Episode 9: Best Friend

Episode 9: Best Friend

Leslie let out an awkward cough, trying to break the tense atmosphere which surrounded the three of them.

Eddie hadn't even taken the time to spare a glance at her - his eyes were stuck onto the man before him. The genuine confusion of seeing a man in her bedroom was overwhelmed by the unfiltered discomfort of witnessing it all. He rubbed a hand at the nape of his neck as a scoff of disbelief came from him.

Christopher reacted for the first time with an unpleasant raise of his eyebrow.

Noticing the standoff between both men, the woman hopped off the bed skillfully and made it between them. With a forced smile of cheerfulness, she gestured between the two of them.

"Eddie, this is Christopher Wells, my superior for the next couple of months. Mr. Wells meet Eddie. He's my roommate I was telling you about."

Her smile was still painfully etched onto her face even when both of them made no move to acknowledge one another.

"Um..." She feigned a laugh at the displeasure of them not even sharing a handshake. "Okay, I'll be seeing Mr. Wells out now."

"No need." Christopher interrupted her gruffly.

His eyes were following the expanse of Eddie's chest and that was when the woman realized he was harmfully shirtless.

What the hell is he thinking? She couldn't help but wonder at the unreadable look on his face.

Instead of pondering on it, Leslie gave Christopher a weird look at him declining her offer. "What do you mean?"

"What I mean..." He said running a hand over the front of his shirt again and then through his disheveled hair. "Is that I'll see myself to the door while you take the time out to give your roommate here the explanation he's anticipating." Then he did the most un-Christopher like thing she had ever seen him do and left with a sagged pair of shoulders.

What the-

"Care to explain?" Eddie interrupted her train of thoughts.

She shot him an unimpressed look.

"It's not what you think it is."

"Oh, but I think it is," he corrected with a kind of judgement in his tone. "And if I'm right I'll be highly disappointed with not only your lack of control but professionalism."

"I haven't slept with him yet if that's what you're thinking." Leslie snapped out frustratedly at his razor sharp gaze.

They seemed to slice into her the next second. "Yet?!"

Her form stilled at the mistake she made in her choice of words.

She rested a comforting hand on his bare shoulder. "What I meant was..."

He shrugged it off effortlessly upon seeing her sugarcoating tactic from a mile away. "Oh, you meant exactly what you said. Your first initial thought never lies, slip of the tongue or not."

"You know that I've been sick this entire time, Ed. He came over because he was concerned about work. Frankly, the bastard didn't believe if I was lying about being ill or not so he came to check for himself. As you can see, he kind of overstayed his visit but that's only because he took the time out to...see to it that I had eaten and was in a clean surrounding. After that, time seemed to fly and before I knew it I had fallen asleep. I guess he was tired from all the work he's been doing because he fell asleep as well. I wasn't even aware of it until five minutes ago when I woke up. But I swear, nothing happened."

Eddie pointed a threatening finger towards her. "You swear?"

She held up two fingers with a promise. "I swear."

The man released a sigh, finally looking as if he could breath.

Leslie threw her arm around his shoulders without much effort because of her height. "I don't even know why I'm explaining all of this to you. It makes no sense. I'm a grown woman; I can do whatever I want which includes seeing whoever I want."

"You can..." He agreed with a stiff nod. "But only when it's morally acceptable."

She frowned, slapping him across the head. "What the hell do you mean? Why would it be wrong of me to be in a relationship with Christopher?"

"So you're on a first name basis now?"

"Only when I want to," she admittedly unashamed. "Now what do you mean about it being morally wrong of me to see him?"

"Isn't it obvious? He's your boss."

"Technically Mr. Collin is my boss."

Eddie rolled his eyes at her little mind games. "You're his editor. It's not right for you to become too emotionally invested and cross the borders of that professional relationship. I know how you are, Leslie. When you want something you won't stop until you get it. And I'm just trying to stop you from making him your next target before you're even aware of it."

"I know how I am, Ed. No need to remind me. Plus I think it's a little bit too late for that." She whispered the last part to herself but his ears picked up on the mumbling.

"What did you just say?"

She smacked her lips together in annoyance.

"I said if I was to screw around with somebody it wouldn't be somebody as cold as he is. It would take too much work for me to melt an iceberg like him. I'm not interested."

He gave her a look of uncertainty. "Are you sure?"

