1
JOY
“Good luck with him.” Sara stomps down the dimly lit corridor away from our boss’s office. “Miserable chuff,” she mutters under her breath, all red-faced and tight-lipped.
I stop in my tracks with a sigh. “What’s he done now?” I brace myself, though nothing will surprise me. Nick is… a difficult man. That’s an understatement. I always try to see the best in people, but he makes it extremely hard sometimes.
“He won’t give me some time off.” Sara sighs heavily under the flickering light that’s on the blink, like everything else around here. “He said all leave is cancelled until January.”
My eyes widen. “He can’t do that.”
She tightens her ponytail as she pulls her hair in frustration. “He just did. Does it say anything about unfair treatment in that handbook of yours?”
“I’ll have a word with him.”
He’s grumpy, but he’s not usually unfair.
“Maybe you’ll have better luck. He seems to like you.”
The apples of my cheeks flush. I wouldn’t say Nick has a favourite, but I am the only one who gets a smile out of him, although it’s more of a grimace. Like he’s trying to smile but doesn’t know how.
I pat Sara’s arm over her wooly cardigan. “I’ll see what I can do.”
“Thanks, Joy, but I’m not holding my breath. Unless you’re going to pull that stick from his arse.”
A giggle bursts from my lips. I’ve imagined doing many things with Nick since I started working here a year ago, but that isn’t one of them.
She digs a fist into her cocked hip. “Come January, I’m looking for another job.”
I wave my hand in the air. “You said that last year.” When I took on the role of Nick’s assistant, it was just a stopgap between my degree in English Lit and my dream job working with books. After several failed job interviews for various publishing houses, I’m still here and I’ve grown quite fond of the small traditional toy shop. And the owner.
Sara rolls up her baggy sleeves. “Well, this time, I mean it.” With a huff, she continues down the hall that leads to the shop floor, leaving me giggling to myself.
“Care to share the joke?” Nick, our boss, says from behind me with a deep timbre to his voice.
The hairs on the back of my neck prickle like tinsel scratching my skin. “No joke.” I spin around to his broad frame. The fabric of his light-blue shirt strains against his chest. I swear his pecs keep getting bigger, or his shirts are getting smaller.
He straightens his tie, the seams of his shirt seemingly ready to burst. Each button appears about to pop. I focus on them, almost willing it to happen, wondering what he looks like shirtless. Nick might be many things—arrogant, moody, tightfisted. But when it comes to his body, he’s a ten.
He clears his throat. “Why are you staring at my chest, Joy? Do I have something on my shirt?”
I hadn’t realised I was staring at his pecs. They’re just so hard and big and—crap on a candy cane, I’m still staring. “Sorry. I—”
“I’m sure that comes under section four in your workplace code of conduct booklet. Staring at someone’s chest is a form of harassment.” His lips curl upwards in the corner. Smug bellend. It’s not the first time he’s caught me staring and, in all honesty, it won’t be the last.
“Maybe I wouldn’t if you wore shirts that fit.” I roll my eyes, knowing this is totally inappropriate and if the shoe was on the other foot, I’d go baubalistic at him for calling out a woman’s attire.
He grimaces at me like a strained smile.
“I have the files you asked for. All the prices on the new dolls have been updated and you were right about the limited edition teddies. They’re almost sold out.”
“Thanks, Joy. That’s great news. At least something’s going right.” He looks at his watch. “I have to go. I’m meeting with the team from Digitoy. If I can make a deal with them, we might all be in for a good Christmas.” He fiddles with his tie again.
I swat his hand away. “Let me.” The royal-blue silk slips through my fingers as I smarten it up under his collar. Growing up in an all girls’ school with strict uniform policy, I’m a dab hand at ties.
Deep-green eyes drill into me. My breath halts. I’m not usually this close to my boss. I swallow under his prickling gaze, like needles from a fir tree burrowing under my skin. My fingers linger on his chest for a beat too long while he holds me under his penetrating stare.
“I have to go, Joy. I’ll switch my mobile to divert. You can pick up any calls.”
