leaning against the door. “I’m not mad. I’m disappointed.”
“In me? That wasn’t my fault.”
“It’s only partially your fault.”
I nodded. “What percentage are we talking about here? Give it to me in numbers.”
Lori thought about it. “It’s sixty percent my grandma’s fault and forty percent your fault.”
“Sixty-forty. Not as bad as I thought then. Just out of curiosity, what did I do wrong? I didn’t take the video and post it online, and I had no idea your grandmother was even taking it.”
“I know, I know. It’s not that. It’s just . . .” She glanced away but then locked eyes with me, gesturing to my feet and working her way up my body. “I mean, just look at you!”
I chuckled. “Do I need a mirror for this?”
“I’m serious. I despised you before, which I totally admit was a little bit harsh on my part, not to mention judgmental, but now I feel . . .”
I cocked my head to the side. “You feel what?”
“Now, I feel that if I’m not careful . . .”
I leaned in and cupped my ear. “Yes?”
Lori waved it off. “Nothing.”
“Nothing?”
She sighed. “None of this was part of the plan, let’s just say that. I don’t want to lose my job.”
“You’re not going to.” I ran my fingers through my hair, hoping she wasn’t going to dodge what was happening between us again. “I think we would be doing a big disservice to ourselves and the universe if we just walked away from what is happening between us. Go with it. Let’s see where this takes us.”
Lori covered her face with her hands.
It was so dang cute.
I tilted my head, trying to get a look at her face. “Lori?”
She looked up and creased her eyebrows. “What about Kyle? He warned us that we shouldn’t let anything happen between us.”
“Is that what you’re worried about? Forget about him. How often do you think about me?”
“All the time.”
“Well, I think about you more.”
She smiled. “That’s impossible. If I say all the time, there’s technically no more time available.”
I took a step toward her and she pointed to my feet. “Uh-uh. Keep your distance because we know what happens when you get too close, and we are both in our work environment. And speaking of that, us getting involved could affect the future of the morning show.”
“I disagree,” I said. “As long as the ratings keep going up, Kyle won’t be able to say or do a thing. Right now, our only goal is to get this show to number one in the market. That will be our ticket to calling the shots completely and taking our careers to the next level.”
Susan pushed the studio door open and knocked Lori out of the way. “Sorry! Are you okay?”
Lori nodded. “Yes, and it was my fault. I shouldn’t be leaning against the door when I know someone is about to enter.”
Susan lit up. “Oh by the way, I loved that video of you two kissing! I had no idea you two were an item. You’re both so cute, just look at you.”
This was the part where Lori and I would vehemently deny that there was anything going on between us and deny that we were a couple.
Amazingly, we both were quiet, glancing at each other.
That’s when I knew.
Things had changed between us.
Chapter Nineteen
LORI
I really didn’t know what to expect when I arrived at the La Jolla Cove Bridge Club for the fifth annual Dr. Tough Love Charity Poker Tournament. I knew the money went to some amazing local non-profit organizations. I knew there would be lots to eat and drink, along with a silent auction with many cool things up for grabs. There would also be a hundred players, all vying to knock the defending champion off his throne.
I was confident in my skills as a poker player, since I had played Texas Hold’em all throughout my college years when I needed a much-needed mental distraction from studying.
Ben and I had been playing at separate tables most of the evening, which would work in my favor if we both advanced to the final table in the tournament.
Hyper-focused for having skipped the alcohol to keep my mind clear, I began knocking out one player after another, my only goal to make it to the final table of eight players.
And I did make it.
The surprised look on Ben’s face when I pulled up a chair across from him was just priceless. With my confidence in overdrive, I began chipping away at the