Page 6 of Secrets We Keep
“Well, you look like shit,” a woman’s voice says as she stands beside me. In my current state, it takes me a minute to register who it is.
I turn to give her my full attention. Lauren is my co-star from many moons ago and is currently the mom to one of the teens on the show we’re making. “Late night, last night.”
“Reid,” she smiles, shaking her head at me. We had a fling twenty years ago, but we’ve worked with each other several times over the years. She’s married, though, to one of the writers on the show. She walks with me to craft services, passes me a coffee in a paper cup, and smiles as the caffeine hits my bloodstream. “When will you find someone you want to keep around for more than a long weekend?”
“How do you know I haven’t?”
“Because you wouldn’t look like shit on a weekday if you did,” she laughs, grabbing herself something to eat. “Also, Max would have told me.”
4
DOMINIC
BED OF ROSES: BON JOVI
Sweat runs down my back as Josh talks my ear off on the bike next to me. Josh is a great boss and friend, but I needed to clear my head. That was the plan for my lunch break. Of course, all that went out of the window when Josh approached, and then ten minutes later, Jenna walked in. Tight yoga pants and the tightest tank top in the history of tank tops. I guess it was a small mercy that it wasn’t skin color. No, the aqua and black showed off her tanned skin from her recent trip to Mexico.
“Are you ever going to make a move?” He asks, nodding Jenna’s way.
I slow down on the pedals and turn to look at him. He might be my boss, but Josh runs a casual ship on the twentieth floor, on his side of the joined building.
He laughs as he unscrews the bottle, still peddling away on the bike. I’ve worked for the guy for six years, and he’s always been the same.
Annoying!
I laugh. He’s more annoying in that older brother kind of way. Like I said–casual office.
“You’d look good together. Alex doesn’t think she’s seeing anyone.”
“Not that I care, but how do you know that?” I push myself harder on the bike. My lungs starting to feel like they’re on fire.
He shows me his phone. He must have texted him while I was distracted watching Jenna. She’s oblivious to us, though.
“You don’t want to miss your chance.” He slows down before bringing the bike to a stop. “She won’t be single forever.”
He moves away from me, and my eyes stay on Jenna on the other side of the gym. I keep her in sight every time we move to a different piece of equipment.
My boss and most people on the floor left a couple of hours ago, but Josh has a big presentation tomorrow morning, and I’d rather get everything set up and ready tonight. The lady who cleans our floor gets off the elevator and shakes her head at me. She’s always telling me off when I work late. This is why I always try to be out of here when she gets to our floor, but tonight she’s early.
“I’m leaving in ten minutes,” I smile as I make the finishing touches to the email I have open on my screen.
“Dominic, you work too hard.”
“Maybe, but I love my job.” I mean every word. I do love my job. Josh’s portfolio is all construction and property development. The guy has property in every major city in the country. The presentation for tomorrow is the first one out of the country. Josh will give me more responsibility if we get the go-ahead for this new apartment building; I know it. Since he’s gotten together with Issy and Alex, it’s given him this new lease on life, and he’s much more bearable to work for. I close my computer and wave to the cleaner as the elevator doors close.
Walking across the almost deserted parking lot, I root in my leather satchel for my car keys.
“Shit,” I hear a voice I recognize.
Turning towards the noise, I see Jenna picking up the contents of her purse that has fallen on the floor around her.
“Fancy seeing you here,” I laugh as I approach so I don’t spook her.
“Dom, hi. You’re working late too, I see?” She’s squatting with a notebook in her hand.
“Let me help you,” I say, crouching beside her and throwing the stuff back in her purse.
“Thanks,” she says, looking a little embarrassed. She hastily picks up some small packets that look like snacks, her face red, and her eyes look like they want to come out of her head. She closes the bag quickly.