"I'm sure." The brunette groaned out, making it known that this was her limit to his interrogation for today.

With her hand placed on his back, she began to push him towards her bedroom door. "Now can you please leave? I have to start getting ready for work."

"Work? Already? Are you sure you're okay enough to go back to the office today? You have a meeting with your boss, right?"

"I'm one hundred percent sure. Now can you stop questioning me and clean up the mess you made."

When he took the time to look down at the breakfast he had spilled all over the floor earlier, she took the opportunity to slam the door shut.

He looked from behind it with a sigh, knowing that every time his friend acted like this she had something to hide.

And Eddie knew fully well that it was her affection for that man he couldn't stand the sight of earlier.

Leslie stood with her back against the door protectively as she stared into space.

Christopher had spent the night.

He had stayed by her side as she slept, but more impressively so, it was after singing her a sweet lullaby.

The girl knew she shouldn't be feeling as giddy as she was but it couldn't be helped.

Her head was light and her knees weak at the thought of him being by her side the entire night.

Maybe she wasn't as intolerable in his eyes like he had powerfully declared.

During her act of getting ready to meet the co-owner and a secondary author at Charles & Collins, Leslie had been a chirpy tune the entire time. She couldn't help that she was in a rather swell mood. It had been a challenge to reach on time with the morning traffic which the city offered but she managed just fine. As she walked into the big building, the woman stumbled upon none other than James. The British male had an amicable smile on his face like he always did and his eyes darkened with a flirtatiousness she had gotten used to.

"Leslie, it's been awhile. How have you been holding up with that project with the big man himself?"

She ran a thoughtful hand through her straightened hair. "It hasn't been easy, I'll give you that."

Nothing was ever easy when it came to Christopher.

He gave her an all knowing smile. "Go figure with the temperamental man you're working for but at least he's sure to bring remarkable results. Doesn't knowing that make you feel better about your struggles? You're lending a hand in making history in the literary world after all."

She felt her cheeks draw a sudden sense of heat as she pondered on his words carefully.

"Well if you put it like that..."

His nice and deep laughter came with that comment.

James patted her shoulders affectionately. "You can do it. Good luck, Leslie."

With that, he had disappeared into what was another busy work schedule and she made her way to meet her client for the day.

"Are you sure there's nothing I can do to get the readers more engrossed about the activities of the missing detective? I thought it would make for a good backstory for him."

Leslie gave the mystery and thriller author a look of despondency. "No, I don't think it would be wise of you to do so with the plot not centralizing on his past nor does he play a vital role in any of the crimes committed. He has played his part already and to stretch it out further is boring but more so pointless. Also, you have a word limit that you're working towards, bear that in mind. We don't want you getting sidetracked from the main story here."

The writer released a sigh upon realizing that her editor was right. "I guess what you're saying makes sense."

"I'm glad we could come to some kind of agreement." She smiled.

"You know that I value your opinion a lot, Miss Quinn. You're not one of the best in your fields for no reason."

"Well, I'm just flattered. At least you take the time out to consider or even listen to my point of view in the first place."

Unlike a certain somebody, she thought bitterly.

The woman gave her a grateful look before stating, "I think our session has come to an end."

Leslie snapped out of it and nodded. "Yes, we're finished for today. I'll see you at the same time next week."

The author nodded before packing away her notes and laptop before heading out the meeting room. "Thanks again, Miss Quinn."

The editor was on her way through the door after lagging behind and just as she made it through, her shoulders banged into someone's hard chest. Looking up she saw an unfamiliar face. Attractive but still unfamiliar.

"I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to-"

"It's okay." A voice spoke up from beside him and that was when she noticed Christopher.

"Wait," The guy whom she knocked into said in bewilderment. "Isn't that line reserved for me? I am the one she bumped into after all."

Christopher gave his company an ambiguous look but it sure didn't hold any amused sentiments.

The man coughed rather awkwardly before turning back to the only female present. "As he said, it's no big deal."

Leslie gave him a grateful nod of acknowledgement.

"I'm Noah Taylor by the way," He introduced with his arm outstretched for her to take. "And you are..."

"Leslie Quinn."

"Lovely name. It suits you well." He complimented, eyes lightening up from before.

Then he took a tentative step towards her. "Say, Miss Quinn, do you have anything you're doing this Friday night?"

