Her statement stopped the discussion flat and drew their attention. Now she had a real excuse for blushing.
Christina peered over the top of her glasses. “A date?”
“How?” Susan said.
“More to the point, who?” Julia added.
“It had better not be Greg,” Connor said with a trace of disgust. “You’re well rid of him.”
Maggie caught the trace of hurt before his face blanked. “I met him in the elevator this morning,” she said. “He asked me out for dinner, so I said yes.”
Connor scowled. “You didn’t tell him your address or phone number?”
“She’s not stupid,” Julia said. “You didn’t, did you?”
Maggie rolled her eyes. “Credit me with some sense. I’m meeting him at the restaurant.”
“What’s he like?” Christina pushed her glasses up her nose. “Why don’t I meet men in the elevator?” she added before Maggie could answer.
“I was late.” Maggie’s tone was dry. “That’s the secret.”
“In other words, meeting a man is pure luck,” Susan said. “Good to know.”
“I’d better head back to work,” Connor said. “Catch ya later.”
“Connor seems quiet,” Christina said, frowning as he strode away. “He seemed cranky last night too.”
Julia shook her head staring after him. “I don’t know. He used to drop around to see me, even when he was going out with Gwen.”
“I wonder if he’s going out with someone else,” Susan said.
“Don’t look at me,” Maggie said, ignoring the guilt rippling through her. Hopefully they put her flushed cheeks down to discussing her date. “I know nothing, except I need to get back to work.”
“Have fun on your date. We want details tomorrow.” Susan grinned. “If I can’t get lucky at least you can, although I have to tell you I’m starting to get jealous.”
Maggie settled back into work. The phone rang.
“Maggie, it’s Greg. Can you report to my office please?” He hung up before she could ask questions. Irritated, she marched down the hall and into his office.
“Ah, Maggie. I’ve talked to Tanya. You’re going to work with me for the rest of the month.”
“But… I don’t think that’s a good idea. Given our personal history, can’t you get one of the other accounting officers to work with you instead of me?”
“No.” Greg rose and circled his desk. He squatted by her chair and took her face between his hands. “I choose you.”
“What?” She stared at him. “No, I’m dating someone else. We can see each other at work and sometimes work together because we’re both adults. I’m not interested in anything else. We’ve broken up and I don’t want to date you again.” She shot to her feet. “I’ll tell Tanya you changed your mind and one of the others will work with you.”
Greg watched her run from his office. He slammed his office door and stalked around the edge of his desk.
“Damn,” he muttered and kicked his desk. He cursed and slumped into his black leather executive chair. Somehow he had to talk Maggie into going out with him again before the partners’ dinner next month. He didn’t have time to find another woman before the partners voted to decide which of the junior partners would advance to senior status. Hell, his parents liked her, and she was the perfect woman to advance his career.
He wanted that promotion.
“I deserve it, dammit.” Greg picked up his pen and thumped it on his desktop. Thump. Thump.Thump.
A plan.
Think, man. There must be something you can do to get Maggie back onside and keep her there.
