I mean, I didn't want him to say he was keeping me, but at least that would've meant he liked me a little.

But he denied it so quickly.

I looked up at him, and he was looking right at me.

Our eyes locked, and he said, emphasizing each word: "It's not 'keeping.' I'm her boyfriend."

It hit everyone like a bolt from the blue. All eyes were bouncing between me and Noah.

I was floored, couldn't make heads or tails of Noah's game plan. Even if he'd said I was Happy's pooper scooper, it wouldn't have been this mind-blowing.

Noah went back to flipping through his papers, cool as a cucumber: "We're not gonna hash out my relationship with Amy here. Let's move on to the next item."

What next item? The meeting wrapped up lickety-split.

Everyone was itching to bolt and spread the juicy gossip.

Jessica got marched to HR one last time to sign her walking papers.

Her pink slip said: "Violated company ethics code. Do not rehire. Ever."

This time, she really had to hit the road back to her hometown.

I stumbled back to my desk, still in a daze.

Coworkers came in droves to congratulate me, begging Mrs. Black to let bygones be bygones and look out for them.

It took me a hot second to realize they were calling ME Mrs. Black!

Noah said he's my boyfriend?

Hold up, who's his girlfriend?

Suddenly, everyone clammed up. I looked up to see Noah heading my way.

With everyone gawking, he grabbed my bag, took my hand, and said, "Ready to head home?"

It wasn't until we were in the car that it finally clicked.

"Noah, you flipped the script on them! First admitting the car's yours, then dropping the bomb about us. So when I quit, we'd naturally split up."

"That way, we both save face."

"Brilliant, absolutely brilliant!"

Noah side-eyed me. "What's so brilliant?"

At a red light, he turned to glare at me again. "What quitting? What breaking up?"

"What's going on in that head of yours?"

He fished out the car registration and plopped it in my lap: "This is your ride from now on."

"Huh? Why's my name on it?"