"Then what, then what?"

Emily sat at the edge of her chair, leaning far enough forward that it threatened to roll right out from underneath her and send her flying straight onto our office floor.

"Then I went home, baked some brownies, ate all the brownies, and finally spent the rest of the weekend recovering from my sugar-induced coma by binge-watching the remainder of Beige's Taxonomy."

"Oh, Lex," said Emily with a sigh as she shifted into a more stable position on her chair. "How are you not freaking out right now?" She got up, began to pace, and continued on with a few well timed flourishes of her hands. "You just had a passionate, secret tryst up on some beautiful patio and you look like your goldfish just died." She stopped her circling of the office and knelt down so she was level with my eyes. "I think I'm freaking out more than you are."

"I can agree with that."

Emily poked me in the arm with enough force to send my own rolling chair back a centimeter. I rubbed my now wounded bicep, while Emily took up her chair again with a disapproving smirk. I rolled my eyes and looked out to the Pit. It was Monday and the troops had returned for another grinding week. They looked far less spunky than they did two weeks prior and the knowledge that we still had two weeks to go made me shudder. We were all exhausted and, personally, I didn't need my relationship with Alec adding to the stress.

"I'm just freaking out in my own way," I said, turning to Emily. "But, I am freaking. That's for sure."

"Tell me you are at least freaking out in a good way. Not just stressing over kissing the boss man."

"I will admit that knowing that he apparently finds me attractive enough to kiss me is pretty exhilarating."

"I'm sure it's also nice to know that he's a good kisser," said Emily with a wag of her eyebrows. "Tell me in detail again how this all went down. How he roughly, yet lovingly, pulled you to him..."

"You're exaggerating."

"No," said Emily with a laugh, "I think those were your exact words."

"Were they?"

"I don't think I've ever seen you turn that red." Emily then burst into a full body laugh and I decided to retaliate, not just for her humor at my pain, but the still sore spot on my arm as well. So I took my tablet and gave her a good smack on her arm. She wiped a few tears away as she attempted to compose herself and then offered the best apologetic pout she could muster considering she still shook with giggles.

"Don't forget," I said with a stab of my finger, "as amusing as this may be — and I do admit I'd probably be just like you if the roles were reversed — there are two jobs on the line over this."

"Yeah, I know," she said with a sigh. "I am sorry." The glee glittering in her eyes shifted to a tired sympathy. "I can see it dragging you Lex. I just wanted to lighten it up and help you enjoy your burden, but trust me I understand this isn't easy."

"How is it going with Theo?" I asked, hoping to pass the burden of embarrassment onto Emily. "How's the whole get-Cynthia-to-provoke-things going"

Emily cringed at the memory and then swallowed back something unpleasant. "Well, it's certainly gotten people to whisper behind my back a bit. Some of my team members, however, have been more up front about their concerns that perhaps a young guy like Theo is using my age and my potential fear of a ticking biological clock to get in bed me and use that as leverage to help him up the corporate ladder."

"Ouch," I snarled. "Who said that?"

"Doesn't matter," said Emily with a shrug. "I had Jean take a cup of coffee over to them and I just let nature take it's course. The score is now even." When I gave her a slightly horrified look, a devilish smile curled her lips. "I made sure the temperature wasn't scalding. Just enough to send a message."

"You know sometimes I'm glad we're friends because I'd be really afraid to be your enemy."

Her smile only widened, but it fizzled rather quickly before she continued. "But, I think it's been talk like that that has Theo now pulling away. He doesn't bring me donuts in the morning anymore and he tries to find reasons not to talk. I mean maybe he really is too busy or maybe he was just never that interested in the first place and is now embarrassed by the rumors."

"I'm not sure Theo knows how to be embarrassed."

"Maybe, but whatever it is, I'm more confused now than I was before. I just wish we could be clear with each other. I wish we had that moment of clarity you and Alec had. Nothing like a kiss to clear the air."

I couldn't help but think how wrong Emily was, but she was obviously hurting and I didn't need to correct her on that.

"So I'm thinking maybe I should just, like, do something directly to get an answer out of him." She sounded nonchalant about it, but her eyes couldn't hold mine and instead she looked out the office window.

"Like what?" I asked with an apprehensive bend to my brow.

"Well, I can't just hope he'll kiss me like that, but maybe I could set myself up in a situation that could provoke such an act."

"We're dancing around something here, maybe you should just get to it and say what you mean."

