I sighed when his name crossed her lips. I missed him, very much.
Drew was always a ray of sunshine in my dreary life. We tried to stay friends, we did, but even the best intentions sometimes fall to the wayside. My increased hours and inability to get together anytime he called only aided in the rift.
Those were the main reasons that caused it, and he couldn’t handle the darkness in me sometimes. My self-worth was already at the bottom of the scale, and plummeted further after our breakup. I had nothing to offer anyone, so why would he stick around?
I threw my napkin on top of my food, my appetite gone with the conversation and the souring of my mood.
“I’m sorry; I know he’s still a sore spot.” She perked up as an idea hit her. “You should come out with us on Friday!”
“Can’t.”
“Don’t you even dare tell me you’re busy, because that is shit and you know it.”
Her tone was startling. Caroline only raised her voice on rare occasion, and when she did, it was directed at her boyfriend, Ian.
“Next week. I promise.”
She sighed and gave me a small smile. “I’m holding you to that. I’ll drag your ass out if I have to, and I will employ people to help.”
My lips quirked up into a small smile at the image of some mob coming to get me with Caroline at the lead. “Cross my heart and hope to die. Better?”
“Better. But I’m not sticking a needle in your eye. That’s just gross.” She laughed.
I laughed with her, my mood improving.
When we returned from lunch, I found Nathan struggling, squirming to get away from a member of the Boob-Squad and her obvious advances. She was determined to be the one to cheer him up.
He inched his chair away from her. “Kelly, I’m sorry, I need to get back to work.”
I smirked at his predicament. I’d hand it to her, she was tenacious.
“Oh, hi, Kelly!” My voice surprised her, and she jumped down from his desk. “Are you here to pick up the contract to take to the Lowry’s? I know Amanda Lowry is anxiously awaiting it.” My voice was dripping with sickening sweetness as I asserted my position.
“Oh, yes, Miss Palmer.” She was blushing as she grabbed the file from my hand on her way out.
“Thank you,” Nathan’s melodic voice called, drawing my attention away from the fleeing girl.
My body buzzed at his address. He shouldn’t have spoken to me like that. I hated how he could affect me; pull me to him, play with me.
“I didn’t do it for you. I just can’t stand her presence.” Then it began again, the staring. His eyes bored into me, and my body heated under his gaze.
“You and me both.”
“T.G.I.F, right? You can get a two day reprieve from your fan club.” My voice was saturated with more venom than I’d intended.
He blinked at me, his expression going blank again before turning back to his computer, whispering, “I wish everyday was a reprieve.”
Once again, a small speck was given, leading to more questions with no answers.
The rest of the afternoon passed in calm, silent reigning in the office. I ignored Nathan, with the exception of when the two visitors from the Nathan Thorne fan club stopped by. He declined every invitation to go out that evening, citing a previous engagement, leaving them with a promise of a rain check. It seemed to be the only way he could shake them.