“It’s something else, that’s for sure,” I mutter.
“Dylan better not be being a jerk to you,” she says, wrinkling up her nose, a glare on her face.“Living together is a lot of togetherness, but he better be being nice to you.”
I officially moved in with Dylan and Tessa a few days ago, but it is definitely temporary.I’ve been on the hunt and will find something soon, at least I hope I do or I’m going to be sleeping in my car once the baby comes.
“He’s fine.His typical douche self,” I tease, winking at Tessa.“It’s…” I don’t finish my thought, catching my tongue and wondering if it’s best to just keep the whole thing a secret.It’s already a secret and it’s kind of eating at me keeping it bottled up.
“I can tell something is bothering you, Hannah,” Tessa prompts, “You were so bubbly and excited about the new job and now you’re just…”
“Weird?”I ask filling in the break in her sentence.
“Yeah, I guess weird works.”
“Well, it’s weird, let me tell you.”
“I think you should tell me,” Tessa now says, smirking, knowing I’m about to unload some gossip on her.
“You have to promise not to tell anyone,” I say, an insistence in my voice, my head cocked to the side, waiting for her to acknowledge me.
“Oh, it’s that kind of secret.Got it.My lips are sealed,” She pretends to zip her lips shut, which only adds to the ridiculousness of this situation.
“I kissed Leo,” I blurt out, covering my face with my hands.“Or maybe he kissed me.I don’t know.”
“Leo, your boss?”Tessa asks and I don’t miss the shock in the way she says it.She thinks I’m a complete idiot.
I spent all this time trying to find a new job, to be free of dealing with the bullshit of horrible bosses and now I’m probably going to find myself fired and looking for a new job.
“I swear, this place,” Tessa mutters, shaking her head, a smirk on her face.
“What’s that supposed to mean?”I ask, my curiosity piqued.
“It means that there is something about this place that makes people…” Tessa trails off and again I fill in the gap.
“Stupid?”I comment and Tessa bursts out laughing.
“I was going to say fall in love.”
Whoa, she needs to pump the brakes.No one is falling in love, certainly not me.I don’t fall in love overnight.That’s for dreamers and wishers and hopers.I’m the girl who is just getting by, living with her brother and finally working a job she enjoys.Falling in love is not even on my radar, even if Leo is epically hot and an amazing kisser and I can’t stop wondering what he looks like naked.
“Um, no one is falling in love, Tessa.It was a kiss and I haven’t been laid in a while.”I drag out that last part, widening my eyes to really drive home the point that I’m pretty much a born-again virgin.
“Keep telling yourself that, but once Jack and Lauren get wind—”
“Tessa!”I whisper-shout, looking around to make sure I haven’t drawn attention to us and attempting to control the urge to slap my hand over her mouth.“Jack and Lauren cannot know about this.I need this job and I don’t want them thinking Leo did anything wrong.”
“Good luck with that,” she says, laughing.
“They can’t find out.”
“Oh, but they will, and they will enjoy every second of it.At least Jack will.He thinks he’s some kind of matchmaker, and to be honest, he’s pretty good at it.He knew Dylan and I were hooking up before we even told anyone.”
“Oh my god, Tessa!I’m gonna have to quit my job and go back to that nightmare of a restaurant and beg Roy Langston for my old job back.I can’t do that.I tossed him the double bird and told him I didn’t ever want to see his stupid face again,” I say, basically melting down, everything coming out in a whine-wail combo.
“I think you might be overreacting,” Tessa now says.“It might be a good thing.Leo is pretty hot and just imagine him all sweaty in that hot kitchen, taking his shirt off.”She fans herself, her mouth open in a perfect O shape.
“Tessa, he can’t take his shirt off in the kitchen.There are health and safety regulations, not to mention it’s just not hygienic.He’s very into making sure there’s no cross contamination.Like when I licked my thumb, he told me I needed to wash my hands.”
Tessa is listening intently, but I’m not sure if she realizes I’m serious or if she’s about to make fun of me.Kitchen hygiene is no joke.
