Faith and Lies (Vera Reid, Reid Family Book #2)

Part 2

"Hello? Vera?" Romy repeated for the third time. Where in the world was this girl's mind? 

For the last half hour, Vera sat there with her eyes wide open just staring blankly at the back wall of the conference room. In front of her, the soup she'd bought had grown cold. She just sat there, holding the spoon but not bothering to take a bite. She wondered if maybe Vera was concerned about one of her clients from the non profit...or worse, maybe there was a problem with the business.

Then she saw the edges of her lips curl upward for a second before she tucked her bottom lip under her teeth. 

"Hey." Romy said, this time balling up a sheet of paper and tossing it at her. The paper missed but it did manage to grab Vera's attention and after blinking for a second, she turned to the paper on the floor before picking it up with a frown. 

"How did you miss? You're sitting right across from me." Vera said with a chuckle, tossing the ball back at her and hitting Romy on the head. Romy ignored the ball that was on the floor now and instead turned back to her salad.

"That's all you have to say?" Romy asked with a shake of her head. "You've been sitting there drooling for the last 30 minutes."

"Oh please..." Vera said as if she were exaggerating. She looked down at her wrist watch, flinching when she saw the time. "wow."

"Right? So... who is it?" Romy asked with a grin. Vera looked up, both brow shooting up for a second before she went back to her food. 

"Who?" Vera asked, taking a bite and frowning. "That's cold."

"It wasn't cold 30 minutes ago." Romy replied, "and you know exactly who I mean."

"I have no idea what you're talking about." Vera replied, looking at her but Romy wasn't budging. 

"Really? That's how it's going to be?" Romy asked.

"How what's going to be?" Vera replied. 

"Come on! It's obvious you were thinking about a guy, okay? That goofy look, the blank stare... the stupid, love struck smile? I know those looks." Romy said, "Trust me."

"You have no idea what you're talking about." Vera insisted. 

"Has he kissed you yet?" Romy teased and Vera turned bright red, making Romy sit up. "Oh god, he has!"

"NO, there has been no kissing!" Vera blurted out. Romy stared at her for a bit before sitting back again. 

"What's he like?" Romy asked, turning back to her food. Vera sighed, remembering the way he'd sat with her. 

"Charming." Vera said simply. 

"Charming?" Romy asked.

"Yes. Charming- like he knows exactly what to say and when to say it." Vera said.

"Those are the ones you have to be the most careful with." Romy replied coolly but Vera shook her head. 

"No." Vera said, "Not him. He just... he can read me. I don't have to explain everything, he just understands."

Romy watched as Vera began to drift off again, completely smitten. This was interesting. She'd never heard Vera talk about a guy before, not like this. Sure, she'd giggled and pointed at the cute boys, talked about how much she loved a certain actor, but Vera had never talked about a boy before. Then again, none of her sisters were the type to talk about boys too much. Except maybe Maru, but that girl was just young and impulsive and crazy about boys. 

"Okay, so he understands you. What else?" Romy asked and Vera turned to her. 

"I... hmmm," Vera replied with a frown.