place right now. I don’t think it’s a good time.”
“But maybe someday you’d want that?” he asked. His expression was pitiful, hopeful and distressed and pained all at once.
Kennedy knew that look. She’d felt that way too many times to count. “Maybe someday,” she lied.
He nodded slowly, as if allowing himself to accept the lie. “Yeah, that makes sense. I get it. I do, really.” He smiled and scratched his nose again. “Maybe I should just go. I’ve done enough damage.”
“You haven’t done any damage, Blake.”
“Listen, I want to take you out again. I don’t expect anything, I just really enjoy your company.”
She sighed. “Sure. Of course.”
God, Kennedy, you wimp. Now you’ve gone and given him hope. What is wrong with you?
He started backing towards the door. “Maybe the day after tomorrow? Dinner?”
“Let’s not make any definitive plans right now. I’m tired and not in the right place to think about schedules.”
“Okay,” he said, grinning ruefully. “I’ll take the hint.” He opened the door and made as if to leave, but then stopped again.
Oh God , she thought. Can’t you just leave already?
His voice became husky. “But I will try again, Kennedy. I have to.”
His eyes met hers and she felt a chill run through her. “I hear you,” she said.
“Loud and clear.”
“Talk soon. And sleep well.” He gave one last smile and then left.
***
Kennedy was restless.
She went and got the wine and poured more of the sour tasting stuff into her glass.
She drank a bit more of it, noticing how it tasted better now that Blake was no longer in the room with her.
She checked her cell, a new wave of frustration and disbelief rushing over her, as she saw no new calls. Then she decided to check her work email, just in case.
Why would he email you at work? He knows you’re fired and you have no good reason to log in. You’re probably locked out of the system already.
Kennedy was grateful that she’d decided to finally spring for the extra few bucks to get Wi-Fi in her apartment. Otherwise she wouldn’t have been able to do this, but she’d figured it would be necessary to work from home at times and didn’t want to keep going to the café to do so.
Her hands shook ever so slightly from the rush of adrenaline that flooded through her body as she thought about potentially seeing an email from Easton.
You won’t be able to log in. No way. Big companies are notoriously careful to stop ex-employees from accessing their network.
Except I’m not an ex-employee yet.
You might be. He hasn’t called you yet. That might be because you’ve been fired already.
As she brought up the login screen for the network, she clenched her teeth, typing in her username and password.
“Please,” she muttered. “Please still work.”
And as if by magic, the login was successful and she was able to check her work email. But immediately her hopes were dashed, as she’d gotten no new emails from Easton.
Kennedy took another sip of wine, letting the burning liquid pass down her throat, warming her and giving her another hit of courage.
Okay, so he didn’t try and email me , she thought. No reason he would.
But maybe it’s time that I take things into my own hands. Maybe I still have a card or two left to play.
This time she tried to access Easton’s work calendar. He’d locked her out of it previously, but a devious voice told her that maybe he’d changed it back to allow her access.
And why would he do that?
Stop asking dumb questions , she told herself, her fingers flying over the keyboard as she tried to log into his calendar.
Before, she’d been disallowed.
This time, Easton’s calendar popped up. Kennedy sat back, staring at her monitor.
He gave me my access back , she thought, almost too stunned to continue. But then it occurred to her that Easton Rather never did anything by accident.
If he’d given her access to his personal calendar, that meant he secretly
“But maybe someday you’d want that?” he asked. His expression was pitiful, hopeful and distressed and pained all at once.
Kennedy knew that look. She’d felt that way too many times to count. “Maybe someday,” she lied.
He nodded slowly, as if allowing himself to accept the lie. “Yeah, that makes sense. I get it. I do, really.” He smiled and scratched his nose again. “Maybe I should just go. I’ve done enough damage.”
“You haven’t done any damage, Blake.”
“Listen, I want to take you out again. I don’t expect anything, I just really enjoy your company.”
She sighed. “Sure. Of course.”
God, Kennedy, you wimp. Now you’ve gone and given him hope. What is wrong with you?
He started backing towards the door. “Maybe the day after tomorrow? Dinner?”
“Let’s not make any definitive plans right now. I’m tired and not in the right place to think about schedules.”
“Okay,” he said, grinning ruefully. “I’ll take the hint.” He opened the door and made as if to leave, but then stopped again.
Oh God , she thought. Can’t you just leave already?
His voice became husky. “But I will try again, Kennedy. I have to.”
His eyes met hers and she felt a chill run through her. “I hear you,” she said.
“Loud and clear.”
“Talk soon. And sleep well.” He gave one last smile and then left.
***
Kennedy was restless.
She went and got the wine and poured more of the sour tasting stuff into her glass.
She drank a bit more of it, noticing how it tasted better now that Blake was no longer in the room with her.
She checked her cell, a new wave of frustration and disbelief rushing over her, as she saw no new calls. Then she decided to check her work email, just in case.
Why would he email you at work? He knows you’re fired and you have no good reason to log in. You’re probably locked out of the system already.
Kennedy was grateful that she’d decided to finally spring for the extra few bucks to get Wi-Fi in her apartment. Otherwise she wouldn’t have been able to do this, but she’d figured it would be necessary to work from home at times and didn’t want to keep going to the café to do so.
Her hands shook ever so slightly from the rush of adrenaline that flooded through her body as she thought about potentially seeing an email from Easton.
You won’t be able to log in. No way. Big companies are notoriously careful to stop ex-employees from accessing their network.
Except I’m not an ex-employee yet.
You might be. He hasn’t called you yet. That might be because you’ve been fired already.
As she brought up the login screen for the network, she clenched her teeth, typing in her username and password.
“Please,” she muttered. “Please still work.”
And as if by magic, the login was successful and she was able to check her work email. But immediately her hopes were dashed, as she’d gotten no new emails from Easton.
Kennedy took another sip of wine, letting the burning liquid pass down her throat, warming her and giving her another hit of courage.
Okay, so he didn’t try and email me , she thought. No reason he would.
But maybe it’s time that I take things into my own hands. Maybe I still have a card or two left to play.
This time she tried to access Easton’s work calendar. He’d locked her out of it previously, but a devious voice told her that maybe he’d changed it back to allow her access.
And why would he do that?
Stop asking dumb questions , she told herself, her fingers flying over the keyboard as she tried to log into his calendar.
Before, she’d been disallowed.
This time, Easton’s calendar popped up. Kennedy sat back, staring at her monitor.
He gave me my access back , she thought, almost too stunned to continue. But then it occurred to her that Easton Rather never did anything by accident.
If he’d given her access to his personal calendar, that meant he secretly
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