“What in the actual fuck, Elliot?”
“Say that a few more times and you might be where I’m at mentally.”
She pushes herself from the door and points beyond my office. “That witch can’t work here!”
“Well, unfortunately, my father is the one who makes that decision, not me.”
“Have you talked to him about it?”
I flash her a deadpan stare. “You know my dad isn’t one to have conversations, Dil.”
“Well, this is all kinds of fucked up!”
“Thank you, but I don’t need you to remind me of that. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I need to get back to work.” I direct my eyes to the computer screen, but Dilynne slaps her hand on my desk.
“Why on earth would your dad hire her?”
Sighing, I lean back in my chair again. “The fuck if I know, Dilynne! But Jesus, it’s not your problem, okay?”
“Yes, it is. That woman is back in your life, which means she’s back in all of our lives, Elliot—Fletcher, Henley, Rhonan, Laney…”
“No need to name everyone in our friend group. Thank you.”
She flips me off and then plants her hands back on her hips. “Does your dad honestly think that her working here is a good idea?”
Lowering my voice, I say through clenched teeth, “Look, that’s what I said, but he wants us to talk, tried to lecture me about mistakes and shit…”
“What that woman did is more than just a mistake.”
“I agree.”
Dilynne chuckles. “Oh shit. We’re agreeing on things again. Someone call a doctor!” she mocks, yelling toward my office door as if someone outside will listen.
“Don’t worry, I’m sure it won’t last long.”
“I sincerely hope not,” Dilynne mutters.
“But now, thanks to you, she’s going to be even more hell-bent on talking to me and trying to get me to understand why she did what she did.”
Dilynne scoffs. “As if there’s actually something she could say that would make it okay.”
“Trust me, I feel the same way.”
Dilynne grows quiet, clearly lost in thought, and all I can do is stare at her as she thinks.
Fuck, I hate that these past few months have made me look at her differently. And I hate my dick for reminding me of it in instances just like these.
Dilynne’s eyes snap to mine before she rolls her bottom lip between her teeth and arches a brow at me.
“Oh Jesus,” I say. “What the hell did you just realize?”
“Oh, this wasn’t just a realization, Elliot. This is a mastermind plan to help us both.”
“Help?” I stand from my desk again and point to the bag from the bakery. “This is your idea of helping me, remember? And it’s only because I’m addicted to sugar and Carolina’s baked goods that I’ve put up with it over the past year. But in case you need reminding, I don’t need your fucking help, Dilynne.”
She narrows her eyes and steps closer to me until there are only a few inches of space between us. Then she licks her lips as her head tilts to the side. “I know your ego can’t possibly take much more harm today, but I’m going to sucker punch you anyway—metaphorically, of course.”
“Joy.”