Page 20 of So Not My Type
“The ride is what he likes. If he actually read all of them, then what? He’d be lost,” her mom continued. “Point is, sometimes it’s about the journey. You love what you do. And you deserve to go on a cruise, if that’s what you want to do. But stressing about the result is not doing you any favors.”
Ah.Okay, maybe she had a point. Sophie dropped her bag at her feet and stared at the front doors to make sure no one she knew was entering. “So, I have a new co-worker, Ella, that I’ve been training in the last couple weeks.”
“Couple weeks? I can’t believe you didn’t tell me this earlier. Wasn’t that one of your big goals? They’re so lucky to have someone as sweet and patient as you to be their trainer.”
Sophie’s throat bobbed with a hard swallow. “Not sure she’d feel like that.”
“Really? Why not?”
Divulging the crappy way she’d been treating Ella made her stomach curl. “I could be better, you know? I haven’t, um, been the nicest.”
The sound of her mom sipping echoed through the phone. “This isn’t like you. You’re nice to everyone.”
“Not her.” Well, she said it, and facing the truth was definitely on the top-ten ick factor list.
“Well, if you don’t like her, I don’t like her, and she must’ve done something to deserve it.”
Did she, though? Sophie pushed a thumb into her temple. Sure, it was hugely unfair how she landed the job and got special treatment. But did anyone really deserve being treated less kindly? “No, she’s actually pretty cool. Really smart. She went to UW, and even took some grad classes at Stanford.”
“Ah. She’s one of those.”
Sophie winced at the remark. What would her mom say if she found out that Ella was the CEO’s daughter? “I mean, she’s a super hard worker.”
“No one is a harder worker than you.” Her mom’s tone had a defiant snap. “You get that work ethic from your dad, you know.”
“He’d say I got it from you.” She grinned through the words, engaging in the familiar bragging-rights ritual of who passed along the long lineage of working yourself to the bone. It was always a compliment—her parents acknowledging her hustle.
The door swung open, and she jutted her head at a woman who worked in a different office.
“Hey, Mom, gotta run. Love you.”
“Love you, kiddo! Come see us soon, we miss you.”
The office was quiet. All week she’d arrived early to monitor the demonic thirst trap, but today she was looking for some time to herself. After tossing back the rest of the Sugar Mugs coffee, she needed a second cup. The motion sensor lights kicked on in the breakroom, the leftover lemon and bleach scent of the night cleaning crew lingered. Her shoulders softened. She enjoyed the quiet, with nothing but the hum of the refrigerator and the faint murmur of the city street twenty floors below.
She tapped the espresso into the filter and clicked it, the screech of pressurized water pushing over the beans. Two pumps vanilla, a bucket of cream, an extra packet of raw sugar, and she moved to the large window. The city bloomed alivebelow. Bike riders zigzagged on the bike lane, cars filled the road back-to-back, commuters speed-walked to their respective builds. All she needed was five minutes of silent bliss and she could?—
“Good morning.” The brisk, smile-less voice accompanied a brisker, heels-against-hardwood walk as Ella made her way to the refrigerator.
Sophie’s neck grew tight. Peaceful moment—gone. “Morning.”
Ella looked softer today somehow, wearing black jeans, flats, and a deep purple puff sweater. Purple was definitely a good color on her, showcasing the soft pink that highlighted her cheekbones.The fact that she’s looking for a hookup.Sophie shook her head. Her face burned. She needed to stop, focus, and slow these swirling thoughts. Ella was fresh blood. That was all. Sophie didn’t evenlikeher.
Try and be nice.It was Thursday, after all. Only one more day before a weekend of sleeping, streaming, and sapphic-novel reading.
Ella bent over and Sophie just so happened to catch the curve of a particularly juicy ass perked up in the air as she wiggled to dig out a sparkling water from the drawer. Who knew?Stop!She snapped her gaze to the ceiling, then her cup, then decided it’d be safer to turn around completely. Dear God. She needed to shake that sultry image from the dating app. Sophie knew this personal secret about Ella, but she and Ella were colleagues. Knowing Ella was looking for a hookup didn’t feel right.
And it shouldn’t feel this good, either.
EIGHT
ELLA
Come on! For everything that is holy and good in this world, please, please give me a win.Ella focused on the instant message screen with so much intensity she was sure her eyeballs were going to split in half. The bubbles appeared, and she stopped breathing.
TM:
Sure. I can make 2:30 work.