But, wow, what a bitch move to not tell me right away.
“You and him would make an adorable couple though. I’ve worked at Bradshaw Enterprises since he took over last year, and he’s never had a girlfriend—that I know of. I know all the dirty secrets in that office. Ask me aboutanyone.”
I have no doubt she does, but her willingness to share makes me nervous. Also, I have no desire to be friends with someone who would let me feel like crap for an entire weekend.
“Uh, well, I’m hoping you aren’t going to tell anyone about...me sort of having a crush on him...so could you maybe keep that on the down-low? I’m afraid it might be seen as inappropriate, considering he’s my boss. I also don’t think he feels the same way at all.”
She dismissively waves her hand in the air. “Oh, of course I won’t tell! You can trust me. So, what happened between you two?” She leans in, eager to hear what I have to share.
What did I say in the restroom that she might have overheard?
I don’t remember my exact words to Mel on the phone, and if Becky catches me lying now, it could upset her. Considering her “dirty secret” knowledge of our coworkers’ lives, she doesn’t seem like the best person to piss off if I want my own secrets to remain between us. I also don’t want her to know more than necessary.
“Well . . . between you and me, of course . . . I met him at a bar before I started working at BE.”
She’s wide-eyed, sucked into the story completely.
“We...started talking. Then, he gave me a ride to...the place I was staying that night. His car was super swanky. I was feeling depressed about losing my other job and getting cheated on, so I had drunk a little too much.”
Becky is nodding along, sipping loudly from her Coke.
So far, none of this is a lie . . .
“But, yeah, I started two days later at Bradshaw Enterprises, and I don’t think he recognized me.” I shrug like it’s no big deal. “I just felt bad when I thought he was engaged. I guess I had grown a little crush on him, and when he turned out to be taken, I felt guilty for approaching him at the bar.”
She’s studying my face, but I can’t read her expression to see if she believes the tale or not.
“Now that I know he’s single, I am so relieved. Thank you for doing all this to find out. Either way, I’ll have to get over my crush. I can’t lose this job, and he certainly isn’t interested anyway.”
She nods at me, and I hold my breath as I wait for her response.
She blinks with her big brown eyes before finally speaking. “Well, we’ll see about that.”
CHAPTER 12
KATE
My roots have been freshly bleached,my brows have been waxed, and the dress I’m wearing enhances my butt and eye color, according to Mel. It’s also a tad shorter than HR policy allows, but I’ve got Becky on my side.
The boss man has no choice but tonoticeme today—if he’s not upset about my rejection over the weekend. It seems like he only wants to acknowledge me in the privacy of his home. Or he still has no idea who I am.
If the elevator girls were really talking about him and he makes a habit of hooking up every weekend, I’m not interested in pursuing anything more with him.
I have no desire to feel like a dirty little secret ever again.
However, if he chooses to acknowledge who I am, this could be something.
If he doesn’t, I’m going to give up entirely and move out of the country from the embarrassment of trying so hard for a man who didn’t recognize my face two nights after we hooked up.
I walk up to my desk, releasing a sigh as I see that there is no light on under his door.
I’m standing up, holding his Americano with a smile on my face as he rounds the corner. His steps falter as he sees me, green eyes narrowing in as he watches me.
“Good morning, Mr. Bradshaw. How are you?” I ask, holding out the to-go cup.
He reaches for it, our hands touching again for a few beats too long. I want nothing more than for him to pull me into his office and tell me he remembers everything and that we should replay that nightright now.
“I’m well, Miss Dawson. How are you?”
