Free Fated to be Mine by Jodie Larson

will be needed prior to Andrew’s arrival. Sadness sweeps over me as I realize this will be the last thing I do before I leave this project and never have to work next to Andrew again.
    Chris’s booming voice brings me out of my melancholy as we say our goodbyes. Risking a glance, I lock eyes with Andrew and he smiles at me. And not the forced smile he was giving before. A genuine smile. My favorite smile. The one reserved only for me. Andrew mouths something to me, but I can’t quite make it out. My brows furrow and confusion clouds my face as I shake my head. And then the call ends. The screen goes blank and yet Andrew is still sitting there in my mind’s eye, smiling at me. I turn to Kara and glower at her.
    “Okay, explain to me why I needed to be here for that? I know it wasn’t for my superior note taking skills, as you so kindly put it.” The loud thumping of my pen against the paper causes a laugh to bubble up from Kara’s throat.
    “I figured you needed a little push. Don’t hate me because I’m right.”
    I lean across her body to catch Chris’s gaze. He, too, gives me the same not-so-apologizing grin as Kara. Great, they’re both plotting against me. I do not stand a chance at this point.
    “You need to do something with her. Her matchmaker skills need to be tamped down a touch.”
    He shakes his head and laughs. “You think I can control her? I’ve been trying for years. You know how stubborn she is. Once she has her mind set on something it’s hard to convince her otherwise.” I groan loudly and put my head on my folded arms on top of the table. The muffled sound of their laughter is not welcome as I lay here and wallow.
    He looked so broken, so sad. The light that is usually in his eyes wasn’t there. They seemed almost dull and lifeless; missing the spark that had drawn me in the first time I saw them. Am I really the cause of his pain, just as he’s the cause of mine? No, I caused this pain all on my own, first with my stupidity of falling in love with him and second with voicing that same stupidity to him.
    Somehow I gather my strength and pull away from the table, standing to my full height. Kara and Chris are whispering to each other, giving loving caresses before having to go back to the public eye of the office.
    “Well, if you two are quite done meddling in my life I think I’ll head back to my desk and get to work on this new task.” I glance down at my watch and note the time. “Are we still doing lunch at noon?” I ask, turning in the doorway.
    Kara nods and wraps her arms around Chris’s waist. “Yep, I think Thai sounds good,” she says in answer to my question but never once taking her eyes off of Chris. “How about you, hot stuff? Care to partake in some pleasant female companionship during the noon hour?” It’s almost obscene the way she’s batting her eyes and running her tongue over her teeth at him. Just short of stripping down to her garters and bra, although I wouldn’t put it past her. I know she’s done it before.
    Chris leans down and kisses the tip of her nose before grabbing her ass and squeezing hard. “I will pass on lunch with you two. However, I am expecting dessert later.” Kara cups his face, gently pressing her lips to his.
    “Fine. Have it your way.”
    “I always do.”
    “Come on, Tessa. I think the special today is Cream of Some Young Guy. And you know I’m all over that.” She casually tosses her arm over my shoulder as Chris stands there, mouth gaping as we laugh down the hallway.
    I glance over at her and roll my eyes. “You are so going to get it later for that comment.”
    Kara wipes a tear from the corner of her eye. “I know, but it’ll be worth it.”
    I leave her at her office and slide into my chair. Andrew’s distraught face still haunts my mind as I try to make sense of this new situation. Kara’s previous words also float in my head from before. Should I listen to my head or my heart?
    The text message alert draws me