Page 5 of From That Moment

“Meeting up with a stranger and then forcing yourself to parade around on a date when you’re starting from scratch? No, that doesn’t sound like a cup of tea to me. And statistics are going to show that there’s not a high success rate.”

“My statistics show there isnosuccess rate,” she said dryly.

“Perhaps, but you’re trying. Though you did pale a bit there. What’s wrong with your date?”

“Oh, they just helped me set it up. It’s tonight. Yay.”

This time, I did wince at her tone. “It can’t be that bad.”

She snorted. “Oh, honey. You have no idea.”

And then I smiled, and she smiled back, and something inside me warmed a bit.

Okay, that was interesting. However, it meant nothing.

After all, we were working together, though I was pretty sure Paris didn’t like me at all. She may be friends with my group, but she was going on a blind date, and I was in a semi-serious relationship.

And Allison wouldn’t like the fact that I had images of Paris in my head. Oh, she wouldn’t have minded in the past, but now that Paris and I were working together? No, that wasn’t about to happen.

“We’ll make this work, Paris.”

“My dating, or what?”

I laughed.

“We’ll make this whole work thing work. I want this job, and you say you’re the best, so let’s prove those who think otherwise wrong.”

“Maybe,” she said softly. “Or perhaps it’s only going to get worse.”

“We’ll make this work,” I repeated.

“I sure hope so. Because I love my job. It’s pretty much the only thing I have.” And with that comment, she walked away, leaving the door open and me standing there wondering what the hell had just happened.

The only thing she had? No, she had more than that. Like I did.

At least, I thought so.

As I looked around my empty office, I wondered what the hell we were going to do. Because I still had a feeling that Paris didn’t like me. Not because I was me, but maybe because I represented everything that sucked in this industry. Or perhaps she really didn’t like me. I didn’t know. But in the end, it wouldn’t matter. Because I was going to prove that I was the best at my job. We were going to finish a fucking amazing project. Then, I was going to leave and go back to my previous position and another project that I loved.

And Paris would just have to deal with that.

I had a contract that I was pretty much going to love as long as I could make this work, a woman that I could maybe see myself with someday, and a family I cared for and loved being with.

My life was on the right track, finally.

What could go wrong?

Chapter 2

Paris

I setmy vodka gimlet down next to my water and smiled at the man in front of me. Was it a smile? Yes, it had to be a smile. It certainly could not be an actual grimace, even though I felt it. Because despite this being my fifth blind date in a matter of six months, I would not grimace at the man who sat across from me.

This one was going to work. I would find something in common with him. I would smile, I would have a wonderful evening and perhaps plan a second date.

This one was not going to end in catastrophic failure.

He licked his lips and grinned at me, but not at my face. No, he was looking at my boobs.