I really shouldn’t find that kind of arrogance attractive, but here we are.
“Well, thank you for the cookie thing. I appreciate it.”
He stands barefoot with his shirt half open, and I really need to get the hell out of this room.
“Any time there’s something you think will boost the morale of the employees, let me know. And if it’s under… oh, let’s say a thousand dollars, just do it and put it on the expense card.”
My eyebrows shoot up. “Okay.”
“I’m going to take a quick shower before Bennett gets here. After you let him in, you can lock up and take off early. Have the switchboard handle any phone calls.”
“I don’t mind staying,” I argue, and he cups a hand behind his ear.
“Excuse me? Who’s the boss here?”
I roll my eyes in mock disgust and reply flatly, “You’re the boss, Mr. Hale.”
He nods. “I think I’ll have that printed on a T-shirt for you.”
“Good. I can use it to wash my car.”
His laughter follows me as I flounce out the door. I rather enjoy the flouncing. I think I’ll do it more often. It’s much more satisfying than the penguin pee walk.
CHAPTER THIRTY-SIX
If she weren't my mother, I would flip her the bird
Remington
“Good morning, Your Grinchiness,”Mindy says when I walk into my office on a Monday morning in November.
“Good morning, Ms. Espinoza,” I say, clocking the three trees in front of the floor-to-ceiling windows to the right. “A little early for Christmas trees, isn’t it?”
“Thanksgiving is this week,” she reminds me. “A lot of people put their trees up on Thanksgiving weekend. I found those in the storeroom down the hall and wanted to see how they looked in front of the windows.”
“I’m sure the birds flying by will appreciate them,” I say wryly.
She ignores my sarcasm. “I have ideas for these three already, but I need to know what you want for the one in your office.”
Peeking in, I see there is indeed an eight-foot silver tree in the corner. “I don’t need a tree in my office.”
“Oh, excuse me, Señor Scrooge, but you need a little Christmas spirit in your life. Just tell me your favorite color, and I’ll go from there.”
“Black,” I say.
“Right. Just like your soul,” she quips, picking up her notebook and writing something. “Got it. I’ll head to Hobby Lobbyfor ornaments for these trees after work. I didn’t see any in the storeroom. And then I’ll stop by the graveyard to find decor for yours.”
Shaking my head, I enter my office and set down my things before going back to Mindy’s desk. “You know, if it would save you the trouble of going to the store, my mom has a ton of Christmas ornaments at her house. She has multiple trees and switches the decor around every year.”
She looks up at me with concern on her face. “Does she live within walking distance?”
Why the hell did she ask that? Does she think I won’t give her time off to go get the ornaments? “No, but I can give her a call and then have Antonio go pick them up.”
Mindy perks up. “That would be great. It would save the company a lot of money if we could repurpose them. Better for the bottom line, you know?”
I don’t tell her I could afford to buy an entire Christmas store because honestly, I appreciate her money-saving attitude.
Ninety minutes later, my mother strolls into the office in a cloud of Chanel No 5, followed by Antonio and a guy from the mail room, who are both pushing dollies loaded with large tote tubs. Mom swoops off her black wool trenchcoat and scarf, and I see she’s dressed down—for her anyway—in designer jeans and a red button-down top.
