The Note (Manhattan Nights #5) - Natalie Wrye Page 0,55

mug in her tiny hands. A smirk plays on her pink lips, and she turns to head out of my office, her black skirt swaying as she strolls.

I bite down a bark, dropping my pen to the surface of the paper on my desk. I call out her name.

“Cyn?”

She swings back towards me. “Yes?”

She knows she’s won.

I need the coffee more than ever, and my best friend knows it. At Sophia’s suggestion, I’ve replaced my taste for scotch with the lesser evil of dark caffeine, and I motion for Quinn Real Estate’s number one lawyer to return and she comes back in. She shuts the door behind her and I pause, my skin hot under the collar. I press my back into my leather seat, sighing as Cynthia stands before me, dangling my cup of coffee like the proverbial carrot.

Fuck me for being such a rabbit.

I exhale. “I will take that cup of coffee after all…” I try hard to humble myself, a rage rolling around on my tongue. It’s a rage that only hot caffeine can temper right now, and at the moment, I’m weak without it, the dwindling time to save this company making it hard to concentrate on anything else.

Anything else but …but Sophia.

I swear under my breath.

“It’s been a long morning.” It’s the only apology I will give Cynthia.

And she seems to know it.

That bottom lip of hers twists. Sucking into her mouth, she seems to consider my half-assed attempt at a “sorry” before handing me the hot mug, her fingers refusing to brush against my own.

She draws them quickly back, dropping them to her sides, and I sigh, needing the dark brew, noting how Cynthia’s touch lingers on mine.

If only for a moment.

I have to remind myself that this wedding and damn watch have been making me a little crazy. But it’s hard when Cyn’s gazing at me like that, brown eyes a bit hot, her pale blonde hair pulled back into a severe bun that only adds to the highlight of her serious face.

I take a sip of the piping coffee and wince.

And still Cynthia stands there.

I look up.

“Is there anything else I can do for you, Cyn?”

“Yes, there is,” she retorts. “You could give me something to work with.”

“Excuse me?”

She sighs, and the sound is loud. Or maybe it just seems like it in my quiet office.

I’m suddenly aware that, with the door closed, there’s only the two of us. And I don’t like it.

I don’t like being forced this close when Cyn’s in one of her moods. Like I told Lachlan, Cyn’s tougher than most. But she seems off nowadays—nearly angry, and I watch her pretty brows furrow from some confusion. But her mouth clarifies everything right up.

She clears her throat.

“So, the rumors about Sophia are true? You have a whole girlfriend?”

I tilt my head. “Well, it’s half of a girlfriend more than either of us ever expected I could have.”

“And you’ve given me nothing to go on,” Cynthia interrupts. “No real insight. No details.” She scoffs. “You’re serious enough about this girlfriend to bring her to Jase’s wedding.” She motions towards the door. “But you’ve said more to Nadia about this relationship than to me—your best friend since you were fifteen, and she’s only the receptionist.”

“I’m sure Nadia will appreciate how highly you think of her.”

Her hazel eyes narrow. “You know what I mean.” She squirms in her little black heels and the air shifts with it. “There’s at least one person who should be privy to your secrets first. And besides your local bartender, I thought that person was supposed to be me.” She points a red finger at her chest, adding more fragrance to the air.

I struggle to stay motionless in my seat, the temptation to leave Cyn hanging stronger than ever, and still I say nothing.

Because she’s right; I’ve been avoiding her, barely taking the time to say “Hi” in the office even when she does the favor of bringing me coffee.

I know she’s doing some dating of her own. Or so I’ve heard from around the office when really I should have asked her myself.

If not for the fact that I’ve been avoiding her like crazy…

I might not have let Cynthia in on the details these days. But for the last two months, I hadn’t actually let anyone in.

With the exception of Cynthia, they’d all assumed everything was business as usual. Easygoing. Same as always.

Perfect.

Except Sophia.

The woman who I was using to save my company had seen