"Good morning Maxwell," I practically sing as I waltz into the cafe to get everyone's coffees this morning.

"Mackenzie, darling. You are glowing! Did you get laid last night?" Max grins leaning on the counter with his chin resting in his palms.

"Max! Can't a girl just be happy?" I scold him barely holding back the smile behind my words.

"Not this happy on a Monday morning missy. It's Tristan isn't it? I knew he would be packing, it's always the quiet ones. Masters of the bedroom," Max says wistfully.

"Max!" I gasp, glancing around the cafe to see if anyone else was listening to our conversation. Thank goodness there was only one other customer and they had headphones in and their attention focused on their laptop. "I swear, we haven't slept together. Yet," I can't help but add with a grin.

"Yet? As in, will happen in the near future and then I can ask for all the dirty details," Max wiggles his eyebrows at me. "I wonder what his kink is, everyone has one. Does he like to tie women up, or maybe he likes to be tied up. Actually no, Tristan definitely seems like the blindfold type, you know the sensual erotic I'm going to tease you until you're begging me type."

"Can I please get our usual coffees?" I interrupt Max's rant. Truth be told, just the idea of what Tristan's kink could be is turning me on more than it should. I already know he likes to talk, and I'm a little too keen to find out what else.

Max finally turns to the coffee machine to prepare our order and I try to snap myself out of daydreaming about Tristan tying me to a bed post, blindfolding me and... nope! It's Monday morning for crying out loud.

Five minutes later, a tray of coffees in hand and the smile you still can't wipe off my face, I'm making the quick walk from the cafe to our office. Lost in my own little bubble, I don't even notice the very reason for my smile is casually leaning against the wall waiting for me until he lets out a low whistle.

My attention snapping to Tristan, I almost drop the whole tray of coffee. The man looks good in anything he wears, but the smile on his face similar to my own is complementing his entire look perfectly.

"Hey beautiful," he says, and in one swift movement of ultimate coordination he has taken the tray of coffee's from my hand and pinned me against the wall with his body. "I missed you," he mutters, our foreheads touching.

"You saw me yesterday," I remind him.

"That was too long ago," he grins before capturing my lips with his own.

Our lips moving perfectly together, I get lost in everything that is Tristan and completely forget where we are until the sound of heels hitting the pavement nearby pulls us apart. I glance at the tray of coffees, amazed that he didn't even spill a drop.

"We should get these inside, I assume Alex has been in meetings since early this morning too?" I gesture to the tray.

"Yeah, he text me but didn't say what was up, just to come in at normal time."

We turn to walk inside the building, Tristan linking his hand with mine. If I've learnt anything the last couple of days, it's that Tristan is a huge fan of physical affection and he doesn't really care where we are. I never used to be a fan of so much touching or maybe it was that Noah wasn't a fan and I learnt to adjust to that. Because when it's Tristan, I just want more.

***

Turns out there was a pretty important reason for the early morning meetings and it meant a few big changes were coming our way. Management had spent the morning working out the logistics and we were dragged into a meeting almost as soon as we walked in the door.

"Our Sydney office is requiring immediate help. Due to an incident over the weekend, one of the top talents needs to be replaced," our CEO explains as Scarlett, Alex, Tristan and I are gathered in the meeting room. "Alex has graciously offered to move to Sydney for the short term, until we have another replacement."

My jaw drops not expecting to hear that at all. I look to Tristan who looks just as shocked. Alex is his direct supervisor, surely he should have been given a heads up. He catches my eye and shrugs to say that he had no idea either.

"I'm sure you're wondering what this means for the structure of our office here," the CEO continues. "Scarlett will be heading out larger projects with support as usual from Mackenzie and now Tristan. However some of our smaller projects and long term clients with routine needs, we will push to Tristan and Mackenzie to collaborate together, with final approval from Scarlett. This is your opportunity to learn more and really step up. An opportunity that doesn't come along often. We will look at hiring a temp receptionist to take on each of your light duties. I understand this restructure is sudden, but speaking with Scarlett and Alex all morning, we really think this is the best solution."

Wow. This was absolutely not what I was expecting when I got up this morning. However, I'd be stupid to not take this opportunity and do my absolute best with it. Who would have thought four months ago when Scarlett and Alex sat themselves at my bar that this is where I would end up.

"Do you guys think this would work?" Scarlett asks us both.

Tristan and I glance at each other, and I notice a sparkle in his eye. He loves a challenge as much as I do.

"Absolutely," I tell her. "Looking forward to it."

"There will of course be a pay rise included along with your new duties. I'll have Ashley organise it all, you will need to sign an agreement today," the CEO continues.

The rest of the morning is spent making new arrangements, and reassigning current projects. There's a buzz of excitement in the air and everyone seems to be flying high.

For lunch, the CEO orders in Chinese take away as a farewell to Alex, who needs to be in Sydney tomorrow ,and congratulations to Tristan and I on our promotion.

He pulls us aside from the celebrations at one point to ask if we are sure we want to take this next step. He also surprises us by telling us he knows we are seeing each other and a stern warning that it should not get in the way of our work. A little embarrassed, we assure him we can be professional at work. It was a topic we had already spoken about with each other, and understood we were both on the same page. I'm just glad to have a super understanding boss.

I offer to take the rubbish to the kitchen and start packing up after lunch. Tristan and Scarlett are deep in work conversation and Alex is talking to our boss about living arrangements. I gather the containers and figure I'll come back for the plates after.

