“I can’t fake niceness. If Olivia doesn’t like you, it’s not because of me.”
“It totally is, you oblivious doorknob.”
Her insult only made Jay snort in amusement.
“Maybe a little. But it’s also because you were promotedover her.”
It was true, but she had no way of changing that situation. She’d been promoted just last month, and she’d worked incredibly hard for it. Even so, she didn’t want strife within her own team. They’d once been co-workers but now, Vera was Olivia’s direct superior, something that had been hard for the younger girl to accept.
“Cheer up, I’ll take you for a late coffee. And before you give me grief,” Jay added, halting the refusal that was on the tip of her tongue, “I need a favour. Consider coffee a payment.”
“What’s the favour?” she asked, eyes narrowed as she tilted her head up to look at him.
“My cousin needs a roommate to help with expenses. It’s a good community, short transit to work. And I know for a fact that the rent fits into your budget.”
Stunned, Vera’s mouth dropped open, staring at him like he’d shown up to a funeral wearing a pink tutu.
“What?” Jay asked, scratching his neck self-consciously. “Youarestill looking for a new apartment to sublet, aren’t you?!”
“Yes!”
“So, there you go. Help me out. If you’re her roommate, at least I won’t be worried about her picking a random person off the streets.”
Vera couldn’t help but laugh at that, a small shred of relief in a day that had been otherwise quite stressful. She needed to move out of her current living space in less than a month and she’d been hitting dead-ends on all the rentals she’d seen.
“I’ll call her after work and set you two up to meet so you can view the apartment. Cool?”
“Thank you, JJ,” she said, hugging him affectionately.
“Anytime, Veeray.” He ruffled her hair, using the nickname that rhymed with his.
As they broke apart, Vera felt the hair on the back of her nape stand up, a sudden chill climbing up her spine. Jay leaned forward then, impatiently pressing the button to the elevator a few more times.
That’s when Vera saw Vihaan, standing a few feet away with a well-dressed woman holding an iPad right beside him.
Oddly enough, both of them were staring at her.
Vera saw his gaze shift towards Jay, narrowing ever so slightly, his jaw flexing like he was clenching it hard enough to cause a fracture. When he glanced at her again, she felt caught, unable to sever their connection. The seconds stretched between them like a taut string ready to snap at the slightest tug.
The ping of the elevator broke whatever trance she’d been under. Chin tilted up, she spun on her heels and purposefully strode in.
As the metal doors closed, finally hiding her from Vihaan’s view, Vera let out a trapped breath. Unaware of the little exchange between his friend and new boss, Jay continued to tell Vera all about his cousin and the apartment he’d take her to see, while she did her best to follow along.
Her mind however was stuck on Vihaan, only one thought continuously echoing within her brain like a mantra.
She hated him. She hated him. She hated him.
She shivered, trying to shake off the feeling of his eyes on her— as if he’d physically touched her. Both in the conference room as well as in the hallway just now, Vihaan’s gaze had swept over her, taking in every change her body had undergone in the multitude of years since they’d last occupied the same space. She almost wished he’d stared at her breasts or leered like a lecher. It would have been easier to explain her discomfort then. But he’d done nothing of the sort.
Except, when their eyes met, he’d lingered. As if he’d been looking to see something more than her body, her clothes, or some aspect that she could brush off as superficial.
She hated him, it was true.
But she hated far more that one look from him made her feel seventeen again.
5
War of Words