"It's hard to admit out loud," she said before biting her lip. However, a sigh dropped her shoulders and she finally returned her gaze to mine. "I'm thinking of asking him to the gala."

"Our gala?" I'd been so caught up in planning the big event, that I forgot that I still needed to attend it. In formal wear. With the intention to dance.

"I know, I know," she said, throwing her face into her hands. "I'm a fool. If he's ashamed of the rumors now, how will taking him to the gala help the matter, you know? But, I wouldn't call it an actual date, just like maybe ask him if he'll sit with me at the table, I mean I'm in charge of the seating chart, I could do it. And...And, then, I can like, ask him if he could save me a dance. Nothing too aggressive right? Just opportunities to be together without being together."

She pulled her face from her hands and gave me a pleading look. She needed to know she wasn't crazy, that she wasn't desperate. I felt bad for resenting her enjoyment in my pain. She wasn't picking on me, she was trying to laugh at her own situation as reflected in mine.

"I think that actually sounds like a great idea. I don't think anyone would question you sitting together, we're all part of the same department after all. And one dance certainly won't gain any notice." I reached out and grabbed her hand, which had been shaking slightly. "I know it will be hard to propose that to him and I know you may not get a response back that you'll like, but I think it's worth trying."

"Thanks, Lex," she said with a sigh that calmed her quaking body. "Now, let's change the topic."

"Good idea," I said, pulling away and clapping my hands on top of my knees.

"What are you wearing?"

"A stunning blue cardigan, elegant white camisole, and a pair of grey slacks that are absolutely free of coffee stains," I said with an amused grin. "Have you gone blind Emi?"

"I'm talking about the gala," she said with a roll of her eyes. "Do you have anything to wear?"

"I, uh...well no. I sold the last of my evening gowns on eBay after they'd gotten a few years behind in the times. We haven't done a ball or anything in what, two years?"

"Great, I don't have anything either. You know what that means!"

I had an answer, but the time spent breathing in before speaking gave Emily enough hesitation to just answer for me.

"Dress shopping this weekend!" she continued with a wide smile. "This time I get to have frozen yogurt with you instead of Alec."

"Isn't it a bit cold for frozen yogurt?"

"Don't you ever tire of saying that," she said with a dramatic roll of her eyes. "You owe me and you should think about what your attitude does for the people whose paychecks depend on our purchases during the cold seasons."

I started to laugh as Emily began launching into her plans for dress shopping, when a knock on the door cut into our conversation.

Emily was the first to turn and her face shifted straight into stone, though her skin pinkened beneath her wide-eyed gaze. Not sure what I'd find, I too turned to see who would be greeting us and when it was none other than Alec, my own face began to change colors as well.

Emily signaled for him to come in and we both straightened up in our chairs, though Alec gestured for us to remain seated.

"Good morning Emily." He nodded to her, then he looked my way. "Lex."

It may have been my imagination, but it felt like Alec held on to my name a little bit longer than he had Emily's. Perhaps it was due to the light rumble in his voice. Something like longing. I was sure it must have just been in my head, but it was also apparent that Emily was about to burst. She'd drawn her lips into a thin, firm line as she looked past Alec and towards the Pit.

Ignoring my foolish, giddy officemate, Alec continued. "I wanted to speak with the marketing team before I start to shift gears towards assisting the gala team. I'm specifically going to go over the results of our initial push and I thought I'd give you a heads up by letting you know how the interview went. Good news is people loved it. They thought you seemed genuine and competent. They are looking forward to the second installment of Mariska's piece on the gala. I went ahead and scheduled the interview you so kindly offered. It was quick thinking, getting us a chance for additional exposure."

A sigh of relief released the tension holding on to my spine and I slumped deep into my chair."I want you to focus the team on tracking down specific donors now that the general marketing is rolling. So start brainstorming ideas. We can bounce them around at the meeting with the team and then you and I should spend some time together later today to hammer out your plans."

Emily's face grew a new shade of red, the laughter practically screaming from her eyes and the suggestive remarks beating against her pinched lips. Thinking it best to move this along and let Emily explode in the safety of an empty office, I rose up and made my way for the door.

"Okay. Well, I already have some ideas. So if you're ready, let's just go ahead and tackle this thing."

Alec nodded and headed through the door which I held open for him. Then as I slipped out, Emily couldn't suppress it any longer and a quiet hiss of laughter caught my ears. Something about knowing exactly what I wanted to tackle. I waved good bye with a single finger concealed behind my back. The glass wall couldn't completely silence her laughter.

***

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