Frazer stepped back, putting some space between them all. Yup. There was Cora, stepping out from behind Alec to stand next to him, looking as pale and drawn as he did. Was it just Frazer, or were her eyes red-rimmed? Not that it mattered. It wasn’t any of Frazer’s business.

“Hey, Cora!” Frazer pressed her lips together. She needed to dial back the enthusiasm. “So, Mondays. Nice and early. Who doesn’t love that?”

Alec was looking at her like she’d just pulled her pants down in the hallway. I had sex with your wife.

“Yes, well, only time it’s easy to get everyone together at once.” He cleared his throat and pointedly looked at his watch.

They all stepped forward in one happy group and started walking.

His arm brushed hers, and she jerked away, looking into her bag to hide the motion.

I had sex with your wife.

“How was your conference, Alec?” If there was anything Frazer was good at, it was obnoxious conversation to cover her awkward feelings.

“It was good, thank you. How was your weekend?”

Heat crawled over Frazer’s cheeks. She even felt her chest grow warm. She didn’t dare look, but she could bet Cora was staring straight ahead with a face as red as Frazer’s felt. “Um. Quiet. Family lunch.”

I had sex with your wife.

At least that hideous thought made sense in this context.

“Very nice.”

They finally came to a stop outside the conference room.

“Sorry, ladies.” Alec gave them a smile that didn’t quite reach his eyes. “I need some things from my office.”

For the first time in her life, Frazer watched Alec’s back longingly. When he turned the corner, she had to look back to Cora.

Frazer offered a wave. “Hey.”

“Hi.” Cora was looking anywhere but at her face, and Frazer couldn’t blame her. “Alec was sure you’d ask him about the project the second you saw him.”

“I was…distracted.”

Cora’s cheeks grew redder than they already were. “Well, I’ll see you inside.”

Cursing herself, Frazer followed and sat on the opposite side of the room. Which was a ridiculous idea as now she had to resist the urge to look over at her every three seconds.

Perfume invaded her senses, and then the warm body of Tia plopped into the chair next to her. The insane urge to wrap her arms around the woman and sob into her motherly neck nearly overtook her.

“Frazer. I didn’t have time for coffee.”

The sad face Tia made was so overdramatic Frazer almost laughed. “I had two.”

The piercing look was even better. “You,” Tia said, “are horrible. How was your weekend?”

“Same old. Swam. Saw some family.”

“Oh. Exciting.”

Frazer elbowed her. “What did you do, party until five a.m.?”

Fluffing her hair, Tia said, “You don’t know. Maybe I did. Are you nervous?”