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Already…

Once it was finished, we’d put together the final presentation and things would change The truce would be over and the no-holds-barred grab for the Winthorpe account would be on

There hispers and more than a few discreetly lifted coffee cups pointed at the tall, broad man who stood nearly a head above most people The same one who filled out a white button-down better than anyone I’d ever met The same one as mine—well, not mine, mine I threw the brakes on that brain blip Leo wasn’t mine Pretend-mine

He stood three people frorabbedand stepped out of line The quicker we got our coffee, the quicker we’d get to work That was the only reason I felt co to the wo at him

“Hey, Leo” I stayed out of line, so no one thought I was cutting “Can you get me—”

He started, but smoothed his look of surprise once he saas me “A medium cookie crumble cappuccino?”

“Yeah, that I have these cards” I held out my small stack of free coffee cards

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“Gingersnap, come on” He pushed them back to me

“Oh ” The wo with Leo looked at hied?” Her voice at the end of engaged shot up like she was trying out for a falsetto role Heads turned our way

Before he could ju her hair around her finger know that under no uncertain terirlfriend, let alone fiancé, I flung nity pyre and beat him to it

“What? No! No, no, definitely not We’re one hundred percent not engaged We’re just friends—barely friends Right, Leo?” I laughed and nudged him with my elbow

He stared atback to the woaged, we’ve barelyable to stand one another Right, Zara?”

I kept h it suddenly felt bitter and strained We’d gone to a concert and had a few drinks Maybe a little flirty, but here he was flirting with a wo he can barely stand , or a reflex, like a flinch when someone hit you in the face with a water balloon

“He’s so right So fro in front of it”