Lilli sat slumped on the sofa in the two-story duplex she rented with her roommates and best friends in Boston.

"Give her another shot!" Ainsley chanted.

Rhys tipped the bottle of cheap tequila and filled Lilli's shot glass.

The liquid burned the pain in Lilli's heart. Her throat too, as she coughed. "This is it. I've got shit to do tonight."

Ainsley glared at her. Her voice could wake the dead or drunk. "You're not doing work for the bitch?"

Lilli shook her head. Ann wasn't a bitch. Zach would never go for a bitch. "Remember, I worked for the woman whose picture appears when you google the definition of bitch. I need to post and answer comments."

Rhys licked his lips. "Saucy Jack. Is Zach that irresistible?"

More so, some things couldn't be described with words - his scent, his beauty. An editor would criticize her Office Secrets, because she described him as too perfect. His only blemish was a scare on his wrist. She didn't know the truth about Zach's scar, but it was jagged, so it was probably not from surgery, like her character Jack's only imperfection. She included all the details about his scar in Office Secrets.

Was Ann touching his scar across the table? Were they tasting food off each other's plate?

Lilli had never shared a romantic meal with a lover. Her friends claimed she intimidated men, but she was just one of those girls --- the kind that guys didn't want to see again.

As much as she wanted another shot of the lethal forgetting juice, she had to work in the morning. The thought of seeing Ann after an evening of sex with Zach caused her to want to finish the bottle, but being hung over would make reality more torturous.

Lilli slammed down the shot glass. "Forget Zach! Jack will keep me company."

Pity covered her roommates' faces. They weren't any luckier in love. Both still worked for the publishing company. Ainsley moved on from assistant to promotions specialist, a grown-up job. Rhys had always been in the creative department designing book covers.

Rhys put his arm around Lilli. "Can you create a perfect man for me?"

She gave him a hug. "If only, I'd write one for you too, Ainse. I hope my fingers are connected to my brain."

Stretching to reach behind her for her iPad, she opened the app. She didn't keep Novelpost on her phone. It was her secret life, because the real literary world and fanfiction didn't mix. Ninety-nine plus notifications meant a good day. She scrolled through comments and responded. It took up a lot of time and she should have stopped as her responses became stupid.

A personal message caught her attention. Another solicitation promised publishing greatness. Laughing, she knew the truth about publishing. A good story would go nowhere without the Rhyses and Ainsleys and other people from a real publishing house. Small potatoes got small results.

Lilli muttered to her iPad. "I'll just stick to my loyal readers, thank you."

Ainsley looked up from her laptop. "Another one. I don't trust any of them."

Two hours later, she pressed publish on her next chapter. Stretching her stiff back, she groaned. "Do you think they'll know it sucks?"

Ainsley answered, as all best friends should. "It doesn't suck."

Sighing, she rotated her neck from side to side and in a semicircle. Some fitness expert told her years ago full circles to the back weren't good. It was crazy the lessons that stayed with her, like 'beer before liquor never been sicker'.

"I just don't like Jeff as well as Jack." Her new character, Jeff, was flawed, but her readers loved him. "Why the hell do I pick J names?" Ainsley laughed. "I wasn't trying to be funny."

"Go to bed, Lill."

Bed meant thinking of morning and work. "Oh God, she's out with Zach!"

Rhys took her iPad out of her hands. "Go dream about Jack, love. I'll make sure you're up on time."

Rhys pushed her up the stairs. Some day, they were going to kick her depressed ass out and she would be homeless. Tucked under two blankets and a thick comforter, Lilli looked at Zach's picture on the agency's site before turning on her alarm. Goodnight Jack.

Billie Eilish interrupted her damn dream. Zach, or was it Jack, was telling her something important. "Shit." She didn't dare push snooze. She needed to be early, or at least on time. The first step onto the cold floor was the worst. Wasn't the heat supposed to rise? Not according to her upstairs.

