"What are you up to today?" Mallory can't stop the smile from spreading on her face as she reads Brandon's text early the following afternoon.
"Not much. Laundry and catching up on my shows. Exciting stuff. Lol What are you doing?"
"Working on a project for work. Needs done, but mostly I don't want to go golfing with my dad. It's too hot. And golf is boring."
She laughs, typing furiously back.
"Never been. But it seems like a snooze fest."
"It is. Trust me. So I have kind of an awkward request."
Mallory feels her smile fade, but tries to joke.
"As long as it doesn't involve golf."
"No lol I hope you don't take this the wrong way, but I was thinking it might be best if we kind of keep things on the down low at work."
"Yah, sure." She hadn't really had time to even think about it. It amuses her that he had.
"Not that I'm like embarrassed to associate with you or something. I just don't think Jeff and Michelle would like it much if they found out something was going on between us."
Well, that pretty much settles it
, Mallory thinks.
So last night wasn't a one-night stand. Good to know.
"Probably not...though I don't know why it should matter."
"Me neither. But you know how they are more than anyone. Plus, I don't feel like listening to Lachland or Bill give me shit, if I'm being totally honest. I'm sure Erika would be even worse."
Oh, Lord. She never had to deal with her much since she was always leaving as Mallory was coming, but she knew Erika, the afternoon waitress, would tease her to no end if she found out she and Brandon were hooking up. She'd probably come right out wanting to know how big his dick is. Hell, that would probably be the first thing out of Erika's mouth.
"You have NO idea," Mallory replied. A few minutes went by. She wasn't sure what else to say, though plenty of things were crossing her mind.
"Thanks for understanding," he finally sent back. This conversation was starting to feel more and more awkward.
"Yah, no problem. Not sure what you were expecting, though. Did you really think I was going to march into work and yell, 'Hey, everyone! Brandon and I had sex this weekend! Twice!' XD" She can't resist razzing him.
"No. Lol Idk what I was thinking. Overthinking things, I guess."
"Like what?" Mallory can't resist. She'd been wanting to know what went on in that big brain of his for so long that the opportunity to finally pick it was too great.
"Lots of things," he replies vaguely. He's not taking the bait.
"Name one," she insists.
A few more minutes go by.
"Like, how I don't regret Saturday for a second. But I wish I would have been more, idk. Romantic? Eased into things?"
Mallory feels her cheeks reddening.
"Don't worry about it. Shit happens. It was the last thing I expected, but I'm glad it happened," she decides to be honest too.
"Also, does that mean there will be more things to ease into? Wow. Did NOT mean that in a perverted way. Lol"
"Lol I knew what you meant. And yah, I'd like to hang out more. If you do, of course."
Mallory can't wipe the stupid smile from her face. She knew she'd promised herself to just have fun the night before, which she had, very much, but deep down she had gotten her hopes up they would be seeing more of each other outside of work. Certainty at last. And she valued certainty more than most.
"I would like that a lot. :)"
"Sounds good. :) See you at work tomorrow."
"See you. Good luck avoiding your dad. Lol"
As they had promised each other, they tried not to act any differently around each other at work the next night. They talked a bit more than usual, but resisted the urge to flirt. No one seemed the wiser.
Brandon's text conversation put her in a good mood all day Sunday and into the next day. But that feeling was quickly dashed when Jeff pulled both of them aside after work that night. They follow him into the office, keeping a respectable distance apart to keep up the charade. They both have a feeling they're about to be caught, though. Why else would their boss just be calling the two of them back?
"There's something I want to show you," Jeff begins and turns toward the computer screen, messing with the mouse. A sinking feeling fills them when they see what's pulled up on the monitor.
"So this is interesting," Jeff clicks the play button, surveillance footage from the outside of the building Saturday night shows Mallory disappearing into Brandon's car. Their boss speeds through the rest of it until the end when she exited his car. He looks at them expectantly, waiting for one of them to defend themselves...or admit they were up to no good.
"Why is that interesting?" Brandon asks.
"What the hell were you doing for an hour in the parking lot?"
"Not what you think we were, evidently." Mallory notices the first hints of color rising in his cheeks. Not from embarrassment, but anger. She hopes to God her face isn't giving them away.
"Well, what am I supposed to think, Brandon?" their boss tries to keep his voice level, collected, but fails miserably. He just comes off sounding snarky and pissed off.
"That we were just talking. Because we were," he answers flatly.
"About what? I hardly ever see you guys talking during work."
"Yah. Because it's work." Brandon is struggling to keep his voice even now too.
"Not that it's any of your business, but I was making sure she was ok after those things you said at the end of the night. I didn't want her driving while she was upset."
That much is true, at least
, Mallory thinks. She's still surprised by how easily Brandon is lying to Jeff's face. He never struck her as a good liar.
Desperate times call for desperate measures, I guess.
