ᴛʜᴇ ʀɪᴠᴀʟꜱ ᴄᴏɴᴛʀᴀᴄᴛ

₀₂₆

𝘞𝘙𝘌𝘕 𝘑𝘈𝘔𝘌𝘚

MY MOTHER IS DEAD AND I'VE never felt as light as I have right now. It's wrong and it's terrible but it's true. It's the truest thing i've ever said.

It's been four or so days since she was buried and I kept that to myself-and Lex. I respected her enough to at least bury her, but I didn't have a funeral or a wake. I don't think anybody would show up anyways.

I walk into work five minutes early and give Gloria my card. She smiles at me and points to something on her desk. It's the framed magazine. She got the picture frame bedazzled.

I take my card back and go up to my office. Rhys has been emailing me like nothing ever happened. Like he hadn't treated me like a grieving girlfriend in his car. A chill runs down my back at the thought.

When I enter the office, I see Rhys standing at the large windows. His back is to me and I get a great view of his back muscles through his white shirt. I walk over to my desk, my heels making my presence known.

A matcha latte with vanilla foam is sitting on my desk, with the addition of a new planner wrapped in a brown ribbon. I could smile.

"You're back." Rhys says from behind me.

"Try not to sound so disappointed, Mr. Moore." I say as I unwrap the planner.

"Never, Miss James." I can hear the smirk in his deep voice.

I flip through the planner. It's perfect. The color, the style, the information slots. Everything.

"We have a meeting tomorrow in Fernando's office about the presentation next week." Rhys says as he sits down in his chair.

"The presentation's the Tuesday?" I ask as I sit down and sip my latte.

"Yes." Rhys starts writing on his papers.

I take that as my cue to start doing my own work. My eyes flick back to the planner. Rhys had gotten that for me, and I imagine him walking into a bookstore and picking it out; taking out his wallet and handing over his card-just like he'd done at the hospital.

The weird, warm feeling sparks in my chest and I half-chug the latte to stop it. It's been happening a lot lately. Like when we were in the hospital and he refused to leave. Or in his car when he'd given me the best hug i've ever been given.

It was in that moment that I realized the warmest place I could be, was in his arms. And it scared me.

__________

I meet Lex at her bakery for lunch. The little bell over the door chimes when I walk in. Lex looks up from the register and smiles at me. I go over to her and she tackles me in a hug.

She doesn't say anything but I know she's saying 'i'm so sorry for your loss but to be fair your mom was a total douche.' And I couldn't agree more.

"How's work?" She asks me. I shrug.

"It's work." I say. Lex laughs and I half smile.

"Oh! I made the perfect thing, I think you'll like. It's a butter roll but I made it a panini. You'll love it." Lex grabs my arm and brings me into her cute little break room.

We eat our paninis as we talk.

"How are you and...friend with benefits?" I take another bite out of my sandwich as Lex rolls her eyes.

"Casual." She throws me a glare.

"Hm. Y'know he's Rhys's roommate?" I watch her expression. It doesn't change.

"Yeah. I think you're forgetting that me and Max are 'friends' before the 'benefits'." She rolls her eyes again. "We talk."

"I'm sure." She kicks me from under the table.

"How are things with you and Handsy?" Lex smirks into her sandwich.

"Handsy." I half joke. Lex stares at me.

"Found your niche have you? Seducing business partners?" Lex raises an eyebrow at me.

"Jealous?" I sip my coffee.

"Nope. I've got my own model to seduce." She smiles. "In a friendly way of course." She hides her smile behind her cup of lemonade.

"Mhm."

____________________