I looked over at Cristian as he laughed with another guy who had been introduced to me as the marketing director.
Emerson is full of surprises.
“I just thought that since all her other assistants were fired?—”
“She hasreallybad luck with them,” Leslie said with a grimace. “She was especially harsh to her assistants, but if you ask me, I think all of them had it coming.”
I let myself digest the information. I wanted to ask for more, but I didn’t want to seem too eager. It wouldn't be the first time that the Internet got it wrong or that the rumors against a powerful woman in charge were used to bring her down.
Unfortunately, all that Leslie managed to do was make me want Emerson more. It would be easier if she was still a bully and somewhat of an asshole.
But she wasn’t. Maybe she never had been.
I used to daydream about a world where Emerson would look at me with something other than rejection. Where she would tell me that she felt the same way I did.
Even today, after the club and last night, I knew it wasn’t like that. Emerson saw me as an annoyance and as a sex toy that would do anything she wanted it to.
And that worked for part of me. The one who couldn't believe she was good for anything else.
The other part of me was still a dreamer, though. And while we were at home together, fucking each other, I could pretend it was real.
At that point, I made up my mind and went back to the counter to add one more sandwich to my order before going back to chat with Leslie.
I jumped as my number was called and quickly grabbed the to-go container. I'd been so lost in my own mind I hadn’t even noticed they had called me multiple times.
I paused and turned to my new coworkers, who were all looking at me.
“I'm bringing this back to Emerson and will likely eat with her. You guys enjoy. Thanks for the invite!”
They shared a look before sending me a smile.
“Go on!”
“We'll sit down together next time!”
With one last look at them, I left the shop and hurried back to the office.
Emerson was still in the same spot, though the office was empty now. She didn't even look up as I moved to my desk, so involved in whatever she was typing on her computer.
I hope her skipping lunch isn’t the norm.
I knocked on her door, her gaze snapping up to me then, lingering for a moment before she motioned me to come in.
“Let’s not forget to eat, boss,” I said as I opened the door. She pushed a button on the side of her desk, and the glass around us darkened.
We were truly alone at that moment.
“I didn't ask for you to get me food,” she said as I pulled out both our lunches.
“What kind of assistant would I be if I let my boss go hungry?” I sat down and opened my box.
She looked at my container for far longer than I expected before finally pushing her computer aside and opening hers.
“Did you ask for?—”
“No pickles, light mayonnaise, extra avocado.”
For a moment, I thought I saw a smile pull at her lips.
