Free The Singles by Emily Snow Page A

don’t want the complication. I should just concentrate on what I came here to do.” Seeking a temporary reprieve from the Oliver onslaught that I’d brought upon myself, I turned to face her. “What kind of job can you do for August in a week?”
    “The usual.” She shrugged, and I twisted my lips. The usual. When it came to Pen’s job—and her solo side work—she had no problem telling me things she definitely shouldn’t share. Of course, I was the same way. Pen and I had that mutual trust in one another that few people were lucky to find.  The moment she started a job with another person, however, she was tight-lipped. As long as she wasn’t in danger, I never protested. “How’d your drinks with the marketing chick go?”
    “It was ... fun.” Thinking of how easy it had been to talk to Stella, a sincere smile played at my lips
    “Good. That you’re getting in with Margaret’s employees, that is. Is she still going out of town tomorrow?”
    I nodded. “Won’t be back until Friday night.”
    “ Perfect . Gives you time to back up her computer files.” At the look I gave her, she cocked her head. “Don’t make that face at me, Gemma. We’ve been playing dirty thus far, no point in holding back now.”
    “You make it sound so bad.”
    “Quit your bitching.” She opened her mouth to say something else, but every time she started to speak, she stopped herself, flicked her tongue over the center of her lips, and reconsidered her words. “You know, it probably wouldn’t hurt if you said yes.”
    “What?”
    “To the manwhore. Let him take you out in his douchemobile.”
    “His douchemobile?” I threw my head back and laughed. “Last week you were praising the design of the Viper and now it’s a douchemobile?”
    “Yeah, well, I’m also a jealous bitch.” She fisted her dark hair into a ponytail before releasing it to fall around her face. “You go out with him and then you can pick his gorgeous brain about his wonderfully adoring mother.”
    I brushed my finger over a velvety blue petal and jerked my head to either side. “Unwise.”
    “It might be fun. Did you ever think of that?”
    Sniffing, I got off the couch. “ That’s why it’s unwise.” Although I wanted to take one last look at the flowers, I kept my gaze straight ahead as I headed toward the bathroom. “I’m going to take a bath before the pizza gets here.”
    “Take too long and it’ll all be gone,” she warned.
    It wasn’t until I’d settled into the bathtub, and a Rachele Royale song about having loud sex was throbbing in my brain, that I came to terms with something that knocked me a little off my axis.
    I wished Oliver had sent those flowers to me. Gemma , not Lizzie.
    *
    T he next morning, Margaret inundated me the second I set her scalding coffee on her desk. “When did you say you were doing that walkthrough with Natalie?” She didn’t look up from the paperwork strewn in front of her as she pointed to the empty seat opposite her. “Did you make a note on my schedule?”
    I sat down and crossed my legs at the ankle. “Next Tuesday. And I’ve already updated your schedule.”
    Although her attention was pointed down, her frown of disapproval was clear.
    Oh God, here it comes, I thought. Picking a piece of lint off the skirt of my navy fit-and-flare dress, I waited for Margaret’s next request, and sure enough, a few seconds later, she ordered, “Move it to Monday.”
    The possibility of changing the appointment was slim, but I wasn’t about to let Margaret know that. If I was ever going to get anything accomplished, getting on her good side was imperative. “You got it,” I said smoothly. “I’ll have Natalie change the appointment.”
    Her blue eyes lifted to meet mine. “Wonderful. Tuesday will be a full day. I’ll be in meetings with the board all day, and I’ll need you close by to help keep minutes.”
    So much for what Dora had told me about the board meetings not involving me. Using the