Love Discovered in New York (The Washington Triplets) by Danielle Allen Page A

my head toward the staff lounge area. “Kelsey and I are going to put our stuff away,” I said, turning to head to the staff lounge area.
    Once we were in the lounge area with the door securely closed behind us, Kelsey started in with the questions.
    “What the hell was that?” she wondered as she opened her locker, putting her bag in the small space. “What happened before I walked in? And why does Rhiannon seem so…” She trailed off, making a face.
    “Right! The phoniness was dripping off of her,” I answered, not at all downplaying my dislike for her. I glanced at her through the reflection in the mirror. “But I just didn’t like the way Rhiannon was talking to Jessica. And when I said something to her about it, I didn’t like the way she started talking to me.”
    “I knew something was up as soon as I saw your face.” Kelsey slammed her locker shut and plopped down on the nearest chair. Looking up at me, she shrugged. “Rhiannon seems completely fake to me. But what concerns me is how un-phased Nicks seemed by it.”
    “Right?!” I exclaimed, turning from the mirror to face Kelsey. “I don’t see how she’s going to fit in here. No matter how much Stephen and Devin grate on our nerves from time to time, they are one-hundred percent themselves at all times.”
    “Nicks usually has better judgment than this. She’s pretty. A complete fake of a person with bad energy surrounding her, but she’s pretty. They both are. Maybe that’s all Nicks was seeing when he hired them.”
    “Probably. Because I can guarantee you that it wasn’t that bitch’s personality that got her the job,” I grumbled.
    “You’re in a mood,” Kelsey laughed. “So I’m assuming you’re still bent out of shape because you spent the night with your one-night stand turned cuddle buddy. By the way, I need more details than…” She pulled out her cell phone so that she could read the text message verbatim. “And I quote: ‘Sorry I’m just now responding to your text. I messed up big time. I accidentally fell asleep with Colton (the sexy guy I left with last night) and we were all cuddled up when I woke up… and you know I don’t do cuddled up. I’m just now leaving his house and I’m on my way home. I should’ve left right after we were done, but he fucked the will to leave out of me. Don’t judge me.’”
    I shook my head and laughed as she read my early morning missive. “I don’t even know where to begin with that situation.”
    “Start with the ‘he fucked the will to leave out of me’ and then work your way backward,” Kelsey said, wiggling her eyebrows suggestively.
    “I don’t know what to say.” Still laughing, I shrugged. “You’ll have to excuse my post-coital ramblings.”
    “I can’t excuse this,” Kelsey exclaimed, holding up her phone with my text message opened on the screen. “I need details! My best friend leaves with the sexiest guy in the bar and sends a text gushing—”
    “I didn’t gush!” I protested, hands on my hips and eyes wide.
    “For you, this is gushing. So I’m guessing it was good.”
    I paused before I admitted the truth. “Best sex I’ve ever had.”
    “Even better than Graham?”
    “Graham who?” I joked with wide eyes.
    Jumping to her feet, Kelsey jumped up and down excitedly. “That’s what you needed to get back on the horse! Will you see him again? You should. Especially if he was the best you’ve ever had.”
    “I don’t think so,” I answered uneasily. I looked at the slight chip in the paint of my thumbnail to avoid eye contact. My stomach dropped and I realized I should’ve waited to have the conversation with Kelsey when we were alone and not at work. Kelsey was a born counselor and although she never pushed, she always had a way of getting me to open up.
    And today I’m not in the mood to open up, I thought as Kelsey moved closer to me.
    “Don’t cut off your nose to spite your face,” Kelsey warned me, placing her hands on my