"Noah." Christopher said tensely from the sidelines.

Her eyes found him curiously but he was too busy glaring at the man who had an aura of mischief surrounding him.

"What? Don't you know her? From the looks of it, it seems you do." He eyed him suspiciously probably for his heavy reaction - maybe for having any at all.

"Miss Quinn is my new editor. She has been working with me for the past month to meet the deadline of a book I've sporadically prioritized."

His acquaintance's eyes seemed to have a newfound spark at that piece of information. "Oh really? That's even better! The more reason to invite you."

"Invite me where?" Leslie spoke up, still out of the loop about things.

Christopher seemingly gave her the side eye for her inquisition.

"To my book release party. I'll be having one this weekend for my new poetry collection. You have to come now that I'm aware of you and my best friend's affinity."

"Wait...poetry?"

Then her eyes widened as she looked him up and down, an awakening reaching her brain. "Noah Taylor? As in the author with the pseudonym N.H. Taylor?"

He grinned.

"Have you heard of me?"

"Are you kidding me?" Leslie couldn't help but sputter in a state of excitement. "You're like my favourite modern day poet! The collection you published last spring, The Time We Spent Walking On Memories, is still read by me every single night. It's absolutely breathtaking. All of your works are."

Under the spotlight, he reacted with witty confidence as he nudged his friend with his arm. "You heard that? I'm your editor's favourite poet."

With a disgruntled sound Christopher gave Leslie an unaffectionate stare. "Don't you have any other work to attend to?"

She pursed her lips. "No."

He blinked.

Noah intervened once more. "Hey, why don't you give me your number? It'll be good to stay in touch. You know, in case you do show up at my book launch. If not, a friend of a friend is one of my own."

Leslie opened her mouth to respond.

"No."

Both heads turned to Christopher in shock at his strict rejection.

Noah laughed, an inspective eye scanning him from head to toe. "For a second there you could've fooled me into thinking I asked for your number."

"Exactly." Leslie agreed, equally as astonished by the former interjection.

With an open look of disregard aimed towards Christopher, his friend dug inside his coat pocket for his phone. "What's that number again?"

Leslie nodded. "Oh, it's-"

"The answer still remains the same." The man interrupted them once more with an icy attitude. "No."

Noah blinked incredulously.

"So I can't get her number?"

"No."

Boy, wasn't that becoming his new favourite word, the woman thought degradingly.

"Why not?" Noah asked with a slight whine in his tone but there appeared to be something else.

The way his eyes took in his best friend's cold and guarded disposition was with an unspeakable goal. As if he was prodding to gain a certain reaction.

Christopher opened his mouth then it closed shut.

Noah raised an eyebrow at that which made him become more prickled.

"Just because." He finally snapped.

Then he walked away without sparing a second glance. Leslie wasn't the least bit surprised by his attitude but his supposed friend seemed to have been.

"Holy shit, Christopher. You're in big trouble." She heard Noah mumble to himself.

"What?"

He gave her a dismissive wave of his hand.

"Don't mind him. I would say he's not usually like this and today is an exception but that would be lying."

She gave him an expression which told everything she has already gathered about Christopher's unfriendly traits.

"But you should really come to my book launching party on Friday."

She was unsure.

For one, they had just met and had no ties to each other and the only thing which could be considered a mutual knot had just cut himself off from them.

"I don't think that's such a good idea."

"Why? Don't you work here? Aren't you an editor? It's an occasion in your field of work. It could be an enlightening experience."

"Yes but-"

"Plus you're not just any editor, you're my best friend's. As I've said earlier, any friend of his is mine as well."

"He doesn't consider me his friend." She said without thinking much.

"Well that wasn't what I saw with the way he reacted to me asking for your number." He smiled slyly.

What? She thought, attention being grabbed away from her low spirits.

"So what do you say? Are you up for it?"

She bit her lip and contemplated.

What if Christopher didn't feel comfortable enough to know she was getting along with his friend?

Though it wasn't her fault he couldn't be sociable like majority of the human race.

Plus Leslie really liked his friend's works so why not?

"Okay."

His eyes lit up. "Really?"

"Yes, really."

"Splendid," he grinned.

"Here's my business card. You can call me for any little details about the upcoming event. I'll be looking forward to hearing from you, Miss Quinn." Noah announced after handing her a small card and headed for the exit.