“Why not?
“Didn’t she just have a baby? She probably wants to spend some time with it.”
Grant squints at me. “She told you that?”
“No. Larry did.”
“Apparently Larry doesn’t have enough things to do.”
I say nothing. Knowing Grant’s vindictive pettiness, Larry won’t be going home until three for a while.
“I couldn’t do that even if I wanted to. Amy specifically does not want any special treatment.”
Amy’s a better woman than me, because I would’ve used whatever I could to avoid running. But then, I know how awful it is. She probably doesn’t.
“Also, it isn’t your job to speak to me on Larry’s behalf. You work for me,” he says.
“Sure.” I say it to humor him. Who knows what’s going to trigger his next explosion?
“Besides, if you dressed better, maybe Larry wouldn’t have been such a dick. He is shallow and judges people by the way they dress.”
Oh, this again.
“You look like shit. Frumpy. Just awful.”
Wow. He’s extra grouchy today. “Thank you, Grant. That’s exactly what every employee wants to hear from their boss. When HR updates its manual to indicate how much I ought to spend on my wardrobe, I’ll get right on clothes shopping. Until then…”Fuck you, fuck you, fuck you.
“We’ve neverhadto make it a policy because people here just don’t dress the way you do. Homeless people wear better clothes.”
“I’m impressed you’re such an expert on homeless fashion. Who would’ve known, given the billions in your bank account?”
My sarcasm flies right over his head. “I don’t keep my money in a bank account. That would be stupid,” he says.
“So is stuffing your mattress. Anyway, if you’re done being a snob, I have real work to do.”
“You mean the workI’veassigned you?”
What wouldn’t I do to wipe that superior expression off his face! But before I can fire off a response, the door to his office bursts open and a lithe redhead barges in. She’s in a skintight white dress that leavesnothingto the imagination—I think I can see her nipples—and her bright hair swirls like flames around her stunning face. A cloud of expensive perfume follows her as she comes in.
“Yvette?” he mutters, rising to his feet.
Oh. Sothisis the woman with two hearts after her name? I take another look. She definitely has the body to deserve those hearts.
“I’m so glad we cleared up our misunderstanding,” she says breathlessly. “I knew you’d realize you’d made a mistake if you gave yourself some time!”
Confusion clouds Grant’s face, but the woman doesn’t seem to care. She runs toward him, tottering dangerously on her stilettos, and opens her arms, ready to hug him like she’ll never let him go.
He raises a hand, palm out like a shield. Her forehead smacks into it, and her body twists as one of her legs goes up high. Her other foot slides on the slick floor, and she lets out a yelp as she crashes butt-first into the ground. Something rips. She lies there a moment, her long limbs spread out. The dress is split on the side and back, revealing a generous expanse of smooth, tanned flesh.
I cover my mouth with both hands.Oh my God. Before I can ask if she’s all right, she screeches.
“What the hell? That wasso mean!”
“Not any more than your trying to assault me!” he says.
“Why are you acting like such a jerk? You sent me flowers!”
Oh no. She came here because of the flowers I sent…?I feel extra terrible. I should probably offer to help her get up.
