Page 17 of Naughty Heart

If he continued, my eyes were going to fall out of my head, or I was going to wind up passed out on the floor. “Sir, I don’t want to look a gift horse in the mouth, but I would have been more than happy to have a job that paid even close to what I was making before. $75,000 is more than okay.”

God, I’d actually be able to get caught up on my rent, then fix my car soon afterward. It would be possible to save money. I was so happy; I could have cried.

“Alright, so we’ll start at $75,000, plus immediate health benefits. After thirty days of employment, we’ll be able to discuss retirement benefits.”

I didn’t trust myself to speak, so I merely nodded my agreement and understanding.

Malcolm’s features softened, and he sent a curious look my way. “Are you okay?”

I licked my lips again. “I… I am. It’s just that this is really unexpected.”

“Listen, it’s the least I could do after the way I treated you on Saturday. There are far worse things to have happened to me than a beautiful woman landing in my lap. I should have been grateful,” he reasoned.

My face flushed at his compliment. Maybe I shouldn’t have felt that way, hearing my new boss say something like that to me, but I didn’t care. It felt good, and after all that I’d been through lately, I was going to allow myself to enjoy it.

“And here I thought I knew what I wanted for Christmas,” I murmured.

“What’s that?”

I shook my head, feeling embarrassed that I’d let it slip. “Nothing. Sorry, I shouldn’t have said that.”

“No, I’m serious,” he pressed. “I want to know what you wanted for Christmas.”

“It’s silly.”

“It’s not. Tell me,” he urged.

I let out a sigh. “As I was walking down the street on Saturday, I stopped in at the bookstore before I moved to the spa. A woman had walked out looking like a million bucks, and all I could think was that I wished I knew what it was like to be a queen just once. Maybe now, thanks to your generosity, I’ll be able to treat myself to something like that one day.”

Something changed in his expression, and if he had a thought about what I’d just revealed, he didn’t share.

“Why don’t I give you the grand tour today?” he suggested. “If you’re going to be working here, you should know everything about what we do.”

“That sounds like a great idea. I’m excited to see the place.”

At that, Malcolm stood from behind his desk and rounded it. When he made it to the opposite side, I did the same.

And for the rest of the morning and afternoon, I walked side by side with Malcolm as he gave me a tour and a bit of a history lesson on The Westwood Company.

I never thought work could be so fun.

EVELYN

The painI felt in my feet was like nothing I’d ever experienced.

But it was worth it.

As I stepped inside my apartment after my first official day at work—the same day I interviewed for the position—and slipped off my shoes, I winced. With each step I took through my place, my feet were screaming at me. Aching.

And yet, despite the pain, I couldn’t have been happier, more grateful, or relieved.

I was fully prepared to put my feet up and ice them if I had to, because I had a job. And not just any job, either. I had one that I could be proud of, one that was going to pay me a lot of money.

I still hadn’t wrapped my mind around all that had happened today.

Since I hadn’t anticipated being gone all day, I had nothing prepared for dinner. I made my way to the kitchen, opened the refrigerator, and peeked inside. Spotting some leftover chicken, tortillas, and cheese, I decided to make a quesadilla. It’d be quick and easy, and I’d finally be able to sit down for a proper break.

After tossing the ingredients together and letting them heat up on the stove, I pulled out some ice for my feet. It might have seemed extreme, but if I didn’t find a way to reduce the swelling in them, I had a feeling I wouldn’t be putting my feet back in those shoes tomorrow.