the office.

“How this is going to work.”

I turn on the other two screens that hang beside the TV, preparing to watch the market. “We already know how this is going to work.”

“Which is?”

“You’re going to fulfill your job duties, and I’m going to do mine. See? It was already settled the day we were hired. Unless you want to go above and beyond. That’s always welcome at CWM.”

“That sounds naughty. I’m going to need more details on that.”

I can’t say she’s wrong, but we are at work, and I’m still wondering if we can push our private lives aside during business hours. “No. This is inappropriate on so many levels.”

Leaning back on the couch, she crosses her legs as if she wants to spend some quality time together. “Also, for the record, when you’re not grumpy, like just now, I feel like you’ve become smart-assy since we became friends.”

“You might be right, or maybe we’re just at a level to drop our pants.” What? Shit. I cringe inside. Did I really just say that?

Her head jerks back on her neck. “Drop our pants? What does that mean?”

“Pretenses.” Do I really have to explain this? Play it off.

“If it means pretenses, then why don’t you just say drop all pretenses?”

Good question. “I don’t know. It’s a phrase that’s out there, so I use it.”

“Maybe it’s used in a locker room where guys are dropping their pants, but not anywhere else.”

We’re getting bogged down in the nonsense. I also can’t believe I slipped up like that. Fuck. She throws me off my game. “Let’s move on from this conversation and pretend it never happened.”

“I can agree to that.”

“You should probably go to your desk.”

She stands, maneuvering in this skirt better than the last time. Saluting me, she says, “Yes, sir, Mr. Christiansen.”

Right before she reaches the door, Mary enters. Her eyes pivot between the two of us suspiciously. “Good morning, Juni. Andrew.”

I’m hit with an evil eye from Juni just before she tamps it down. She takes a breath and then grits, “Good morning,” between tight lips.

Yeah, that didn’t go over well. Pretending to look for a certain email, I keep my eyes on my monitor as my inbox lights up the screen. “Good morning, Mary.”

Juni is almost through the doorway when I say, “I’ll approve the plant expenditure, Ms. Jacobs.”

She turns back with less anger in her eyes. “Anything I want?”

“You can get anything you want.”

Pushing her shoulders back, she raises her chin. “Thank you, Mr. Christiansen.”

Mary shifts to the side, including both of us. “Are we getting plants for the office? There’s a pretty one in the break room.”

“It’s fake,” Juni and I both respond.

Looking between us, she clears her throat. “Right then. I have your schedule.”

Juni adds, “Have a great day, Mary.” I receive a narrowed glare instead of warm wishes. I thought the approval for plants would make her happy, but I think she’s thrown the first gauntlet. Or maybe I did when I told her to call me by my formal name but allowed Mary the opposite. Either way, a battle has begun, and I know one thing for certain—she’s not going to let me live it down.

“You too, Juni.”

The door is left open behind her when she leaves. Mary moves into action, setting the printed paper on my desk and sitting so we can confirm each meeting. My mind is elsewhere, though.

We work through the schedule, putting a game plan into place. I scrub over my face to wake up since I’m struggling to concentrate. It’s only eight fifteen. I knew I should have gone to the gym. After being out late with Juni, I slept in and now look at me. It didn’t do me any favors.

Mary stands with her pad in hand. “Any questions, or do you need anything?” Her eyes spy the two coffee cups, and she adds, “Looks like you’re set for coffee today.”