She put on a black skirt. She felt like crap and needed to make up for it by looking good. Throwing three inch slingbacks in her bag, she lifted her shade to look out her window. The street was covered with snow. Snow made the trains slower.

Wearing her less than stylish Bog boots and her down coat, Lilli stepped out into the wintry morning. Snow floated in the grayness as she rushed to the train.

She stepped into Dunkin at eight-twenty and ordered a chocolate croissant for herself and, of course, Ann's coffee. Hopefully, the buttery pastry would cure her hangover. Balancing two coffees like a pro, she stepped into the building and headed for the elevator bank.

The perfect hair, long legs in pressed cuffed pants, and completely gorgeous specimen was waiting for the elevator.

He flashed a smile, the kind that paralyzed her brain cells. "Good morning, Lilli." His eyes glanced at the cardboard cup holder with two styrofoam cups balanced in her hand. "Tell me, do you like Starbucks?"

Lilli froze like a deer in the headlights. He had the familiar earth friendly paper cup with the green queen mermaid with two tails. She should have said yes, but her favorite coffee came from a mom and pop place with a bell over the door and a screen door which slammed when the ocean breeze caught it just right.

Trying to work up some saliva to unstick her tongue, she croaked, "Why does the mermaid have two tails?"

He furrowed his brow and looked down at his cup intently. Zach smiled just as the elevator dinged and the door opened. He motioned for her to go first.

Oh God, my knees are weak.

His strong voice sounded amused. "I have no idea. I never noticed."

She stood in the back and glanced at his beautiful reflection in the shiny chrome door. He looked trendy in his wool pea coat, with a leather messenger bag slung over his shoulder.

She jerked her head when he said, "You never answered my question about Starbucks."

Forcing her brain to function, she answered with the first thing that came to mind. "I like the lattes."

He nodded as if he approved. When the door opened, he stepped out. "See yah."

She almost didn't step out before the doors closed.

Would Ann be in a good mood, too?

She stopped at her desk and put down the drink carrier and her oversized bag. She wiggled Ann's cup out and walked to her office, still in her boots and coat.

"Oh, thank God. Bless you, Lilli," Ann said, nearly grasping for the cup.

"Late night?" She regretted the words the moment they slipped past her lips.

Ann shrugged. "No later than usual. Go get settled and then come back in."

Lilli turned away. Ann's left hand was bare. Maybe it needed to be sized. Her boss was smiling. Like a child trying to avoid punishment, she took her time taking off her coat and boots. As she was slipping into her heels, Zach appeared.

"Hello again," Zach said, his gaze moved over Lilli. "You look taller." Lilli looked down at her shoes and his eyes followed. "Another thing women do better than men."

Ann called from her office. "Zach, I haven't had a chance to talk to Lilli. I would like to tell her first."

Lilli's head was spinning. The tequila convinced her Chelsea had been wrong. How could she be right for once? At least she looked hot the day her dreams died.

"We'll talk to her together," Zach said, before he motioned for Lilli to step into Ann's office ahead of him.

Ann had a grin. Lilli had never seen her smile so large before. Unable to deal with the torture, Lilli forced a smile. "Congratulations."

Ann's smile closed slightly. "You knew."

Lilli nodded. "I heard some rumors."

Her face turned serious. "There were rumors of me being promoted to the New York office?"

Lilli sucked in a lungful of air and shook her head, before trying to recover with a smile.

"Lilli, what was the rumor?"

Ann looked directly at her and she couldn't look, and she felt Zach's eyes on her too. She had always told Ann about the petty rumors flying around, except any having to do with her relationship with Zach. It was heart wrenching to think about, never mind, speak about.

"Yeah, Lilli." The smooth, deep voice encouraged her.

"Your dinner last night. You might..." She finally dared to look at Zach. She wanted to kill Chelsea. "Um... asked her to..."

Zach started laughing a rich, full laugh. "I told you they all thought we were. I should have bet money."

Ann's eyes narrowed. "Zach, it's not funny. Lilli, did you think...?"

