Page 30 of The Sweet Spot

I tried so hard not to blush, mostly because I was terriblewith compliments. “I knew this place was a stage, so I stepped up my game.”

Jill’s blue eyes seemed to see right through that. “Doesn’t hurt that Brandon is pretty hot.”

“Oh, stop,” I said, fighting a losing battle with the flush now heating my whole face and neck. “I see him every day. Why would I dress up for him?”

“If I had to rate guys on the team for overall hotness, he would rank second after Jeremy,” Jill added. “He’s got the looks, the bod, and the brood takes him over the top.”

“What about Ethan?” Tangi said with a mock pout.

“A distant third. I still haven’t forgiven him for screwing up those three years with you.”

“I refuse to objectify the guys,” I said.

“Leave that to me,” Jill said. “What secrets do you know about him?”

She was insufferable. She loved knowing things, although she was good at keeping secrets … most of the time. “If I knew any, I wouldn’t tell you.”

“What’s he look like with no shirt on?”

I gasped a little and nearly choked on a fry. I had to wash it down with some water. “How do you know I’ve seen him with no shirt?”

Jill’s face lit up. “You have! Tell me!”

“No,” I said, suddenly feeling hot all over. Did someone turn up the heat because I was sweating?

Jill narrowed her gaze. “You have a thing for him. It’s obvious. I don’t blame you. Like I said, he ranks number two on the team for overall hotness.”

“I do not have a thing for him!”

“What do you think, Tang?”

Tangi smiled and nodded, but something about the look on her face seemed strained. “I think you’re right.”

“He’s single,” Jill said in a singsong voice. “And you’re single.”

“Would you stop!”

“Ethan would die. Can you imagine the three of us as couples with Brandon being part of that?” Jill said. “He would lose his mind.”

I put up my hand to stop her, trying not to laugh. “He’s my boss. Nothing more.”

“Besides, Wolseley is so not his type.”

The moment the words left Tangi’s lips, a dark cloud fell over the table. Jill and I stared at her, and it took Tangi too many seconds to realize how callous her statement was. The smile on my face vanished in an instant.

“I didn’t mean it that way,” she said, pain etching her face. “I meant that he’s got a type.”

“Keep stepping in it, Tang,” Jill said, unimpressed.

Tangi covered her face with her hands while her words twisted a knife in my gut.

“I really am making a mess of this,” Tangi said. She took a deep breath and looked at me. “Wols, I don’t want you to waste your time on him. I’m only saying this because I don’t want you to get hurt. Getting your hopes up about him isn’t a good idea.”

I suddenly felt anger I’d never felt before directed at Tangi. “Why don’t you tell me specifically what is wrong with me?”

Jill groaned, and Tangi bit her lip. If my friend wanted to spare me future pain, I needed to hear all my deficiencies.

“Nothing is wrong with you,” she said gently. “I haven’t seen his exes, but I think he’d find you maybe a little too quirky.”