Page 10 of Shades of Grey & Gold

“Yes, Becca, yes. I had no choice. I left my phone on my desk, I think, can you hold my laptop? I’m going to sneak back in, I’ll be quick.”

Without waiting for an answer, I hand her my laptop and swing back around. I open the door slowly to muffle the sound of the bell. I push the door stop under it to keep it from shutting all the way to avoid another bell ring and walk past Debbie. I get to my desk and grab my phone, seeing a text from Jenni’s number already up on the screen.

Jenni: Coffee tomorrow morning? It’s Jenni. There’s a little place, Gabby’s, can we get coffee there? How’s 8? Loved seeing you today, can’t wait for regular coffee dates together again soon!

I smile briefly, as hard and weird as this day has been, I got something back I never would’ve expected to see again: another friend. I respond with a quick yes, and glance up at where Becca is standing on the other side of the window.

I do a double take when I realize Becca is standing with another person. And I freeze.

“What the fuck?” I whisper to myself and duck down behind the side of my desk.

Becca has on a flirty smile and the guy standing next to her is well over six feet tall, with a dark brown beard trimmed short and a black bomber jacket over an untucked, collared green button-down shirt. The top buttons are open, and his dark blue jeans hug muscular legs. As he points down the street, his jacket and shirt ride up just a little to reveal a sliver of tanned skin.

His hair is darker brown than it was seven years ago, but every curl is still perfectly in place.

He’s a ghost.

I’d say he doesn’t look a day older than the last time I saw him, but it’d be a lie. His features are sharper, his face is full of expression as he talks to Becca, his eyes have deeper lines where they always crinkled at the edges, and he’s even more beautiful than I remember. And my mind won’t slow down while I catalog every detail.

“Who is that?” Debbie’s voice coming from above me makes me jump up.

“Oh, Jesus, Debbie, you scared me, good God.” I put my hand on my chest and shove my phone in my pocket. “That… is someone I haven’t seen in a long time.”

“You know that beefcake of a man? He’s gotta be like six-five and could probably lift you and me up over his head at the same time. Not that I’d want to share him,” she wags her eyebrows at me and slowly walks back over to her desk.

I look from her back to the window and see Becca alone. I almost trip running out of the office, kicking the doorstop out of the door, letting it slam, and stomping out on the sidewalk.

“What the fuck was that?” I point down the street and there is absolutely no man on the sidewalk whatsoever, near Becca or down the sidewalk. “Am I hallucinating? Weren’t you just talking to someone?”

“Yes, oh man, he was hot, wasn’t he?” She is dramatically fanning her face as she talks and hands my laptop back to me. “He asked if I knew where he could find a good place to get a drink after work, so I was telling him he should go to Wildhorse. He said he wasn’t sure where people our age would be on a Friday night. I may have said there would be at least two hot girls about our age there tonight. I was hoping you’d come out before he got in his car, but he said he just moved into the building at the end of the…” her voice trails off as she points, and she connects the dots herself. “Oh, he works at Ellison. Oh! Do you know him?”

I just keep staring down the street. The bell from the door behind us dings again, and I brace myself.

“Ah, Max, I see we are already running into each other in this quaint little town.” Richard walks up beside Becca and stretches his hand out to introduce himself. “Hi there, Richard Ellison, pleasure to meet you.”

Becca takes his hand carefully, shooting a look at me. “Rebecca Montgomery, the pleasure is all yours.”

He tilts his head to me with a chuckle and releases her hand. “Pleasure is indeed all mine, Rebecca.” He clasps his hands in front of his body and rocks a bit on his heels andcontinues in a whisper, “Max, I really meant what I said. You know where to find me, you’re welcome at E & P anytime you change your mind.”

I look down at the ground. Not this job offer thing again. If he thinks I would step foot in the same office as Patrick, he is high as a kite.

He nods his head and looks towards the end of Main. “Have a nice day, you two. Max, I hope you’ll at least come by for a nightcap one day after work—I’ll even make sure the office is cleared out beforehand. You can bring your friend, too!”

He walks off without waiting for a response. He knew I wasn’t going to say yes, and instead of having to acknowledge my denial, he chose to end the conversation. I shake my head. The man might be getting old, but his audacity is still very much intact.

“Dang, Max, change your mind about what?” Becca’s eyes are wide.

“He offered me my job back at Ellison.” I close my eyes tightly and turn my back to Richard Ellison’s departing figure, looking back at Becca. “And that hot guy you were talking to? That’s Callan Reed.”

“Wait, pen guy?” She makes a puzzled face. “How did the pen guy get here? Wait, am I manifesting a hot guy for Patrick’s wedding for you to take as your date? The hands of fate work fast, Max!”

Her expression oozes excitement with wide eyes and a beaming smile as she bounces on the balls of her feet, clapping her hands together.

“What? No!” My eyes bulge from my head.

“Why not? Did something bad happen the last time you talked to him? When was the last time you talked to him? When he gave you the pen?” Bart is pulling Becca towards home.

I sigh, as a buried memory surfaces as we begin to walk. “Uh, no, I guess after graduation we ran into each other.”