JONAH
That Thursday evening, at home, I sat down on my bed, deep in thought about Lexi. Three days had passed since I’d met her in my office.
Ever since she’d informed me that Cora was indeed investigating us, I knew I had to do something drastic. I had to ignore Lexi and not let Cora win at her games.
But ever since Lexi left my office so abruptly, I’d had a sense of unease.
I’d been a dick.
I rubbed the back of my neck, guilt washing over me. I’d told myself I was protecting the company by pushing her away. Maybe even protecting her. But I hadn’t protected her from me.
The guilt had been eating at me for days, so I decided to call Dad about it.
In the old days, he’d been generous with advice. And I’d been too stubborn to listen.
Now that I was finally learning to admit he’d gotten a lot of things right, he was retreating into his shell—spending most of the year on his Wyoming ranch, surrounded by bulls, horses, and Cora... instead of me.
I picked up my phone and called him.
“There’s nothing to worry about, son,” Dad reassured me. “Cora was in the area, and she just popped into the building to fix her makeup. That’s all.”
I frowned. “Then how did she know where to find the woman I’d once had dinner with?”
“She knew what?” He sighed. “I’ll take care of it, son. I’ll speak to her, and make sure she doesn’t stir up trouble. You have my word. You just focus on the company, alright?”
I exhaled in relief.
“And son?” Dad asked just as I was about to hang up. “You’ll let me know if you’re seeing someone, won’t you?”
I hesitated. “Why?”
“Well, you need to be happy. Flings are fine, we all need companionship now and then. But when you’re serious about a woman, I hope you find someone who fits into our world. Someone who could stand beside you at charity galas and company functions without embarrassing herself.”
“Of course, Dad.” My heart constricted slightly at the thought of him essentially warning me off Lexi.
But then again, Lexi and I were never going down the serious relationship route. “I’ll keep you posted if I’m seeing anyone seriously. Right now... I’m not.”
“Good, good,” he said, and hung up.
Later that evening, while picking out something to wear for dinner with a friend, a napkin fluttered out of my closet.
I caught it mid-air and frowned, trying to place it. Then it hit me. It was the napkin Lexi had placed on my desk along with my coffee thermos a few days earlier. I’d pocketed it without thinking, too focused on Derek and Miles’ questioning stares to pay attention to what she’d actually left behind.
She’d written something on it in her messy handwriting:
Lexi’s Guide to Workplace Etiquette Training
Don’t touch Jonah’s coffee mug.
It has seen things. Boardroom takedowns, company meltdowns, and me, quietly laughing at Jonah’s very serious expression.
