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Scenes filled witha lotof tension.
12
Autumn
Halfway through my trial day at Amelia’s office, I’m feeling very confident. This is a cakewalk compared to my last office job. Filing, updating info, answering emails. I’ll occasionally get to do some research, and looking at pretty houses all day sounds like heaven.
I wasn’t expecting there to be enough work to keep me busy, but there are so many clients that it makes me wonder how the two of them have been getting everything done.
I’m filing forms away when my phone vibrates on the desk. I wince at the sound, momentarily forgetting that Amelia doesn’t mind if I have it out. She doesn’t have the mindset that it would ruin appearances, everyone needs their phone for everything these days.
I pick mine up and see a text from Miles. I pretend my heart isn’t thundering when memories of last night flash in my mind. He wants to know if I’m getting a lunch break today.
I go back to my filing without responding. Instead I do what I do best and overthink my current situation. If that’s his lead up to asking if we can talk, I’m not at all ready. I don’t want to talk. I want to be in control, and right now control feels like ignoring what we did.
I’m too familiar with rejection. I decided years ago that I’d never let Miles be someone that makes me feel that way. It was a big part of why I’d removed myself from his life, it was easier to hurt myself than to let him eventually do it.
I really dig myself into a mental hole as I embrace this mindless task, until Amelia walks over to show me something new. Scheduling the clients is basic, but she takes extra care in building their style profiles. If it’s even possible, she’s overpreparedby the time she walks into someone’s home and gets to work her magic.
I like to think of myself as creative in more ways than one, and I find everyone's preferences fascinating. I’m hoping this trial day turns into a sure thing, as long as nothing’s already ruined with the son of my potential boss. He told me that he occasionally helps out around here, and that would be too much to handle.
I’m lost in thought, scrolling through the client profiles when a familiar head of curly brown hair walks through the front door.
I do a double take.
And then I beam at him, instantly forgetting any reason I might have not to.
Amelia’s voice intercepts him as he makes his way towards the desk I’m sitting at. “To what do we owe the pleasure, son?”
She’s smiling at him, but it doesn’t look quite right. Maybe it’s the way her eyes are shifting from the coffee in his hand and back to his face.
“I thought Autumn could use some caffeine.” He says it as he holds up the drink in his hand.
He lifts an eyebrow at me as if to say,Tell me I’m wrong after the night we just had.
My cheeks heat, but I try my hardest to look calm. The last thing I want right now is for Amelia to think that we’re acting odd.
Miles brings the drink over and sets it on my desk. I glance at the cup suspiciously, wishing I wasn’t cursed by my inability to drink milk. It’s quite the problem when, for example, someone wants to surprise you with a coffee.
“It’s almond milk, I’m not trying to poison you.”
I stop breathing.
I haven’t mentioned it anytime recently which means he must have remembered that fact fromyearsago.
I am swooning.
I grab it and take a sip. I have to hold back a moan when the pumpkin spice hits my tongue. “Oh, you really shouldn’t have.”
“That’s what friends are for, right?” It almost sounds like he emphasizes the wordfriends,but it was subtle enough to make me question if I imagined it.
I meet his eyes and see something mischievous hidden there. A glint that tells me he’s panicking a lot less than I am.
“We’re friends?” I pretend to look confused, and he rolls his eyes exaggeratedly.
“If you don’t think so, I can just take this back,” he teases. He goes to swipe it out of my hands, but I have wheels on my chair and I back away too quickly for him.
“I’m a simple girl, I’ll be your friend for some coffee.”
