Page 44 of Playing with the Boss
“So you think he sleeps around and might have something?”
“I don’t know,” I wail, slamming my face onto my desk.
A pen wedges into my cheek, but at this moment, I couldn’t care less.
“Ask him,” Emma states. “It’s as simple as that.”
“Yeah. I’m totally looking forward to that conversation,” I groan. “That’s not even the worst of it.”
“Jesus, babe. It’s only Wednesday. Save some drama for the rest of the week, would ya?”
I chuckle, leaning back and swiveling toward the window. “Apparently the fist fight the other day was partially over me.”
“Say what? Oh, gurl….”
“Tony said he had proof about us. Mason denied it and told him to leave me alone, and when Tony wouldn’t back off, they ended up exchanging blows for some reason.”
“That is so romantic,” Emma gushes.
I laugh. “No, it’s not. It’s reckless.”
“How? Yo man defended your honor. What’s more awesome than that?”
“He may have also been defending his own reputation, you know.” I fidget with the arm of my office chair.
“What on earth makes you think that?”
“He’s not my boss,” I protest. “Well, he is, but not at the same time, if that makes any sense. I’ve been told to refuse any advances I get from him otherwise we could both lose our jobs,” I hiss under my breath.
“Bullshit. Who told you that garbage?”
“Alf.”
“Well, it’s bullshit. Look up your contract. Does it actually say anything about inter-office relationships? I mean, he’s a manager, and you’re sales; it’s hardly a conflict of interest.”
“It is when he’s here to evaluate our jobs.”
“Does he make the final call though?”
I swear she hears the penny drop at my end of the line. “No.” My back goes rigid as I snap upright. “He just… I mean… why the hell didn’t I think about it like that?”
“Because your goddamn head is in the clouds, Lissy.” Emma laughs. “Now, what did you need help with? Because, girl, you already know the answers.”
I chuckle, the dark cloud drifting away from my day. “I guess I just needed my best friend to point that out for me.”
“I’m always here for you, babe. Now go tell your man we’ll see him at ours for dinner.”
“Dinner?”
“Yeah. Dinner. You can butter him up before you drop the STD question on him.”
“Love you,” I say with a laugh as she gives her goodbyes also.
She’s always my voice of reason, and right now, she’s my goddamn logic too. We aren’t a conflict of interest, at least as far our roles go. He said it himself: Mason has no final say over whether I stay or go when the ax falls, so how could a relationship influence that?
I check the time and note that half an hour has passed since I saw him step into a meeting. Can’t hurt to check. Millie didn’t say if it would be a long or short meeting, so maybe they’re done already?
My heart hammers as I make my way down the hall to the spare office he’s camped out in while he’s here. If he’s back, then that’s where I’m bound to find him. I need to say this now before I get a chance to over think it. I need to tell him how I feel.