“Yes.”
I let my head fall into my hands.
“I can’t do this, Miranda.My mom’s hurt.We’re in so much fucking debt.My Dad is trying to get me to marry some rich old guy who likes killing wives.And all my coworkers treat me like shit because they think I’m only at Steele to try to cheat my way into the good life by sleeping with the CEO.”
When I lifted my head, the compassion in her expression almost undid me.
“I need less bullshit in my life, not more of it.How am I supposed to keep working there now, knowing I unintentionally did exactly what they were accusing me of?I accepted money from him, Miranda.Money.”
“Say fuck it and accept more.Let him bail you out.And if you have to marry some rich guy to fix your problems, why not him?”
“Never.Not ever.I refuse to be like my dad.”
She sighed and nodded.
“This purse is worth about five thousand, used.I can?—”
“No.”
“Then what are you going to do?”
The server delivered our food, and I waited until she was gone to say, “Pull up my big girl panties and keep working where I don’t want to work so that I don’t have to accept a job I don’t deserve at Wulf Enterprises.”I paused.“I earned the job at Steele Corp, didn’t I?”
She held up her hand in a solemn promise.“Yes.I swear.He told me about the opening, and I warned him that you’d leave in a heartbeat if you didn’t pass the interview process fairly and without favoritism.”
I made a ‘meh’ face.“I wouldn’t be mad about favoring me over an equally qualified candidate.I just wouldn’t be okay if they’d favored me over a more qualified one.That’s not fair.”
“Noted.You know, if you write down your complicated life rules, I bet I can get a cash reward we can split.If you’re okay with me still giving him information.”
“No thanks.I’d rather stop feeding him information now that I have to face him every day.”
“You were already facing him every day,” Miranda pointed out.“You just didn’t know it.”
She watched me toy with my food for a second as I realized she wasn’t wrong.
“I know this is upsetting you, but as your friend, I’m telling you not to let it.Nothing’s changed.Remember what you said?His interest in you isn’t your problem.It’s his.
“And if he’s willing to pay for information, let him.It doesn’t change your answer, but it can change your financial situation.I know you’re not against earning fairly.The exchange is fair.We’re not playing tricks on him.He knows I have your permission to tell him information, just like he knows you’re firmly against a committed relationship.”
“Does he know I know it’s him, though?”
“He doesn’t yet, but I can tell him if you want me to.”
“I don’t know what I want.He knows I’ve been working at Steele for over a week now, and I first saw him today.Does that mean he’s been avoiding me, or does it mean that we won’t run into each other?Because the idea of seeing him at work daily…” I shook my head.“I prefer not to see my one-night stands after the fact.It just makes things easier.”
Easy never seemed to be a life option for me, though.
As much as I wanted to hide from the problem I’d created, I couldn’t.The fact was that Iwouldsee him at work again, and even if I pretended I didn’t know who he was, it would eventually come out.
“You don’t need to tell him.I will.I’ll breathe easier after he and I talk and set some boundaries.”I groaned.“Why did he have to be the CEO?Knowing that just undid all the stress relief Friday night was supposed to be.”
My frustration regarding the lost memory of that night, which was complete shit when I was dealing with the fallout from it, rebounded.
“Does it help to know he’s really into you?”Miranda asked hopefully.
“No.The opposite, actually.Emotional entanglements don’t interest me at all.If he can’t keep it professional at work, then I’ll quit.”
“And my little side hustle?”Miranda asked like the mercenary friend she was.
