Alexa shrugged. “It’s your call. Personally, I’d let him stand out there just to teach him a lesson about showing up uninvited, but that’s me. If we do go, however, we should try to stay out of sight. If someone spots us, it won’t be easy to explain.”

“Thank you,” Zack said seriously. Knowing Alexa had his back made him feel safer, and not just because he’d watched her make a man cry before.

Zack typed a response and hit Send: Be right there.

He grabbed Alexa by the hand and dragged her from the room without explanation.

“Zack, where are we going?”

“Just follow me.” Zack marched over to a table by the side door that was always covered with company memos and procedural pamphlets. He pretended to sort through them and gave the office a perfunctory glance. The crowd by the window had dispersed. No one was looking their way.

“Now’s our chance,” Zack said. “Let’s go.” He darted out the door, and Alexa followed. They descended the stairs in a flurry and opened the single door on that side of the building.

Alexa stopped him once they got outside. “If we walk up to him, people will see us.”

“I’ll have him come to us,” Zack answered. “Out of view of the windows.” He pulled out his phone. We’re around the corner to your left.

A wave of anxiety swept over him as soon as the text sent. Not only could he get fired for this, but Alexa could get fired too, and he was about to see John again. He didn’t have butterflies in his stomach so much as irate pterodactyls.

Zack looked at Alexa out of the corner of his eye. Her expression was blank, but he could see tension in the line of her shoulders. He really hoped he wasn’t putting her at risk.

“We should start walking that way,” Zack said. She nodded and trotted after him. When they reached the corner, Zack poked his head around. John was still there, but he had a phone in his hand and was staring at it intently. Then he looked up and locked eyes with Zack.

An earthquake couldn’t have uprooted him from that spot.

Alexa popped her head around the corner too. “Is he coming over?”

Zack swallowed. “Yeah.”

“He’s hot.”

“I’m painfully aware of that.”

John started to walk their way, and they simultaneously yanked their heads back.

Alexa scrunched her nose. “Now or never, kiddo.”

Zack wiped his brow and looked up at the building. “Are we safe? There aren’t any windows on this side, so I don’t think anyone can see us. But still. Maybe this isn’t such a good idea.”

“Oh, for the love of—” Alexa poked her head back around the corner and shouted, “Oi! Blondie! Hurry up before he spooks!”