Heartthrob ✓

twenty three

T W E N T Y - T H R E E

I THINK YOU KNOW.

That was the text that Luke had sent Elijah. Four simple words, four thousand complex ways for them to be interpreted. They were completely unraveling me the next day at work, my mind exploding to dust every time I tried to comprehend what Luke had meant by his words. It was none of my business, but with so many implications behind it, my mind couldn't help but think that maybe he might actually still like me.

He had left no stone unturned the last time we spoke, but that meant that he was making himself content with the idea of not having me. And back then, maybe I was content with it too, but who knew now at this point? All I knew was that it was bothering me more than it should have.

It was bothering me now at work as I sat at my desk, clicking the catch of my pen incessantly in an attempt to distract myself from thinking about it. It surely didn't work, but once I had started, I just couldn't stop. Luke was somehow getting back his hold on me - maybe not in the way I was wound over Ashton, but it was close enough.

"Fiona," Nolan said, making me finally register that he was standing behind me. "What are you doing? You're supposed to be working on finding someone to fill in for my job."

His words snapped me from my reverie and into reality, which caused me to look up at the screen of my computer. Of course, I still had my 'Ashton Baldwin gay' web search still up instead of the resume program that I should've had opened. And of course, Nolan had seen it because the look in his eyes said it all: he was judging the hell out of me.

I mentally cursed Elijah for dragging me out before I could close out my search and spun around in my chair to face Nolan. "It's not what it looks like, I swear!"

I felt the curious eyes of several people on my floor swivel their focus on me, making me blush a deep red.

Nolan didn't look too convinced. "Well the first time I met you was when you walked into the men's bathroom, so I'm surprised by how surprised I am that you're a pervert. You just seemed so nice and innocent."

I groaned. This one definitely wouldn't be easy to get out of, especially since I wasn't familiar with Nolan. I had no idea if he was serious or not and that was what scared me.

"Mr. Abernathy, is everything okay," I heard Dana say when she approached aside me. She was terribly good at keeping a poker face because I knew that she already knew what happened and she was taking great pleasure in embarrassing me further. I needed something on her, Eric, and Elijah - and I needed it quick since all the jokes seemed to be played on me.

"Why are you even here?" I asked her through my teeth.

"Better question," she singsonged, "why are you using your work computer inappropriately?"

"Alright, wrap it up, ladies," Nolan said and at that, I just knew I couldn't help it.

"Unlike you did," I muttered but not-so-much under my breath by the way Nolan's face reddened. I had definitely hit a nerve joking about his unplanned pregnancy, but it's not like he wasn't asking for it. And when I had dirt on everyone else, there would be hell to pay.

-

OF COURSE, I HAD TO PAY FIRST.