“Thank you.” She smiled back at her boss. “You deserve it, too, you know?”
But the other woman quickly brushed the sentiment away. “Been there, tried that. Let’s just say it didn’t work out. But hey…I’m still a sucker for a good old-fashioned, once-in-a-lifetime romance. Or in your case,twicein a lifetime.”
Scottie chuckled at the playful grin and wagging brows Sloane was sending her way. “Yes, well…things didn’t exactly go as planned for me and Chase the first time around, either, so we’re taking it slow.”
“Well, from what I know of the man, Chase is one of the good ones.” The other woman pushed herself away from the commercial-grade island. “Anyway, I will quit meddling in your personal life and be on my way.” Turning to leave, Sloane paused as she approached the large, black trashcan positioned by the back door. “Do me a favor, and make sure Bruce takes that out tonight, would ya? Trash day is tomorrow, and I’d prefer not to have the dumpster out back stinking to high heaven for another week.”
“I’ll tell him.” Scottie smiled. “Have a good night, Boss.”
“You, too!”
Once again alone in her stainless steel haven, Scottie got right back to work finishing up her evening duties. The final remaining dishes were washed, dried, and put back in their rightful place. The counters were wiped clean.
She was at the back of the room, having just grabbed the broom and dustpan, when the phone in her back pocket began to ring. Balancing the broom against the counter’s edge, she clipped the dustpan to its handle before pulling her cell free.
Scottie’s lips instantly curved upward when she saw the name displayed across her screen.
“Hey, you.” She answered the call before the third ring.
“Hey, yourself. You busy?”
“Just finishing things up for the night. What about you?”
“The client meeting we had ran long, but I’m finally out of the office, and I’mstarving.”
“Guess it’s a good thing you know someone who can cook,” she teased.
“As a matter of fact, that’s the other reason I called. I know we’d planned on having dinner at your place, but what would you think about me just picking you up and taking you out, instead? That way, we’d get to eat sooner, and you’d get the night off from slaving over a hot stove. It’s a win-win, really.”
Any night spent with Chase was a win in her book.
“That sounds great, except…” Scottie glanced down at her attire of jeans, a plain gray t-shirt, and sneakers. “I’m not exactly dressed for someplace fancy.”
“Who said anything about fancy?” His tone was incredulous to the core. “I was thinking something simple, like a nice, juicy cheeseburger and fries. We can eat inside, and then I’ll bring you back to your car and we can either go to your place or mine. Or, if you’re sick of seeing me, I can drop you off at your car and see myself home.”
“I mean, you are a lot to deal with, but I think I can suffer through another night in your company.”
“Ha, ha,” Chase’s sarcasm came through loud and clear. “You want me to swing around to the back when I get there?”
“Sounds good.
His sexy rumble filled the phone’s speaker once more as he ended the conversation with a deep, “See you in ten.”
“See you then.”
Scottie ended the call with a smile, wasting no time putting the broom and mop to work. When she was finished, she put them back where they belonged before giving her watch a quick glance.
Eight minutes had passed since she and Chase got off the phone, which meant he’d be here any moment. Catching a glimpse of the trash can that was still full, she remembered what Sloane had said about making sure it got taken outside.
With a spin of her heels, she started to leave the kitchen in search of Bruce. But midway to the door, she changed her mind.
It made no sense to go ask him to stop whatever he was doing to come take out a bag of trash she was perfectly capable of carrying out herself. Especially when she was already going out that way, anyway.
Scottie did an about-face and headed straight for the trash. One heaving pull later, the bag was freed from the can, its top edges tied snuggly together to prevent the contents from spilling on the way out.
Grabbing her jacket and purse, she flipped off the kitchen lights and opened the door. With her hip, she kept the door propped open while squeezing the full, extra-large bag between the front of her body and the doorjamb.
Scottie grunted as she carefully let the bag fall the few inches to the pavement below. Once the door was securely shut behind her, she grabbed the knot at the top of the bag and heaved it over her shoulder.