Coffee and Confessions

Ten o'clock couldn't come fast enough.

Laila had barely spoken to me all morning.

Not that I minded.

Every time I caught her looking at me, I knew exactly what she was wondering.

Why had Leonard Parker greeted me by name?

I wished I knew the answer myself.

The clock finally ticked over to ten.

"I'm taking my break," I said, already reaching for my phone.

Laila gave a distracted nod without looking up from her screen.

I practically hurried to the elevators.

By the time the doors opened onto Jonathan's floor, my nerves had settled—at least a little.

"Morning, Blair!"

A chorus of cheerful voices greeted me the moment I stepped into the marketing department.

I smiled politely.

Unlike the executive floor, Jonathan's department was loud, relaxed and constantly buzzing with conversation.

A few of the men smiled a little too enthusiastically.

Some things never changed.

Even after seeing me almost every day for two years, a handful of them still acted as though I were the newest employee in the building.

Jonathan ignored the greetings completely.

Without saying a word, he walked over and held out a steaming takeaway cup.

"Coffee."

I accepted it gratefully.

"You're a lifesaver."

He studied my face for a second before raising an eyebrow.

"Judging by your message, I'd say you're about five minutes away from committing a crime."

I let out a nervous laugh.

"It's that obvious?"

"Oh, sweetheart..." He folded his arms. "You look like someone who either got fired... or accidentally married a billionaire overnight."

"I wish it were either of those."

He took a sip of his own coffee.

"Alright. Talk."

I glanced around the office.

People were chatting nearby, but no one seemed to be paying us any attention.

"Promise me this stays between us."

His expression changed immediately.

The teasing disappeared.

"You have my word."

"I mean it."

"No Claire?"

"No."

"Bia?"

"No."

"Just us."

I nodded.

"Just us."

He leaned against the wall.

"You've officially got my full attention."

I lowered my voice.

"The boss and I..."

I hesitated.

"...had a moment."

Jonathan blinked.

"What kind of moment?"

Heat crept up my neck.

"I..."

My eyes dropped to the floor.

"It was..."

I searched desperately for the right word.

"...intimate."

His eyebrows shot up so fast I thought they might disappear into his hairline.

He almost choked on his coffee.

"I'm sorry..." he said, coughing. "Did you just say intimate?"

Several heads turned in our direction.

I immediately slapped his arm.

"Would you keep your voice down?"

He lowered it—but only slightly.

"Blair..."

His eyes were impossibly wide.

"You can't just tell me you had an intimate moment with Leonard Parker and expect me to stay calm."

"I didn't say it was with him."

"You literally said 'the boss and I.'"

"I know!"

"So..." He leaned closer. "What kind of intimate?"

I covered my face for a second.

"I hate this conversation already."

"I'm loving every second of it."

"Jonathan..."

"I'm serious."

He looked at me expectantly.

I sighed.

"There was... sexual tension."

He frowned.

"But..."

"No touching."

His confusion deepened.

"No kissing?"

"No."

"No sex?"

"No."

"No touching at all?"

"None."

He stared at me for several long seconds.

"I understand less now than I did thirty seconds ago."

"I know."

"And somehow it's become even more interesting."

Despite everything, I laughed.

That was Jonathan.

No matter how impossible the situation was, he always found a way to make me smile.

"I can't tell you everything," I admitted quietly.

"It's... too personal."

He studied me for a moment before nodding.

"Fair enough."

I relaxed slightly.

"But..."

I looked up.

"This morning..." I continued, "he greeted me."

Jonathan blinked.

"...That's it?"

"No, that's not 'it.'"

I stepped closer, lowering my voice even more.

"In almost two years working here, Leonard Parker has never once looked at me. Never spoken to me unless it was absolutely necessary."

I paused.

"This morning he stopped outside his office, looked straight at me and said..." My stomach tightened at the memory.

"'Good morning, Blair.'"

Jonathan frowned.

"That's..."

He rubbed his chin thoughtfully.

"...actually strange."

"I know."

"And you're certain it wasn't a coincidence?"

"I'm certain."

"He wanted me to know something."

"What?"

I looked toward the elevators, remembering the look in Leonard's eyes.

"That he knows exactly what happened last night."

Jonathan was silent for a long moment.

Then his usual grin faded.

"Alright," he said. "Let's think about this rationally."

He folded his arms.

"Whatever happened between you two..."

I immediately interrupted him.

"There isn't a 'between us.'"

"Fine." He raised both hands in surrender. "Whatever happened... happened."

He took another sip of coffee.

"My advice?"

I waited.

"Act like nothing happened."

"I was thinking the same."

"If he teases you, don't react."

He shrugged.

"People like Leonard Parker lose interest when they stop getting a reaction."

I considered his words.

Maybe he was right.

Maybe if I stayed professional...

If I ignored every little provocation...

Soon everything would go back to normal.

Invisible.

Exactly the way I wanted it.

I finished the last sip of my coffee and smiled.

"Thanks."

He bumped my shoulder gently.

"That's what I'm here for."

As I walked back toward the elevators, I repeated his advice in my head.

Stay calm.

Stay professional.

Act normal.

I pressed the call button.

A soft ding echoed through the corridor.

The doors slid open.

And every ounce of confidence I'd just rebuilt vanished in an instant.