“Like you wouldn’t believe.” I rake my hand through my hair and tug on my neck. I need to talk to someone about this mess, and Jonesy is the only person I trust with this information. Our friendship is solid, and he’s really the only one I would confide in about her anyway.
“I’m not even sure what I feel right now. Fifteen years ago, I was just a kid with a crush. But now? Now I see so much more. She’s still my fantasy,but on steroids. It’s unreal. She’s so intelligent and so fucking beautiful. Fuck me. She’s 100% my type, except she’s my goddamn boss.”
“Yeah. There’s that.” He nods sympathetically.
“So, what do I do with that? I want to say that I can ignore it and do my job, but that’s a lie. I see her every day, multiple times. I just can’t get a handle on the attraction. Then again, I love seeing her every day, and I’m not sure I want to get a handle on it. Talking hockey with her is like talking with you, only better, ’cause she’s hot and you’re… not.”
“Rude. I’ll have you know, the ladies consider me incredibly hot.” He winks, and I roll my eyes.
“Lies. What a fucking disaster. But at the same time, no one knows, so it’s just a disaster in my head. Which also sucks.” I hang my head for a minute, trying to get a grip on myself.
Jonesy is silent for what feels like an eternity before he responds. “You. Are. So. Fucked.”
He enunciates in case I miss his meaning. I glare at him. “Fuck off, asshole.”
He laughs. The fucker laughs. But I find myself laughing too. It’s going to be so great to work with him again. I’ve missed him.
“Kidding, dude. I swear! Too good to pass up. But, damn, I can’t wait to see how this plays out. It’s gonna be hilarious. I’m gonna take this job just to watch you struggle. There’s only one way to solve this, ya know.”
“Oh yeah? And what’s that?” I’m skeptical, knowing him as well as I do.
“Wife her up or quit your job, dude. All you can do.”
I glare at him. “Not. Helpful. My God, I can’t even ask her out! How would I even begin to wife her up?”
“Interesting that you only picked one of the choices.” Damn it, that was sly. That bastard.
He gives me a thoughtful look before grinning to lighten the moment. Then, we both ignore my choice for the rest of the evening. Still, it lingers in the back of my mind.
Even when I’m home in bed later that night, I fall asleep with her on my mind.
Chapter Seven
Joslyn
I’m going to give this guy just enough rope to hang himself.
William “Call me Bill” Nelson, our CFO, is presenting a review of last month’s financial results to Damon and I. To say he’s a condescending jerk is an understatement. Am I enjoying the hell out of it? Yeah, I most definitely am. Why? Because he’s full of himself and thinks we’re clueless.
I’ve been investigating the financials in depth for the last two weeks. I’ve found more red flags than the average Tinder date. It’s a mess, and it simply doesn’t add up. Therefore, the external auditors we recently hired will conduct an investigation starting Monday and report directly to Jacob and me. I want Bill completely out of the loop on this one.
While I might be savoring this, it’s clear that Damon is not. In fact, he looks furious - so much so, it’s making Bill slightly nervous, which I shouldn’t like but secretly find incredibly hot. I need to intervene before Bill can figure out that there’s a problem.
“Excuse me, Mr. Nelson.” The chill in Damon’s voice stops Bill in his tracks, and his watery blue eyes seem puzzled by the interruption.
“How can I help you, Mr. Hawk? Is there something you’re having trouble understanding? I know your background is not in finance.”
I almost gasp out loud, but I clamp my jaws together.
Wow, that was ballsy, Bill.
Damon flashes him a glacial look, and the temperature of the room drops. “To say this presentation is inadequate is being generous.”
“I-I’m not sure—“ Bill stammers.
“I’m not finished, Mr. Nelson.”
The realization that this situation might not go in his favor finally dawns on Bill. The panic in his eyes is clear to us both.
