AllFreeNovel
Share Us
I swallow hard.
“No, thank you,” he says. “I’m fine with water.”
“If you change your mind, just wave. I’ll...” Shirley’s smile deepens even further into her rosy cheeks as she reaches out and brushes Oliver’s shoulder with a gentle hand. “I’ll keep an eye out.”
I try not to react as Oliver’s smirk crawls up his face and a gray rock settles in my gut.
However, he says nothing back, only giving her a respectful nod as she lets go and shuffles off to check on another table.
I glance at the book next to my plate, suddenly longing to feel the cold steel of that bloody knife.
“Well, she’s friendly,” Oliver says.
I chortle. “Yeah, no kidding.”
“Was she that way with Graham?”
“Uh...” I shake my head. “Nope. Just you.”
After a long, achingly silent moment, I force myself to look at Oliver. I realize that he’s staring at me now, his eyes squinted with suspicion.
“What?” I ask.
“Nothing,” he says. “You went quiet.”
“No, I was only thinking?—”
“You’re jealous.”
I lean back slightly. “Jealous?”
“Yes.”
“Why would I be jealous?”
“For the same reason I told off Ian when he talked about you.”
“Because inter-office relationships are unprofessional?”
“No,” he says. “Because I like being the only one you broke the rules for and, I think… you don’t like seeing me with anyone else on the Botsford payroll, either.”
“Wow...” I blink twice. What an egomaniac. “That’s one hefty assumption you’ve made there.”
Oliver tilts his head, his eyes still so soft on me. “Am I wrong?” he asks.
I don’t answer, but my burning cheeks sure do.
“Sorry,” he says, still smiling. “I didn’t mean to embarrass you.”
“You didn’t,” I squeak.
He nods without a response.
As we go quiet, I look away. My eyes focus on the book beside me again. It’s not my usual kind of entertainment, but it’s my friend’s favorite book.
My friend who likes murder mysteries, the winter months, and the color blue.
“Summer,” I say.
