Accidentally Amy(4)


“You have…a cat?” she asked in a near-whisper, defeated with the realization that even a dagger through the heart couldn’t protect her if Blake was a cat guy.
“I have two,” he said, and then he grinned.
A dirty grin.
He knew. Somehow he knew he was killing her and her lady parts.
“You’re the worst,” Izzy said, unable to hold in the smile.
“I’m gonna need that number,” he replied, pulling out his phone and waiting.
She barely got out all ten digits before the red phone in the elevator car started ringing.
“We should probably turn this thing back on before the authorities arrive,” he said, his jaw doing a little clench/unclench thing that Izzy felt like she could watch for hours.
“Yeah,” she said, taking a step away from him and touching her lips. “I don’t want to have to answer that phone.”
“Afraid of panicking and screaming evil smile?” He asked as he depressed the emergency stop button.
"Yep." Izzy watched the number display start counting down again as they resumed their descent, and she wondered what he’d do if she reached around him and pressed it again.


    Blake
Blake hit “save” on the spreadsheet and glanced at his watch for the tenth time that hour. It was 5:15, he’d just finished his last meeting, and he needed to wrap up a few things before he could take off for the night. He usually worked late - at least until seven - but he hadn’t been able to focus since running into the girl from Starbucks in the elevator at Incite.
What in the hell were the odds?
The last thing he was looking for was a relationship. He and Skye had just called off their engagement three weeks ago, and he planned on staying single for a long-ass time.
Forever sounded pretty fucking awesome to him at that point.
But there was something about the Starbucks girl. Amy. After so much dishonesty from Skye, so many little white lies that piled up as teasers to her Big Ass Lie, it was refreshing to be around someone who seemed so open. He’d only met her for a total of five minutes, so technically he knew nothing about her, but compared to his just-let-me-explain former fiancé, she felt…real.
And it was kind of blowing his mind.
Blake hated small-talk - and most people in general - yet talking to her had been fun. After they’d gone their separate ways earlier, he’d sent her a quick text, just so she had his number.
Testing 1-2-3.
She’d responded immediately. NOW who’s the bunny boiler? I JUST left the building and you’re already texting. Obsessed much, Joe Goldberg?
He’d stopped walking to reply: Did I mention that one of my cats is blind?
Because the look that had crossed her face in the elevator when he’d said he had cats was fucking golden.
She replied: You are a menace and I should probably block you for that sort of filth. Also, on a random side note, when you call tonight, make sure you have the kitties nearby so I can hear their little meows.
Dammit, he was really looking forward to calling her.
Fucking lunacy, that.
“Knock-knock.”
He looked up and Pam Carson - the HR manager - was leaning into his office.
“Hey, Pam,” he said, hoping this would be quick.
“Hey.” She smiled and said, “Listen, Isabella Shay, our new generalist, started today and I just wanted to introduce you before she goes home. If you have a second.”
“Sure,” he said.
Blake didn’t really give a rat’s ass about the new generalist, if he were being entirely honest. Pam - and the entire HR department – ran like a well-oiled machine. Technically, on the org chart, they were part of his team, but unless something unusual was going on, the HR Director handled everything and he had very little contact with them.
Except when Pam showed up at his door every few months to introduce him to a new-hire.
“Isabella, this is Blake Phillips, one of our AVPs.”
Pam stepped sideways in the doorway and a brunette smiled and raised her hand in a casual wave. He opened his mouth to say nice to meet you, but the girl standing just outside of his office looked exactly like - no, holy shit, it was - Starbucks Amy.
What in the actual hell?
Izzy
“You have got to be kidding.” Izzy knew she was beaming like a toddler looking at an ice cream cone, but what else could she do but grin? Fate was literally throwing this man at her. She said, “You again?”
“This is getting ridiculous.” Blake looked super important, sitting behind the huge desk in the huge office. He was giving her a smile, but that wrinkle was back between his eyebrows.
“Do you two know each other?” Pam asked, smiling inquisitively and swinging her gaze back and forth between the two of them.
“I kind of spilled coffee all over Mr. Phillips at Starbucks this morning.” And also gave him my number. “It’s a shockingly small world.”
Blake leaned back a little in his chair and crossed his arms, looking every inch the executive. A very expensive-looking watch peeked out from under his right cuff. “Pam called you Isabella.”
“Yes…?”
“So I thought you said your name was Amy.”
Awww, crap. She’d been so locked in on the pretty of his face that she’d forgotten all about the stolen coffee. Her face felt warm as she muttered, “Oh. Yeah. So funny thing. I didn’t actually say my name was Amy. I think you made an assumption after seeing my cup.”
She smiled and tried making him laugh with, “You know what happens when you assume.”
He didn’t laugh, and instead asked, “Is Amy your middle name or something?”

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