Watson Enterprises. 3pm.
Honey sat at her desk outside Keifer's office, organizing files. She was good at her job. The best, actually. Keifer trusted her with everything.
Which is why she knew he was losing his mind over Jay.
She smiled to herself. Her cold, serious boss, sending flowers? Writing notes? Pining?
Love was funny.
Her phone buzzed.
Percy: Guess who just closed a huge deal?
Honey: You?
Percy: Obviously. But guess who helped?
Honey: Your ego?
Percy: Ouch. Also yes. But mostly my handsome face and charming personality.
Honey laughed. This guy.
They'd been texting for weeks now. It started when Percy needed some documents from Watson Enterprises. Honey helped him. He thanked her. She said no problem. He asked if she wanted coffee sometime.
She said yes.
Now they texted all day. About work. About life. About their insane bosses.
Honey: So you're saying the deal closed because you're handsome?
Percy: Obviously. People trust handsome people.
Honey: Then why didn't my last boss trust me?
Percy: Was he blind?
Honey felt her cheeks warm.
Percy: Because you're very pretty, Honey. Just saying.
Honey: You're very forward, Percy.
Percy: I'm very honest.
She bit her lip, smiling.
Keifer's door opened. He walked out, saw her face, and stopped.
"Why are you smiling like that?"
Honey straightened up. "No reason, sir."
"You're texting him again."
"I don't know what you're talking about."
Keifer stared at her. "You're blushing."
"I'm warm."
"It's freezing in here."
Honey gave up. "Fine. Yes. I'm texting Percy. Happy?"
Keifer's expression didn't change. "Is he... good to you?"
Honey blinked. "What?"
"I need to know. If he's going to be around, I need to know if he's good. To you."
Honey's heart melted a little. Her boss. The ice king. Worrying about her.
"He's annoying," she said. "And he brags a lot. But he's... nice. Really nice."
Keifer nodded once. "Good. Tell him if he hurts you, I'll ruin his family's company."
"That's... sweet?"
"It's business."
He walked toward the elevator. Then stopped.
"Also. Does Jay talk about me?"
Honey grinned. "All the time, sir."
He didn't turn around. But she saw his shoulders relax. Just a little.
The elevator doors closed.
Honey grabbed her phone.
Honey: Your boss just threatened to ruin your family's company if you hurt me.
Percy: Wait WHAT.
Honey: It was sweet actually.
Percy: SWEET? He threatened my FAMILY.
Honey: He was protecting me. It was romantic.
Percy: I protect you. I'm romantic. I brought you coffee last week.
Honey: You brought coffee for yourself and gave me one sip.
Percy: That's sharing. Very romantic.
Honey laughed out loud.
Later that night, Percy showed up at Watson Enterprises.
Honey was just finishing up. She looked up and saw him leaning against the wall, trying to look cool.
"What are you doing here?"
He held up a coffee cup. "Brought you this. The whole thing this time."
She took it, suspicious. "Why?"
He shrugged. "Wanted to see you. Also wanted to see if your boss was here so I could glare at him."
"He's gone."
"Good." Percy smiled. "Then it's just us."
Honey rolled her eyes. But she smiled too.
They walked out together. The city lights were bright. The air was cold.
"I can't believe he threatened me," Percy said. "I'm very likeable."
"You're very something."
He grinned. "That's the nicest thing you've ever said to me."
"It's the only thing I've said to you."
"And it was nice."
Honey stopped walking. "Percy. Why do you text me all day?"
He stopped too. Turned to face her. "Because I like you. Obviously."
"Obviously?"
He stepped closer. "Yeah. Obviously. You're smart. You're pretty. You put up with my boss and my sister. That's basically a superhero."
Honey laughed. "Your sister isn't that bad."
"She's a nightmare. But she's my nightmare." He paused. "You could be... my daytime. If you want."
Honey stared at him. "Did you just... poetry?"
"I tried. Was it bad?"
"Terrible."
"But?"
She smiled. "But cute."
Percy grinned like he'd won something.
"Can I walk you home?" he asked.
"You already are."
"I mean. Can I walk you home every night?"
Honey's heart skipped.
"Yeah," she said quietly. "You can."
They kept walking. Side by side. Close enough that their hands brushed.
Neither pulled away.
Back at the Mariano house, Percy walked in smiling like an idiot.
Jay was on the couch, watching TV. She looked at him.
"Why do you look like that?"
"Like what?"
"Like a dog who found a new toy."
Percy sat down, still grinning. "Honey called me cute."
Jay stared. "That's it? She called you cute and you're floating?"
"She also let me walk her home."
"Okay?"
"And we're going to do it again tomorrow."
"Percy. That's called walking. It's not a relationship."
"It's a START."
Jay shook her head. But she smiled. "You're pathetic."
"I'm in love."
"You've known her for like a month."
"Love doesn't care about time."
Jay threw a pillow at him. He caught it, still grinning.
"One day," he said, "you'll get it. You'll meet someone who makes you smile like this. And I'll be there to throw pillows at YOU."
Jay's smile faded a little.
She thought of Keifer. His cold eyes. His stupid flowers. His text: I like it too much. That's the problem.
"I already met someone," she said quietly.
Percy's grin disappeared. "Wait. What? Who?"
"No one. Never mind."
"JAY. Who?"
She grabbed the remote. "Drop it, Percy."
"Was it Keifer? Oh my god, it was Keifer. HONEY WAS RIGHT."
"Percy!"
"He likes you too! Honey said he's obsessed!"
Jay's head snapped toward him. "She said what?"
Percy realized he'd said too much. "Uh. Nothing. Forget it."
"PERCY."
"I have to go."
He ran.
Jay threw another pillow. It missed.
But her heart was racing.
He's obsessed?
She grabbed her phone. Stared at his last message. Read it again.
I like it too much. That's the problem.
"What does that even mean?" she whispered.
Her phone buzzed. She almost dropped it.
Keifer: Tell your brother to stop texting my secretary. It's distracting.
Jay blinked. Then laughed.
Jay: Tell your secretary to stop being so likeable.
Keifer: She works for me. I can't control her feelings.
Jay: So you admit she has feelings for him?
Keifer: I admit nothing.
Jay: Typical.
Keifer: Why are you awake?
Jay: Why are YOU awake?
Keifer: Work.
Jay: Liar.
Keifer: Fine. Thinking.
Jay: About?
Three dots. Then nothing. Then:
Keifer: You.
Jay's thumb hovered over the screen.
She didn't know what to say.
So she typed the truth.
Jay: Me too. Annoying, right?
Keifer: The most annoying thing ever.
Jay: Goodnight, Keifer.
Keifer: Goodnight, Jay.
She put the phone down. Stared at the ceiling.
Her heart was loud in her ears.
This is fine, she told herself. We still hate each other.
Right?
The phone buzzed one more time.
Keifer: For the record. I still don't like what I see.
Keifer: I like it too much.
Keifer: That's still the problem.
Jay smiled in the dark.
She didn't reply.
But she saved the messages.