She studied her toes and nodded. "You visit behind closed doors every morning."

Zach smiled. "Since I became an agent. Ann has been my mentor."

Lilli's mouth hung slack. Gaining control of her jaw, she looked from one to the other. Zach had sat in one of the upholstery chairs across from Ann's desk. He sat relaxed, with his long legs slightly apart. He wasn't man spreading, but sat with his legs open enough to remind Lilli of his anatomy differences and the last thing she needed to be thinking about was his specific differences. Lilli dropped into the other chair and looked away from the object of her fantasies.

"I've been mentoring Zach to help guide his career. No one starts as an agent."

"Lilli, I was Ann's assistant, just like you," Zach explained. "I know that things sometimes aren't what they seem. I used to sit in your chair."

Lilli snapped her head to look at Zach. "You used to get her Dunkin coffee?"

He nodded. Ann said, "And his replacement could hardly manage the task, then I saw you calm under pressure."

Two years had passed since the morning Ann arrived to meet with Kendall on a day when Bosszilla had been in a harsher mood than usual. She was into her third week with no carbs, but also a production problem had pushed back the release of a book. The problem was an error which slipped past Kendall. She let the book go to print with the author's name spelled wrong on the title page. Ann was the author's agent and found the error in the pre-released copies. Lilli hid behind her monitor when Oliver Sumner announced an entire batch of newly printed books would have to be destroyed.

Ann asked for a meeting to discuss the situation. Kendall went off on Lilli when she brought in lunch, because there were carbs in Ann's wrap. Then she attempted to blame Lilli for her mistake. Lilli hadn't touched the manuscript, because the author was too important. She worked on long shots, like when a fantasy writer experimented with writing a romance.

After witnessing Kendall berating her assistant, Ann stopped at Lilli's desk on her way out.

"I thought you'd have tears." Lilli shook her head, but the salty liquid was threatening to leak. She placed her card on Lilli's desk. "My assistant is leaving. Send me your resume."

Lilli looked around her, but Kendall was too busy yelling into her phone. Lilli shook at the memory, and said, "Me. I'm never calm. I'm flustered right now, wondering why I'm here meeting with you."

Thankfully, she hadn't eaten her croissant. Her stomach felt like Cirque du Soleil was practicing inside. Her father took her family to see them when she was thirteen.

Both laughed. She probably looked green. What did Ann's move mean for her? Zach looked at her with an unnerving smirk. She looked from him to Ann's warm smile.

Ann said, "We're not letting you go, but I assume you aren't interested in moving."

She slowly moved her head from side to side. Zach startled her. "Good!"

Lilli looked at him. Why was he happy? She wouldn't be getting promoted to agent?

Ann's voice drew her attention. "Lilli, Zach has asked for you to be his assistant."

Lilli froze. She couldn't. She could hardly breathe near him. In her story, the one Ann and Zach knew nothing about, her main character, Jillian, was Jack's assistant.

On top of it, the available office wouldn't be hers, and another opening might not come around for years. Finding her voice, her dry mouth said, "Yes, of course."

Ann said, "I think you and Zach will work well together."

She dared to meet Zach's eyes. "Don't worry," he said. "I'm a lot more fun to work for than Ann. Besides, I pulled some strings and got this office."

Ann choked on her coffee, drawing Lilli's attention. "Are you okay?"

She waved away her concern. "Fine. So I leave in three weeks. Lilli, I hate rumors. Let Zach break the news to his assistant."

Lilli murmured, "Then there will be rumors."

Ann exclaimed, "I told you it wasn't Lilli!"

"And I agreed. Why do you think I want her?"

Lilli stood and walked to her desk. She had dreamed of Zach wanting her in a very different way. How could she be his assistant if she couldn't talk to him? She could hardly breathe. She'd be fired or dead within a week.

Poor Lilli. Thanks for your votes 🌟

MERMAID WITH TWO TALES!
(Photo credits: Unsplash.com / Ricko Pan)