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“Supposedly after lunch,” she said. “So hopefully anytime.” She smiled her first real smile of the entire day. “How’d you get in without a pass?”
He lowered his voice, whispering like it was a secret. “You can get in anywhere either wearing a construction vest or carrying multiple coffees. It makes it look like you belong.”
She shook her head, lifting her cup. “You didn’t have to do this.”
He shrugged. “You sounded like you could use a pick-me-up. So I made it extra sugary just the way you like it.”
Lydia took a sip. She swore the sugar went straight to her bloodstream, and she beamed at him before narrowing her eyes. “I’m not going to hear about this during training later, am I?”
“I would never,” he said.
“Mm-hmm. I’m on to you, Luke Townsend.”
He did a twirl, checking out the room. “So, this is what architects get up to for fun, huh?”
“I wouldn’t say fun. I’m supposed to be networking.”
“And how’s that going?”
“I think a woman just tried to poach me for her firm, so pretty well, I’d say.”
“There you go. And you’re in charge of this display thing?” he said, gesturing to the poster board.
“I am single-handedly holding this display together. My supervisor ran off to try his luck with a man at the bar,” Lydia said, pointing Erik out. “And Jack is a networking machine, apparently, so I’m on my own.”
Luke set his eyes on Jack and didn’t look away. “So, that’s Jack, huh?”
She frowned at his tone. “What?”
“Nothing. He’s just handsome and very charismatic, judging by all the laughter going on over there.” Luke’s brow arched as he caught her eye. “Not at all the dastardly villain you made him out to be.”
Lydia flushed at the mention of the other week. In between all the sweaty adult fun, she’d also inadvertently revealed to Luke that Jack was her office crush. In fact, she thought her exact words were something along the lines ofI thought he liked my work. God, was she in middle school? It sure sounded like Jack was the boy that broke up with her at recess, stomping all over her heart. Admitting that to Luke almost felt stupider than sleeping with him again.
Groups around them started to pack up and Lydia sighed. “Finally! I didn’t want to be the first to leave.”
She passed Luke her coffee so she could tear down the Poletti’s table display. The sooner she got everything packed up, the sooner she could get out of here.
“How’d we do, running buddy? Any takers?”
Lydia’s entire being flushed as Jack appeared at her side, grabbing the poster board from the table and folding it into sections. “Uh, maybe a few.”
“I handed out so many business cards Poletti’s is going to be flooded with résumés.”
How strange it was to be standing here, Jack on one side and Luke on the other. Should she introduce them? Would it be weird? Jack had no concept of Luke’s existence, and yet she’d already given Luke a far too detailed rundown of Jack and her work situation. What would she even say?
Before she was forced to make the decision, Jack tucked the poster board under his arm and tossed the bag full of pamphlets over his shoulder. “Gotta run,” he said. “But I’ll see you tomorrow.”
Lydia watched him disappear into the crowd.
“I get it now,” Luke said a moment later.
“Huh?”
He gestured to his face, a coffee still in either hand. “You gotta look behind the eyes. Clearly the supervillain type.”
“Shut up,” Lydia replied to his teasing. “It’s not funny.”
“Whatever you say,running buddy.”