I'm checking which foods we can keep for leftovers in the staff fridge when Alex walks into the kitchen behind me, carrying the plates.

"I was coming back for those," I tell him with a smile as he places them on the counter.

"No worries, just doing my bit."

"So, Sydney hey. Whole new pond of women to jump in," I grin at him, knowing full well his man whore ways would follow him up north.

Alex laughs, "I don't know, maybe I'll find the one and settle down. Seems to be the thing to do these days," he winks at me and I can't hold back a snort.

"Yeah right!"

We continue to load up the dishwasher and throw away any rubbish. "Are you excited?" Alex asks me.

"I'm trying to be. I'm nervous. Not sure I'm ready, but I'm going to give it my best shot," I tell him honestly.

"You'll be great," he tells me and I'm almost taken aback at the sincerity. Alex is rarely serious, there's always a joke, or some kind of sexual innuendo and cocky remark on the tip of his tongue.

We finish loading the dishwasher. I lean against the counter top and Alex stands in front of me. He is looking at me, not in the same hungry way I've seen before, but as though he assessing me. Then he smiles. Once again, it's a genuine smile.

Alex reaches up and takes my chin between his finger tilting my face towards his. "You look happy Mack. There's a light in your eyes that wasn't there before. I'm honestly glad that Tristan makes you happy, he's a good guy."

I smile brightly at the mention of Tristan. He does make me happy and just thinking of what is only just beginning makes me giddy inside.

"He is the best thing to happen to me," I grin.

Alex nods and removes his hand from my chin when there's a throat clearing by the door.

"Don't let me interrupt."

Tristan stands in the doorway, his face is hard. He is so angry that it instantly stabs me in the gut. Whatever he thinks he just saw is absolutely not what it looks like but I can tell he is in not prepared to even listen.

"Tristan-" I try to start to explain he has misunderstood, but he's already turned on his heel and is storming out the building.

"I... I have to follow him. He has to know that wasn't what it looked like at all," I cry out, making a move to follow Tristan out the door.

Alex tugs at my hand, pulling me to a stop.

"Let me go. You stay here," he says firmly then takes off after Tristan, who didn't bother waiting for the lift and ran down the emergency staircase.

Ignoring Alex's instructions, I follow the both of them down to the street.

Tristan looks furious, he is pacing back and forth in the alley beside our building. He looks up, fury in his eyes when the Alex approaches him. I can see him clenching his fists, no doubt trying to stop himself from punching Alex.

"Tristan, I promise you, it was not what it looked like," Alex tries to reason with him.

"Nah, fuck you Alex," Tristan throws his arm in the air. "You knew I was interested in Mackenzie from the start and you still wormed your way into her pants. Always gotta have a fucking taste first don't you, and last too apparently. Fuck you both," Tristan spits out with so much venom and hurt behind his words.

"Tristan, just listen to us," I plead with him.

"Save it Mack. I can't believe I was that stupid to think you were past the bullshit. I waited for you to finish fucking around and here you are still at it. What was it? Just one last screw before he leaves, huh? What the fuck were the last few weeks with me?"

Tears pull in my eyes that he would even think that low of me. I've never ever heard him speak this way and the words coming out of his mouth make me question everything.

"Is that actually what you think of me?"

He looks at me and something flashes past his eyes. Hurt? Regret? I don't know what it was, but I don't get a chance to find out anyway.

Tristan walks away without answering me and I'm left standing there unsure of what just happened, but unable to move. It hurt when I found out about Noah, but it was already over between us. This though, this is like a stab to the heart because what I know I already feel for Tristan is way more than I ever felt for Noah.

That cloud I had been floating on just turned into a storm.

"You're actually just going to say that shit without hearing us out then walk away?" Alex calls after him.

"Yeah, I am."

"You're not the guy who I thought you were then. Mack is crazy about you and you just tore her heart in two because your jealous ass misunderstood what you saw," Alex says to his retreating figure.

Tristan stops and turns back to him. "Funny, because you're exactly the guy who I thought you were. Good luck in Sydney ass hole. Do us all a favour and don't come back."

Tristan leaves and Alex turns to me, the apology clear in his expression.

"I'm so sorry Mack," he says, wrapping me up in a hug. I'm not sure right now is the right time to be hugging him given what just happened, but I could use the comfort.

"It's not your fault. I... I don't know what got into him. He always hated that we hooked up, but this is so out of character for him. He must surely know that there is nothing between us," I pull away from Alex and wipe my eyes, not that it makes a difference because the tears keep falling.

"Us men do crazy things when we're in love and jealous," Alex replies, taking my hand to lead me back inside the building.

I scoff. "I'm not sure I'd say he was in love. You don't speak to someone you're in love with like that. Besides it hasn't even been that long."

"You'd be surprised," he replies knowingly. We step into the elevator and travel up to our floor. "Go get yourself cleaned up. I don't think there's much left to do today, but maybe check in with Scarlett."

I do as Alex says, throwing myself into my work to distract myself for the rest of the day. Scarlett doesn't ask what happened, but I promise I'll tell her after work.

After work comes and goes, and I don't hear from Tristan at all. Scarlett and I put on our pj's, order take out and veg out on the couch together. Her thoughts echo Alex's. Tristan was jealous, he lashed out and now he's probably embarrassed. Either way, his words hurt and I'm now not sure how to feel.

A/N- I'm sorry!! It's been so long!! Hold tight because there's another chapter coming right up! At this stage only 2 more to go 😬 I'm sure I'll throw a bonus in too.