Love Behind the Desk

Chapter Four

"Your mom called me," Emily replied with a knowing smile. I couldn’t help but roll my eyes—my mom was always a step ahead.

I thanked everyone for the surprise and headed to the kitchen to grab some water, still trying to calm my racing heart. "I almost had the worst day," I said, taking a sip. "But I thank God it turned around to be the best!" Nate, one of Emily's friends, raised his glass with a grin. "Let’s toast to that, pretty lady," he said. His words made me smile, and I reached for a glass of wine. As our glasses clinked together, I felt myself finally relaxing. I sank into a chair, letting the warmth of the evening settle over me. We chatted casually, the conversation flowing easily as the night went on. Slowly, people began to trickle out, saying their goodbyes as the party wound down.

After the last guest left, Emily sat down beside me, her expression a mix of curiosity and mischief. "You know he likes you, right?" she said, leaning in a little closer. "Who? Nate?" I asked, trying to play it cool. She nodded, a playful smile on her lips. I shrugged nonchalantly, not entirely sure how to feel about that, but Emily’s teasing grin made it clear that she wasn’t about to let it go so easily.

"He’s mentioned you to me," Emily continued. "He wants to get to know you better and see where things might lead." I nodded, taking it all in without saying much.

We settled on a show to watch, and to our surprise, we actually stayed awake through the whole thing. After the episode ended, we exchanged good nights and headed off to bed. The next day, I asked Emily to come with me to shop for new work outfits. We headed to the mall, and before we knew it, hours had flown by. Both of us loved shopping, but this time we were on a mission to find professional attire. After making our rounds, we decided to take a break and stopped for lunch. As we waited for our meal, we chatted about our finds, when suddenly, Nate walked in.

He grabbed his order and was about to leave when he spotted us. With a smile, he came over and greeted us with kisses on the cheek. "What are you guys doing here?" he asked as he made himself comfortable at our table.

Emily, ever the matchmaker, quickly excused herself, leaving me alone with Nate. I was certain she had no real reason to leave, but she knew exactly what she was doing. Nate and I started talking, and before long, we were deep in conversation. He told me about his family, and I shared stories about mine. We spent the afternoon getting to know each other, and when it was time to go, Nate kindly offered to drop me off at home.

As soon as I unlocked the door and stepped inside, I couldn't contain my excitement. I bolted straight to Emily’s room, where she was lounging on her bed, and without hesitation, I leaped onto her, causing her to burst into laughter. "I knew it!" she exclaimed between giggles. "I was going to make you two go on a date eventually, so I figured I might as well speed things up!"

I gave her a mock glare, but her grin was too infectious to resist. "How was it, though?" she asked, her eyes gleaming with curiosity.

I shrugged noncommittally, trying to play it cool, though the butterflies in my stomach hadn’t quite settled yet. I nestled into her bed, making myself comfortable, and as I looked around, I realized this was the first time I’d really taken in her space. It was gorgeous, with soft lighting, carefully chosen decor, and a cozy vibe that made it feel like a sanctuary.

"How come your room is so much more beautiful than mine?" I asked, a bit in awe.

Emily chuckled and rolled her eyes playfully. "Well, for one thing, I actually know a thing or two about interior design," she said, nudging me lightly. "I designed the entire house myself."

My eyes widened in surprise. "Seriously? You did all this?"

She nodded proudly, her smile growing. "Yep. I wanted every room to reflect the person living in it. I just haven’t gotten around to personalizing yours yet. But don’t worry, we can work on that together if you want."

I looked around her room again, noticing the thoughtful touches—the way the colors complemented each other, the art on the walls that seemed to tell a story, the plush rugs that made you want to sink your toes into them. "You’ve got a real talent for this," I admitted, genuinely impressed. "Your room feels like a magazine spread."

Emily grinned, pleased by the compliment. "Thanks. It’s kind of my thing. I love creating spaces that make people feel at home. We’ll turn your room into a place that’s just as beautiful, I promise."

I smiled, touched by her offer. "I’d like that," I said, imagining what my room could look like with Emily’s expert touch. But as I settled back into her bed, the events of the day started to catch up with me, and my thoughts drifted back to my unexpected afternoon with Nate.

Emily noticed the shift in my mood and nudged me again, this time more gently. "You know," she began, her tone softening, "Nate’s a great guy. And from what I saw today, he’s definitely interested in you."

I looked at her, a small smile tugging at the corners of my lips. "Yeah, I got that vibe," I admitted. "He’s really easy to talk to. We had a good time getting to know each other."

Emily’s eyes sparkled with satisfaction. "I knew it," she said, her voice brimming with excitement. "See? I knew you two would hit it off. Sometimes, all it takes is a little nudge in the right direction."

I laughed, feeling a mix of gratitude and amusement. "You’re something else, you know that?"

She winked at me, her playful side shining through. "What can I say? I just want to see my friends happy."

As we settled into a comfortable silence, I realized how lucky I was to have someone like Emily in my life. She not only cared about my happiness but was also willing to go out of her way to make sure I had the best experiences possible. And as I lay there in her beautifully designed room, I couldn’t help but feel excited about what the future might hold, both in my new job and in the budding connection with Nate.

I drifted off to sleep in Emily’s room and woke up to the soft sound of music playing in the background. Groggily, I glanced at the clock—it was 6 a.m. I quietly slipped out of bed, still half-asleep, but knowing I needed to clear my head. I decided a morning run would help, so I quickly got dressed and left the house as quietly as possible.

As I started jogging through the cool morning air, I focused on the rhythm of my steps, trying to shake off the anxiety that had settled in my chest. Today was the day I was expecting the email from Brooks Enterprise. My mind kept racing with thoughts about what role they might offer me. The interview had been so unusual—no real questions about my work experience, just a conversation. The uncertainty of it all left me feeling nervous.

After a good run, I finally made it back home, feeling slightly more at ease. I headed straight into the kitchen, grabbed a bottle of water, and chugged it down in one go. As I set the empty bottle on the counter, I heard Emily's voice behind me.

"What’s going on?" she asked, her tone filled with concern as she studied my expression.

“I’m just anxious about the email from Brooks Enterprise,” I admitted, feeling a bit vulnerable. “I really hope I get a role that I'll enjoy and be good at.”