Thankfully, besides Janie, who feasted on a warm bagel, no one else was around. Monday mornings were usually busy, and she had found solace in the break room. Maybe by the time she went back to her desk, her boss would have arrived and the day would go on as planned.
She’d tell Matthew she couldn’t spy on Devon anymore. There had to be another way to find out who was stealing from the company that didn’t involve her lying. After all, Devon had kissed her—and accused her of sleeping with his brother. Maybe he’d seen her talking to him. Either way, she was way over her head.
“Jennifer heard him with a woman,” Holly said, mentioning the legally blind lady from the cleaning staff. “She said she couldn’t see who it was, but she definitely heard some moaning and his name being called.”
“How do you know she’s from the office? She can be just a girlfriend or someone he met at the park. I wouldn’t put anything past him, really. The man is a whorebag.” Elena managed to sound casual, and chugged down almost her entire espresso, the caffeine entering her system.
Holly shook her head. “I just know it. I do. He didn’t have time to call anyone from there, and why would he? It was an employee only event. Why would he go against the rules if he should be playing nice after the scandal?”
“Dating a subordinate is against the rules, isn’t it?” Janie chimed in, and Elena dared to look at her friend in the eye. On Saturday, she had sent her a text to say she’d been sick and left the event, unable to go along with the games or seeing Devon anymore. On Sunday, she cowardly ignored Janie’s phone calls.
Her stomach clenched. There was no running now. Shit.
“Exactly,” Elena said, hoping her eyes would convey her turmoil, and the hidden message they carried. Don’t tell this to anyone. “I can’t imagine the kind of naïve fool who’d fall prey to him.”
Holly rolled her eyes. “You kidding me? I’m pissed someone else got there first. Shit. That man. That ass,” she said with flare, and started to fan herself.
Janie cocked an eyebrow and flashed Elena a knowing smile. “Do you have any idea, Elena?”
Elena put her cup inside the dishwasher and slammed it shut. She wiped the sweat from her forehead. “None.”
Janie lifted her paper napkin to her mouth. “Well, if anyone can find out, it’s you. After all, you work for him, right?”
Holly shook her head, hands perched in her waist. “I, for one, am dying to know who this lucky bitch is.”
“Me too.” Elena tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. She should have put her hair up today, but she had rushed out of her house after getting way too little sleep thinking about a certain someone. “If I figure things out, I will let you know,” Elena said, hoping her half-lie would be her ticket out of conversation hell. Hey, at least it would grant her some time at limbo mode, right?
If she told Holly and Janie about everything, she would get them mixed up into corporate espionage of sorts. It was her duty to protect the two women who had been sweet to her for the past months. Elena could move on from that job, and she would. But Holly had credit card debts and Janie had a loving family she helped support. They needed their jobs.
“Good. Hey, I’m going to the restroom to fix my makeup. Be right back.”
When the clear door shut behind Holly, a shiver went through Elena’s spine.
“What’s going on, Elena?” Janie asked, concern clouding her pretty brown eyes. “I know you were the one who kissed him.”
Elena drew in a sharp breath. “H-how can you be sure?”
Janie shrugged. “Because you were playing with him then disappeared. And you blushed like a sinner just a while ago. If Holly weren’t too wrapped up in her own stuff, she would have noticed it too.”
“Janie, there’s a lot I can’t say. I’m sorry. I lost control, we kissed. It was wrong,” she said, glancing down at the floor. She rubbed the back of her neck. Why did she have to say it was wrong when it had felt right? Even if it wasn’t.
Janie stood and tossed the napkin in the trash. “It was dumb, that’s what it was.”
Elena twisted her hands together. “I know. Well, it’s over. We never slept together anyway. Just so you know,” she said, and wished she could hide the trace of disappointment in her tone. Was it that obvious?
“Good for you.”
“Can you please keep this secret? I know I’m asking too much,” she said, then bit her lip hard. If word got out that Devon kissed an employee, he would be out of the CEO game even if he hadn’t stolen from the company. And, despite his unethical move, she couldn’t let that happen. Matthew would get the CEO title if he was deserving. Which of course, he seemed like he was. But kicking Devon out of the race for no good reason was wrong. He’d broken the rules, but so had she. Would she do it again, though? Would she be that two-faced, to try and snoop in his personal files to get the dirt on his nightclub business?
Janie waved it off. “Your secret is safe with me.”
She gave out a long sigh. “Thank you.”
Leaning against the counter, Janie lifted her chin and grinned. “As long as you let me borrow that pretty skirt from the other day. Roy and I have an anniversary coming up, you know.”
Elena bit back a smile. “It’s all yours.” She grabbed a small bottle of water and headed to the door. “I’d better get going.”
“My eyes are on you, kid. You’re a smart woman, Elena. Keep it that way,” Janie said, delivering the sentences with a mother-like concern, even though she was only maybe 10 years older than her.
