Page 55 of Back To Our Beginning

“No, I can do it,” I protested.

He gave me the look. The Mr. Marine Alpha look, so I just nodded. He opened his door, then closed it. I could hear Irene introducing herself.

Kill me now.

Beau continued to stand there and listen to Irene as she told him how long we’d worked together and how everybody loved me.

Seriously, kill me now.

Finally, she walked away.

Yay!

Beau walked around to my side of the truck, opened the door, and offered me his hand. I took it and landed on my feet just fine. Then he reached in and got my satchel and coffee.

“Do I deserve a kiss for getting your coffee and briefcase?” he asked with a grin.

“You deserve a knee to the nuts, is what you deserve,” I growled.

“You wouldn’t do that. I wouldn’t be able to perform tonight.”

He had a point.

I started to walk away in a huff.

“What time should I pick you up?”

“Probably about seven. I’ll call you,” I called over my shoulder.

“Gotcha.”

I marched into the building. By the time I got to my cubicle, I found Irene sitting in my chair. I wasn’t surprised.

“It seems like you’ve been keeping secrets.” She smirked.

“Have not. Beau and I are kind of recent.”

“How recent?”

“Almost a week and a half.”

“And he’s driving you to work and making out with you in the parking lot? Hell, you never did that with Tedious Ted, and you were engaged to him for almost three years. What gives?”

I looked at her with wide eyes. “Are you serious? Did you not see him?”

“Fine, he’s hot as hell. Hotter than hell. Model worthy. But I know you, Maddie. You’re kind of a prude. I don’t care if he’s an underwear model. You would not be devouring some guy in your work parking lot unless you were in deep. Explain to me how you’re in deep after a little over a week?”

Fuck. Yet another perceptive woman in my life.

“He’s the guy who was my best friend from grade school to high school.”

“The guy who joined the military when he was eighteen, and you never heard from again?”

“The very same.”

“But that guy is an a-hole, with a capital ‘A’.”

“No, he’s not. He’s still Beau. He’s still my best friend.”