LisaTonight is a night I would have chosen to spend away from Roseanne. I need to create a little distance. My train of thought constantly reorients to her, my eyes constantly search for her, my body turns in her direction without me even thinking about it.
It seems I'm attuned to her no matter what I do.
So it tracks that I was both thrilled and devastated when I walked in to Lucy announcing she and Roseanne were playing a game of Monopoly. I tried to leave them to it, but participation wasn't optional. Now I'm stuck spending my downtime trying not to stare at Roseanne Park.
My body doesn't seem to recognize that she is now my employee in an official capacity. But my brain does. My brain is painfully aware that not only is Roseanne Park my best friend's little sister, but she's also someone I can't cross professional boundaries with.
"Oh my god! Another one?"
At the kitchen table, Roseanne rubs her hands together with an evil grin as she places yet another hotel on the Boardwalk. "Listen, little storm cloud, I told you I was good at this game. I always have been. Ask Lisa. I kicked her ass at this game as a teenager."
My lips flatten. "No, you didn't."
"Ha! Yes, I did. It's actually incredible that you became as successful as you are with how truly terrible you are at Monopoly."
"I'm not terrible. I just have different priorities."
Roseanne leans back with a smug look on her face, reminding me that when we're not at work together, it would appear all professional pretenses evaporate.
"Well"-she leans back in her seat while thumbing through the colorful play money in her hands-"from where I'm sitting, it appears your priority is losing."
I scoff and watch Lucy's amused gaze bounce between us.
"It's a board game, not real life. I don't care if I lose fake money as much as you do."
Roseanne stiffens. "What's that supposed to mean?"
As if she senses the shift in our interaction, Lucy tries to run interference. "Well, I'm having a lot of fun watching Rosie clean you out."
I shrug and offer Lucy a wink. "Me too. She's good at it."
Roseanne's eyes narrow at that and she sets her stack of cash down. "Is that some sort of reference to what happened today?"
My brow furrows as I try to follow.
Lucy stands. "I'm getting a snack. Who wants a snack?"
"I'll give it back if you're going to lord it over me, you know."
"What?" I whisper to Roseanne, hearing Lucy rifling through the pantry noisily.
Roseanne matches my dropped voice, but there's anger in her whisper. "The advance. I'm not going to keep it just so you can lord it over me with snide, underhanded comments about me being good at cleaning you out. I have more dignity than that."
Shit. I hadn't given that money a second thought.
"That is not at all what I-"
"Hey, Rosie!" Lucy calls, cutting me off. "Can you come reach this for me?"
With a shake of her head, Roseanne pushes to stand and pads over to the pantry, shoulders taut and her head held high. She's miffed, but it doesn't prevent me from acknowledging how satisfying it is having her here in my house, walking around in bare feet like she's at home.
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Key To Your Heart
Fanfiction"Do we fight, or do we flirt?" *For Mature Readers only. G!P. 18+*