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"Colvin. Please don’t forget."
"I’ll try not to."
Manny stepped out of my office, his footsteps echoing down the hallway. I sighed, slipping on my heels and quickly checking my reflection in the small compact mirror I kept in my drawer. Babysitting the boss’s nephew was the last thing I needed. If he was anything like most of the trainees I’d dealt with, he’d get tired of my relentless pace and be out of here within a month. Fine by me.
Fifteen minutes later, as I was working on a listing for an apartment in Brooklyn, a knock at the door pulled me from my thoughts. I looked up, expecting some fresh-faced kid, but the man standing there couldn’t possibly be Colvin. He looked to be close to thirty, with a neatly trimmed dark goatee and styled chocolate brown hair. There was a clear family resemblance to Manny in his strong features, but this guy had a charm all his own. He smiled, revealing deep dimples and a pair of straight white teeth.
"I’m Colvin. Manny sent me. He said I’ll be training with you."
"Come in and take a seat," I said, gesturing to the chairs in front of my desk, doing my best to keep my tone professional.
Colvin unbuttoned his blue suit jacket and casually settled into the chair, straightening his broad shoulders as he did. There was an ease about him that made me wary, like he knew exactly how to make himself comfortable in any situation.
"I’m sorry to inconvenience you," he said smoothly.
"It’s no inconvenience. I’ve trained people before," I replied, trying to sound as indifferent as possible.
"You’re busy. I just wonder why my uncle isn’t training me himself."
I leaned back in my chair, studying him. "Manny doesn’t go out in the field much. He prefers to run things from the office. I hope you’re ready to work—I have a busy day ahead."
"Whatever you want," Colvin said, his voice smooth as silk, and for a moment, my mind wandered to places it shouldn’t.
I mentally shook myself, refocusing on the task at hand. "Good. Let’s get started, then."
"The maternal side of Manny’s family tree is fine," I said, twirling a loose string on my burgundy bedspread.
Morgan’s laugh crackled through the phone. “You’re seriously not contemplating what I think you are, are you?”
“And what’s that?” I asked, trying to sound innocent but failing.
“Erika, I’ve known you since we were thirteen. You’re interested,” she accused, her tone teasing but laced with concern.
I paused, staring at the ceiling as I weighed my words. “What if I am?” I muttered, barely loud enough for her to hear.
“He’s a child,” Morgan replied, her voice incredulous.
“Colvin took time off after high school. He’s only a year younger than me,” I countered, picking at the bedspread more aggressively.
“He’s Manny’s nephew. Suppose it goes bad?” Morgan’s voice softened, trying to make me see reason.
“I’m not looking for a commitment, just a quick fuck,” I said, shrugging as if Morgan could see me.
Morgan sighed deeply into the phone. I could practically hear her rolling her eyes. “You’re playing with fire,” she warned, her voice a mix of frustration and worry.
I stood up, moving to the dresser where my socks were folded neatly in a drawer. “How are things with Slade?” I asked, trying to shift the conversation away from Colvin and my impulsive desires.
“Up and down. We talked about marriage,” she admitted, her voice tight with tension.
“Are you sure that’s wise? You two seem to be fine and then bam,” I said, pulling on a pair of white ankle socks and sitting back down on the edge of the bed.
“It’s work and my parents. Dad is still dealing with his arthritis, and Mom has a bad cold. I worry because of their age,” Morgan said, the fatigue evident in her voice.
“I’m sorry. I’m here if you need me,” I offered sincerely, slipping off the bed to grab my dark pink running shoes from the closet. I needed to get out, burn off this energy before it pushed me to do something stupid.
“What are you doing?” Morgan asked, curiosity piqued.
“Getting dressed. I need to hit the gym,” I replied, sitting on the floor to lace up my shoes.
