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[ 4 ] : "HERE IT GOES AGAIN"

This was going to work, it had to. I glanced down the hallway, there weren't many people here this early in the morning. Adele unlocked the door to Alex's office, the sound was both relieving and dreadful. The thought of getting caught was enough to make me want to vomit up my non-existent breakfast.

"It shouldn't take more than fifteen minutes."

"I'll keep watch and run interference if necessary." I really hoped it wasn't necessary. Adele gave me an encouraging smile before disappearing into the office and closing the door behind herself. The emptiness and silence was enough to make my mind run wild. What if Alex was the type to take work home with him and he already read my confession? What face was I supposed to make when we saw each other to not seem suspicious?

My cheeks warmed at the possible scenarios. I shook my head. Come on, Kate! You're a grown adult, there's no reason for you to be afraid. 

Even if he's seen the email, even if he rejected me to my face—I'd survive. He was one guy, there were other fish in the sea. Plus, I was focused on my career, having a relationship with someone right now might only become a distraction.

The energy from my tiny pep talk only lasted for all of two minutes, before the existential dread rose up within me again. I paced back and forth in front of the door, part of me wanting to charge in and confirm everything with my own eyes. This was crazy. I was acting crazy. What the hell had possessed me to do something like this? This was what people called self-sabotage. Over night I turned into my own worst enemy, out to ruin my own life. 

I checked the time on my phone: 7:50am. There was only about ten minutes before the building was going to become a buzz with life. The main workforce usually arrived between eight and eight-thirty. Being the manager of the Mailroom had me coming in shortly after the janitorial staff. The morning and end of the day was the busiest time for the mailroom, and in about an hour, my staff would be making their first rounds of the day. We really were pushing it, but I couldn't complain when this was a favor from a friend.

Out of the corner of my eye I noticed movement. I turned to see a familiar face exiting the elevator. "Shit," I hissed, ducking down and trying to use a nearby cubicle to shield myself. Alex always looked damned good first thing in the morning. But considering the situation this was the first time since I started working here that I didn't want to see him.

I let out a small breath, steeling myself to take a peek. Thankfully, he stopped to share a greeting with a few of his workers and didn't appear to have noticed me. My heart was attempting to vacate my chest via my throat. I ducked back down and waddled to the door, rapping my knuckles against it in what I hoped Adele understood as the signal to hurry up.

The door opened a minute later, she was staring down at me, brows lifting."What are you doing?"

I stood up quickly, cheeks burning. "Nothing. How did it go?"

"It's clear." A flood of relief washed over me, and I nearly crumpled to the floor.

"Let's get out of here."

"Agreed." She stepped out of the room, closing the door.

"Kate!" I spun around at the sound of my name, planting a foced smile onto my face. 

Alex was greeting me with a blinding smile, walking towards us like the hallway was a runway. His eyes were glimmering with merriment under the fluorescent lights. He was rocking a pair of dark denim and a black v-neck, under a gray suit jacket. Not a hair out of place. Seriously, it hurt my pride as much as it fed my soul to gaze upon him directly.

"It's always a pleasure to see you first thing in the morning."

My brain short circuited at the unexpected greeting. Since when did he say more than good morning, thanks, or some variation of that. Wasn't this the most words he had spoken to me?