Drunk In Love (Crushing Hard Series Book 3)

Dear Diary: 24/03/2019

Sunday

Let me tell you about today. Kevin finally found out I work with Scott, and wow, did he make things awkward. We had another team-building event—a late dinner with the company—and we rented this loooong table at a restaurant. Kevin had offered to pick me up afterward, assuming I’d be drinking even though I told him I wouldn’t (for obvious reasons). The restaurant had a small dance floor where Cailin was dancing with Sam, while Richard stared daggers at them from the table. Yesterday, Cailin had asked Richard where things between them were going, and he said they were just having fun. Obviously, that didn’t sit well with her, so she told him the fun was over. Tonight, she was showing him that she could have fun with whoever she wanted, and it was clear Richard wasn’t thrilled about it.

I was sitting with Scott, who was drinking water. He said, “Just in case I need to drive someone home.” We started talking about our dream homes—I don’t even know how that topic came up. I pulled out my phone and showed him the house from This Is 40 as an example of what I’d love, and he nodded, saying that was his kind of dream home too. He liked the homey, lived-in vibe. We were laughing, throwing glances at each other, and it felt like we were in our own little bubble.

Then, Aisha asked me to go with her to the bathroom. The second the door closed, she turned and gave me this look.

“What’s going on between you and Scott?” she asked.

I blinked, completely thrown. “What? Is this why you called me in here? Nothing. We’re just talking.”

“Thandi, when you talk to Scott, you glow. Like, literally glow. Both of you, actually.”

“I do not glow,” I gasped, blushing furiously, but she ignored me and continued.

“It’s like you two can’t keep away from each other. He’s always finding excuses to stop by your desk even though, let’s be real, nothing in his work requires him to. And you go to his desk just as much.” She crossed her arms, looking at me pointedly.

I shifted uncomfortably. “I don’t know what you want me to say, Aisha. Nothing’s happening. We’re just good friends,” I shrugged, trying to sound casual.

“Right,” she said, clearly unconvinced. “Listen, Thandi. From one wife to a wife-to-be. In life, you’ll have silly crushes—it’s normal, doesn’t mean you don’t love your husband. The problem is when the crush is reciprocated. That’s when it’s dangerous. When both of you aren’t in control of your emotions. Do you understand?”

Her words hit me like a punch to the gut. Reciprocated? What did she mean by that? Was she saying Scott had a crush on me too? I wanted to ask, but that would just prove her point. So I bit my tongue. When we left the bathroom, I made a beeline back to Scott—I’d felt anxious being away from him, which only made Aisha’s words echo louder in my head.

Later, Natasha and Felicia made us all pick a name from a hat. You had to say three things you admired about the person whose name you drew. I got Aisha, which was easy—she’s such a boss chick. I talked about her work ethic, her kindness, and how loving she is. She hugged me afterward, and for a moment, I almost forgot about the conversation we’d just had.

Then it was Scott’s turn. When he pulled out the name, his face turned pink—it was kind of adorable, really. He looked up, and our eyes met. My heart dropped. I knew it. I felt my face flush, and I had to force myself to meet his gaze.

“Right, well… I got Thandeka,” he cleared his throat, and there were a few wolf whistles from the IT guys. “Alright, three things I like about you. First, you’re hardworking. You’re always running around, handling whatever Aisha throws at you, and you do it all with that smile. That smile—it’s infectious, honestly. I swear, in meetings, I’m counting down the minutes until I can see it again. And your laugh—you’re always laughing. Every time I look up from my desk, there you are, smiling or laughing, and it makes the day better. You’re just this positive energy, and it makes coming to work worth it.”