Page 54 of Miss Fortune

“Will do. Are we still on for Saturday morning? You didn’t text me ideas like we discussed.” To be fair, we’d chatted about it before having sex, and before she’d friend-zoned me yesterday morning.

She appeared surprised I was bringing this up at work. She wasn’t the only one. But I found myself anxious to know if she’d been serious about maintaining our friendship. I’d grown so accustomed to having Saturday mornings to look forward to I wasn’t sure what I’d do if she no longer wanted to spend time together.

“You bet. I have just the thing picked out.”

Her grin triggered one of my own. “You have a gleam in your eye.”

“You sound like you don’t trust me.”

“Your smirk tells me maybe I shouldn’t.” It also made me envision setting her on my desk, wrapping her thighs around me, and taking her deep. Dammit, those thoughts were dangerous.

She shrugged. “Maybe you’re right. But not to worry; I’m harmless. Mostly.”

I was a half beat away from blurting out something stupid like I missed her already. Thankfully, she turned away, and walked out before I could embarrass myself. Time to shut down my regrets and focus on work.

This philosophy got me through the week. Barely.

By the time I picked up Daisy on Saturday morning, I had a knot in my chest which wouldn’t ease. But seeing her triggered a sense of relief.

“Hi.” She was dressed as she often did, in clothes for hiking, but under her arm she had two rolled-up yoga mats.

“Hi.” I came around to her side of the truck to open her door and hold the mats while she climbed in. Damn, she smelled good. “Yoga today?

“Yes, but don’t worry; it’s outdoors.”

The fact she knew being in a small room on a beautiful Saturday morning wouldn’t be my idea of fun was endearing. I wasn’t a yoga guy, but I’d do anything for her.

“Where are we headed?”

She typed directions into her phone, letting the guide tell me where to go. “It’s a drive, but I’m told it’s well worth it.”

I put the truck in gear and started the drive. “How was your week?” Although I’d seen her every day, we hadn’t engaged in a lot of conversation.

“It was good. Yours?”

“Fine.” I’d put myself through brutal workouts and billed seventy hours. I’d been absolutely miserable. Over and over, I’d replayed our Sunday morning conversation in my head, but no matter what I’d said or could say, the outcome was always the same. I wasn’t meant to be more than friends with Daisy. Yet my body, reacting to her mere scent of honeysuckle, was out to prove me wrong. It turned out there was something worse than fantasizing about her. It was replaying our one night together and knowing it could never happen again.

“I spoke with Doris, and she’s healing on schedule. One more week, and you’ll be rid of me.”

Then I’d only see Daisy on Saturdays, and my worlds would be separate, the way I preferred them. “I’m sure you’re anxious to leave the job behind. What will you do next?”

“I have some projects in mind, and thought I might explore some of the beach towns up the coast.”

“During the week?”

“Yeah, I figured it would be less crowded Monday through Thursday.”

Yes, it would be, but it meant I wouldn’t be with her. Unless I took time off of work. Hell, I couldn’t remember the last time I’d taken a day off. As a partner, you didn’t have vacation days to burn. Nope, you had to use every billable hour possible.

A half hour later, we pulled into the parking lot of a farm. Daisy’s excitement was palpable.

“What is this? Yoga on a farm?”

“Goat yoga.”

“What now?”

She cracked up at my reaction. “Yoga with baby goats. They roam free and climb on you or get some snuggles while we do yoga.”