Teddy Spenser Isn't Looking for Love - Kim Fielding Page 0,84

warm in the seat beside him, Teddy dozed lightly all the way home.

The two of them didn’t do much for the rest of the day. Mostly they lolled on the couch under a stack of blankets, reading or watching Netflix. Making out a little now and then. And the whole time, Teddy kept thinking, This is it. I could do this permanently. I need to do this permanently. He was fairly certain Romeo did too.

They had leftovers for dinner and went to bed early. As they settled under the covers, Teddy pushed away his worries about what would happen tomorrow. Tonight he had more important things to think about. Tonight he and Romeo were in love.

“You probably know this,” Teddy said as he scrunched more tightly against Romeo. “But in Shakespeare’s play, Friar Lawrence warns Romeo and Juliet to love moderately.”

“Yep. And they ignored him ’cause they were teenagers, and we all know how that turned out.”

“I don’t think I can love you moderately. Not if our opening scenes are any indication of what’s to come.”

Romeo kissed the top of Teddy’s head, a gesture that was quickly becoming one of Teddy’s favorite things. “No problem, babe, ’cause we’re not a tragedy. I think we might be a romantic comedy instead.”

“Can we be a musical rom-com?”

“Of course.”

Good. Because that meant they’d get a happy ending, right?

* * *

Although Reddyflora’s building in general was as busy as any Monday morning, the outer office of their suite was a ghost town. No sign of Imani, Skyler, or anyone else. “Creepy,” Teddy whispered. Way more like a horror movie than a musical, even though he knew Lauren had probably told everyone to come in late so they could talk privately.

Romeo took Teddy’s hand.

Lauren and Joyce waited in Lauren’s office, tea in two plain white cups steaming on the desk. While Lauren sat in her usual spot, a new chair had materialized for Joyce. Its straight-back, carved wooden frame made it look almost like a throne, and Teddy entertained the notion that Joyce had brought it with her from Seattle. Crazy idea, yes; but not impossible.

Joyce wore a mauve wool pantsuit and plum-colored blouse with a lot of frothy lace near the high neckline. Simple diamond hoops hung from her ears, and her nails had a lustrous pearl-tone manicure. “Darlings,” she said when Teddy and Romeo entered the room. A weird thing to call two guys you’d had fired.

But Teddy and Romeo smiled and shook her hand before taking their seats in Lauren’s usual uncomfortable chairs.

“That shirt is perfect for you,” Joyce informed Romeo, who was wearing the emerald-and-cobalt basket weave.

“Thank you. Teddy picked it out.”

“I should have known. Teddy, I knew as soon as I walked into this suite which space was yours. You have such a clever eye.”

It would be nice if they could skip the empty compliments and head straight to the sacking, but apparently they had to detour through small talk first. They had an extensive chat about the weather and Joyce’s flight and then about a restaurant a celebrity acquaintance of hers was opening in Fulton Market. Teddy remained on his best behavior even though he wanted to scream.

No, what he wanted to do was grab Romeo and hustle back to his cozy little apartment. They could make more pork chops.

Finally—finally—Joyce turned to Teddy and Romeo with a serious expression. “Lauren tells me you boys have given her an ultimatum.”

“That sounds more ominous than the reality,” Teddy said.

Romeo nodded his agreement. “We’re not mobsters.”

Lauren snorted quietly and Joyce took a sip of her tea. “All right, then. In your own words. What’s your position?”

After getting Romeo’s nod of encouragement to play spokesman, Teddy cleared his throat. “We want Lauren to accept your backing offer because we want the project—and Reddyflora—to succeed. We are grateful for the exciting job opportunity that Lauren provided. And we like our fellow employees too.”

“And you understand my offer was contingent on one of you leaving?”

Time to be brave, Teddy Spenser. As if sensing Teddy’s thoughts, Romeo gave his arm a supportive pat.

“We understand,” said Teddy. “It’s because you think we’re a disaster together. But you’re wrong about that. We might have failed your tests, but we’re perfect together. And we are together. We’re in love.”

“I see.” Joyce’s expression hid whatever she was thinking. Lauren, on the other hand, covered her mouth with her palm as if to stifle her comments.

Teddy soldiered on. “Our jobs are really important to us, Joyce. But neither of us is