Warmth blossomed in Cora’s chest. Maybe this wouldn’t be so terrible.

Arms on the desk in front of her, Frazer asked, “What other ideas do you have in there? We can get this new proposal off to Alec in the next hour.”

CHAPTER FOUR

The bar was warm and bustling, inviting, with its worn, leather seats smothered by the low buzz of conversation. The taste of opportunity was on Frazer’s tongue as she led the way, her date pressed close behind. Her date. Not something she was incredibly thrilled about, but her stupid friends had left her no choice. Worse, when Frazer had asked Lauren out, she’d only been available that night, rather than the Friday Frazer had proposed.

A quick nod at the bartender was returned with a wink when he caught sight of Lauren next to her. Without a word, two white wines were put down in front of them.

Apparently, his memory went back years.

Glass aloft, Frazer held Lauren’s gaze as she mimicked the gesture, the clink lost in the overall hum of the room.

“I’m so glad we’re finally doing this.”

“Me too, Lauren.” The lie rolled off her tongue easily.

Damn her friends.

“I thought you were never going to ask me.”

In place of any substantive answer, Frazer merely offered a shrug and a grin.

Here was what had become of her promise to never date at work again. After the last incident that had led to her hiding in a supply closet on and off for weeks to avoid her ex, she’d promised herself not to use the hospital’s staff as her personal dating pool. And now Frazer was kicking herself because not only had she failed at her own resolution, she just wanted to go home and watch Netflix and chill—alone.

But then the image of an Internet Loves profile sliced into her mind, the photo most likely the scariest one Jemma and Andy could find. Maybe the one in which Frazer was wearing all denim. A disaster. “Lesbian too attached to fish tank in need of loving” or some other hideous caption. Frazer swallowed heavily.

Lauren’s eyes were intent on her, keen. She was talking about something that involved a lot of hand gestures.

Nodding, not really hearing a word, Frazer pressed her lips together and tried to appear interested. Poor Lauren. If only she knew Frazer was here because her name was the first one she could offer up to save herself.

So, maybe, since Frazer was only here after being threatened, this was more like bending the rules, not breaking them.

That didn’t help.

She’d still rather be elsewhere.

They pushed past bodies and managed to find a booth in the corner. This part had always been awkward. The part where you’d moved from openly flirting to seeing where it could take you. Between them, the silence soon filled with meaningless chatter. Even as she managed to nod agreeably at the woman she’d been dancing around for months, Frazer’s mind wandered.