My inner alarm had not stopped clanging after I watched him work the room at the staff meeting. He seemed to have an excellent rapport with everyone so why had he been so off-putting with me? Was it me? Was I being oversensitive? Was I just insecure because I’d never been in a supervisory position before? Maybe he really was the cool guy he seemed to be. My gut was shaking that off hard. No, there was something not quite right about Carson West, and I wanted to know what it was.

The restaurant offered casual cafeteria-style dining, but I had to admit the chicken Caesar salad was amazing. Also, there was a patio for outside dining. Soph carried her tray and led the way. We found a table in the sun, which felt heavenly, while the cool breeze kept it from being too hot. I took a moment to enjoy the view of Camelback Mountain, and the potted bougainvillea plants with their magenta blooms, which decorated the terrace.

“So let me have it,” Soph said.

“Have what?” I asked. My heart lurched in my chest. Was she asking for my resignation? I’d only been employed for a matter of hours.

“Whatever is bothering you,” she said. She sipped her sweet tea and pointed at me with her fork. “You get that one deep groove in between your brows when you’re overthinking something.”

I resisted the urge to rub my forehead. “Just trying to navigate the office dynamics.”

“What do you think of the setup?” she asked.

I wasn’t sure what to say. I’d been there for only a few hours, but I sensed Sophie’s need for some positive feedback, so I went with vague impressions.

“From what I’ve seen so far, everyone is very talented and enthusiastic,” I said. This was true. I decided this was my moment to ask about Carson, so I went for it. “But I have a question.”

“Shoot,” she said.

“Was Carson in line for my job?”

Soph coughed on the bite of chicken she’d just consumed. She held her napkin to her mouth as she tried to clear her throat. She blinked against the tears that filled her eyes, and she looked at me in confusion. Her voice was gruff when she asked, “Why would you assume that?”

Here’s the thing with Soph. She is a terrible liar, as in the worst ever. And I knew, as her longtime BFF, that her tell was to widen her eyes and tip her head ever so slightly to the right, which she did right now.

“Soph, it’s me,” I said. “It seems pretty clear that Carson thought he was in the running for the job and is not happy about my arrival.”

She leaned forward. Her mouth was a thin, tight line. “Did he say anything to you?”

“Only that he expects my office will be his in six months,” I said.