My lips twitched as I recalled how Eve had watched me flirt with the server and then very loudly asked if the hemorrhoid cream I’d been using was helping. The waitress had stared at me wide-eyed and quickly excused herself, stuttering and stumbling in her attempt to leave. Olivia had kicked Eve under the table and Jack had laughed his ass off.
“No. Some of us have grown up jobs and work during the day,” I said, trying to rile her up. Eve was always the most fun when she was all riled, and I’d nearly forgotten about that little stunt she’d pulled with the waitress. “I can’t take off. I’m working through lunch, trying to get everything done before the week of the wedding.”
“Asshole,” she muttered under her breath. “Fine,” she continued, undeterred. “What about tomorrow night after you get off?”
I couldn’t resist.
“How do you know I’ll be getting off tomorrow night?”
Someone cleared their throat at my office door just as she yelled, “Get off work!”
I turned my chair to see my irate boss glaring at me from the doorway.
Fuck.
I closed my eyes, willing this to all be a dream. When I opened them, he was still standing there, arms crossed, and jaw clenched.
Double fuck.
“Tomorrow night is fine. Just text me the details. I gotta go.” I hung up the phone and tossed it onto my desk, trying not to show my fear.
My boss, Ian Campbell, was an over serious perfectionist who wouldn’t know a joke if it hit him in the side of the face. He worked hard and ran a tight ship.
In other words, he killed my vibe.
Maybe he hadn’t heard what I said. Maybe he was standing there with murder in his eyes because he already hated me.
I studied him as I straightened in my chair. Judging by his sullen expression and the tic of his jaw muscle, he definitely heard what I said.
That was unfortunate.
“Mr. O’Connor, would you like to explain why you were on a personal call when I have yet to receive the status reports I’ve been asking you for all week?”
“It won’t happen again, Mr. Campbell,” I apologized, trying to give him the easy smile that warmed over most people. “I’m almost finished with the reports.”
That was a lie.
I had at least another day of reports to go through.
“I’ll have them in your office first thing tomorrow morning,” I promised.
I would have to stay until midnight to finish them in time, but I needed him to not fire me. I was trying desperately to work my way up at Campbell-Hamilton Marketing Group. The clients at CHMG loved me, but the boss... not so much.
I could win most people over with my charm and humor, but not him. Between our opposing personalities and the fact that I’d accidentally hit on his date once, it was a miracle I hadn’t been fired yet.
I was working my ass off to prove myself. Did that mean I had to pucker up and kiss the boss’ ass a little when I’d normally crack a joke and laugh it off? Sure. But you do what you gotta do in the corporate game.
“Good. Get back to work,” he growled, stalking back down the hall.
“Yes, sir,” I muttered under my breath.
I struggled through the rest of the workday. I could get plenty of work done when I was hyperfocused. But today was not one of those days. Especially after Eve had called me and I had a date with her to look forward to.
Okay, so maybe a date was overstating things. It was dinner. A dinner to plan our friends’ bachelor and bachelorette party. But I looked forward to any day that I got to see Eve, which didn’t happen as often as I’d like since she’d iced me out after our first date.
I tried to shake off the memories of that night. My fingers buried inside her. Her taste exploding on my tongue. Being interrupted from taking her home by Nora.
I groaned as I stared at my computer screen. Today was going to be a long ass day.
