her boss.
“You’re very beautiful, which I’m sure you know.”
January blushed. “Thank you.”
Their wine arrived and the waiter carefully put the glasses down. “Your food will arrive shortly.”
"Thank you.” Scotty looked at January. “How do you like working at Logis App?”
If January were to give him a straight answer, it would’ve been about the man behind the company and not so much about the work. “Good.”
“Well, I know they pay their employees well.”
“Is that why you want a contract? I heard Mary mention it to Ariel’s assistant.”
Scotty arched an eyebrow. A frown appeared on his face but was quickly replaced by a more neutral expression.
“I shouldn’t have asked that, sorry.”
“No.” Scotty shifted in the chair. “It’s no problem, who doesn’t like to be paid well?” He chuckled.
January took a sip of wine.
He leaned across the table. “I’d like to get to know you.”
January smiled, unsure of what to say in reply.
He cleared his throat in response to her silence. “Well, I guess we have to start somewhere. Tell me about yourself.”
While they talked, January shared a little about her childhood days on an Alabama farm before her family moved to the District. “My dad landed a promotion here in D.C., so the entire family was uprooted. I hated it at the time, but it turned out to be a good thing.”
“So you're a country girl at heart, huh?” Scotty sipped his wine.
January nodded. She felt herself warming up to Scotty. She somehow sensed Ariel and him were competitors, though neither man tried to make it seem obvious.
They probably run in the same circles, so they have to be civil to one another.
She wasn’t sure why Scotty had been popping up at Logis App, but that was between him and Ariel.
Scotty seemed like the type of guy who would easily call her to go see a movie, not just do a fancy lunch. January couldn’t say that about Ariel. He always acted guarded.
“Aside from your beauty, and take this as compliment, I also find your presence refreshing.”
“Compared to the usual women you hang around?” January asked, amused. “What are they like?”
Scotty didn’t miss a beat. “Most are overly made-up, social climbers, always on . I’m not sure if I can be the real me with them.”
Something stirred inside of January. A lady’s man . Scotty’s words sent an alarm off in her mind. She felt like he was feeding her lines. To make matters worse, the memory of Ariel and her in bed then flashed across her mind for an instant.
Who am I kidding? He’s the one I want.
“I can see why Ariel likes you.”
January snapped out of her beckoning daydream. “Wha-what?”
“I’m a very observant man. I saw the look he gave you at the elevator.” Scotty chuckled.
“There’s nothing going on between us,” January said in an attempt to cover the truth. She didn’t want to compromise Ariel in any way.
Their food arrived. January inhaled when the cheeseburger landed in front of her. It smelled delicious.
Scotty paid no attention to the food before him. “That's good because I wouldn’t want you to become another victim of circumstance.”
“What do you mean?”
“You don’t know Ariel like I do,” Scotty said matter-of-factly.
“Then tell me.” January’s response came out more rapid than she would’ve liked.
Scotty noticed.
January turned to her burger and took a bite. She closed her eyes. It was good. It was the best burger she’d ever tasted. When she opened her eyes, she saw that Scotty was smiling.
“Good huh?”
She nodded. “Uh-huh.”
“Listen, I don’t want to talk about Ariel. It’s just not a good idea, from a business perspective.” He picked up and dipped a French fry in some ketchup, then popped the fry in his mouth. “I’ll just say you’re a temp .”
January’s heart fell. I get it.
They took a couple of bites of their cheeseburgers in silence.
The juicy meal soothed January. She could see
“You’re very beautiful, which I’m sure you know.”
January blushed. “Thank you.”
Their wine arrived and the waiter carefully put the glasses down. “Your food will arrive shortly.”
"Thank you.” Scotty looked at January. “How do you like working at Logis App?”
If January were to give him a straight answer, it would’ve been about the man behind the company and not so much about the work. “Good.”
“Well, I know they pay their employees well.”
“Is that why you want a contract? I heard Mary mention it to Ariel’s assistant.”
Scotty arched an eyebrow. A frown appeared on his face but was quickly replaced by a more neutral expression.
“I shouldn’t have asked that, sorry.”
“No.” Scotty shifted in the chair. “It’s no problem, who doesn’t like to be paid well?” He chuckled.
January took a sip of wine.
He leaned across the table. “I’d like to get to know you.”
January smiled, unsure of what to say in reply.
He cleared his throat in response to her silence. “Well, I guess we have to start somewhere. Tell me about yourself.”
While they talked, January shared a little about her childhood days on an Alabama farm before her family moved to the District. “My dad landed a promotion here in D.C., so the entire family was uprooted. I hated it at the time, but it turned out to be a good thing.”
“So you're a country girl at heart, huh?” Scotty sipped his wine.
January nodded. She felt herself warming up to Scotty. She somehow sensed Ariel and him were competitors, though neither man tried to make it seem obvious.
They probably run in the same circles, so they have to be civil to one another.
She wasn’t sure why Scotty had been popping up at Logis App, but that was between him and Ariel.
Scotty seemed like the type of guy who would easily call her to go see a movie, not just do a fancy lunch. January couldn’t say that about Ariel. He always acted guarded.
“Aside from your beauty, and take this as compliment, I also find your presence refreshing.”
“Compared to the usual women you hang around?” January asked, amused. “What are they like?”
Scotty didn’t miss a beat. “Most are overly made-up, social climbers, always on . I’m not sure if I can be the real me with them.”
Something stirred inside of January. A lady’s man . Scotty’s words sent an alarm off in her mind. She felt like he was feeding her lines. To make matters worse, the memory of Ariel and her in bed then flashed across her mind for an instant.
Who am I kidding? He’s the one I want.
“I can see why Ariel likes you.”
January snapped out of her beckoning daydream. “Wha-what?”
“I’m a very observant man. I saw the look he gave you at the elevator.” Scotty chuckled.
“There’s nothing going on between us,” January said in an attempt to cover the truth. She didn’t want to compromise Ariel in any way.
Their food arrived. January inhaled when the cheeseburger landed in front of her. It smelled delicious.
Scotty paid no attention to the food before him. “That's good because I wouldn’t want you to become another victim of circumstance.”
“What do you mean?”
“You don’t know Ariel like I do,” Scotty said matter-of-factly.
“Then tell me.” January’s response came out more rapid than she would’ve liked.
Scotty noticed.
January turned to her burger and took a bite. She closed her eyes. It was good. It was the best burger she’d ever tasted. When she opened her eyes, she saw that Scotty was smiling.
“Good huh?”
She nodded. “Uh-huh.”
“Listen, I don’t want to talk about Ariel. It’s just not a good idea, from a business perspective.” He picked up and dipped a French fry in some ketchup, then popped the fry in his mouth. “I’ll just say you’re a temp .”
January’s heart fell. I get it.
They took a couple of bites of their cheeseburgers in silence.
The juicy meal soothed January. She could see
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