AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Finally, she managed to balance one of the paper cups on the plastic lid of the other, freeing up a hand to knock on—
Ryder’s door swung open before she could. She jumped in surprise, causing the top cup to wobble on its precarious perch. Ryder, demonstrating some kind of superhuman reflex, snatched it just as it started to fall.
“Whoa, there!”
“Oh my God, thank you, I—” It was at this point that she really looked at him. “I . . . I’m sorry, what are you wearing?”
He had glasses on. Not dark, slick, sexy sunglasses. Glasses. With wire frames and clear lenses. Not slick at all. Of course, they still looked amazing on him, but since when did Ryder need glasses (and since when would these be the ones he picked if he did)?
His eyebrows lowered, his expression shifting to what might have been annoyance, but she was too busy taking in the rest of him.
He was wearing a plaid button-down, a tie, and a heavy wool cardigan. With elbow patches. What was going on here?
He pushed the cup he had caught back into her free hand.
“What do you need, Vic? I’m kind of in the middle of something.”
“Doing what?” she asked, biting back a smile. “Joining the Witness Protection Program?”
He quirked an eyebrow at her.
“Something like that.” He scratched at his neck, shifting his weight from one foot to the other. “Listen, I don’t want to be rude, but I really am busy.”
She blinked.
“Oh. Okay. Sure. I just thought that we could . . . You know what? Never mind. I should have called. Then I would have known not to come, right?” she said with a nervous laugh. She looked down at the cups in her hand. “Oh, but here. This was for you.”
She thrust the cup into his hand, turning on her heel and striding as confidently as she could toward the elevator. It made no sense that she felt hurt by this, but she sort of did. Lately no one had time for her.
“Vic.”
She paused, composed her features into what she hoped was an easy smile, and turned.
“Yes?”
He scratched his neck again. “I’m headed out somewhere . . .”
“No, I got it. It’s fine, really.”
“No, what I mean is . . .” He looked down at his coffee, running a finger over the edge of the plastic lid. Then he raised his gaze to meet her eyes. “Would you like to come with me?”
Yes! Or rather, sure, why not?
She shrugged.
“I guess I could do that.” She cleared her throat. “If it’s more convenient for you, of course. So we can discuss our plan for the engagement party.”
“I figured you’d already have a whole checklist for that.”
“Oh, I do—”
He grinned at her.
“. . . but we could go over it,” she added feebly, fighting her own smile. She took a sip of her coffee so she didn’t say anything else to embarrass herself.
“You’d better come in for a few before we head out.” He swung the door wide behind him.
“Oh, right, yes. Good thinking,” she said, eyeing his rather unusual ensemble.
