Page 14 of My Favorite Boss

He waved his hand. “Of course.”

“I might not always be able to get sandwiches there, but I’ll try.”

“Try hard.”

I hugged myself. I was giving my side extra points for this.

“I’m going to find out where to put my name in for the dinner.”

“Don’t.”

Disappointment filled me. “Is this because I stuck out my tongue at you?”

I was shocked when he chuckled. “No. Our assistants are always included. You don’t have to enter your name. You’ll all sit at one of the tables.”

“Oh. Are you sure?”

The eyebrow lifted, and I had to grin at him. It was a great silencer.

Again, he surprised me and returned my smile with one of his own. It changed his face entirely. What was stern and handsome became warm and intoxicating. A dimple appeared high on one cheek. His eyes turned a liquid blue. They resembled the sky on a hot summer day, clear, bright, and warm. He was devastatingly sexy.

“Okay, then,” I mumbled. “I’m going to eat my lunch.”

He hummed around a mouthful and turned to his laptop. I walked out of his office on a high.

It didn’t last long.

I headed to the break room to eat my lunch. It was empty, except for a table with some women I knew were from the assistant pool. Any one of the executives, visiting clients, or even partners had access to the pool if they required a temporary assistant. The four of them had been sitting at the other end of the boardroom. I had planned on going over and introducing myself when Mr. Bane had tugged on my elbow and told me to sit next to him. Watching them during the meeting, I got the feeling they were people I wouldn’t want to be around much. They seemed catty. Constantly whispering among themselves and making comments only the four of them could hear. It felt disrespectful to me.

Now, as I sat by myself, they ignored me, talking among themselves again, covering their mouths to hide their words, yet I knew they were discussing me. I was grateful when Rylee walked in, and I smiled and waved. They immediately began with their chatter again. I didn’t like that.

She came over after filling her coffee cup. “Hi.”

“Time for a quick break?” I asked.

She looked startled, then grinned. “Sure.”

She sat with me, her back to the group of women who were watching us, their eyes as sharp as their tongues no doubt were.

“Mean girls?” I asked with a smile on my face, my lips barely moving.

She took a sip of coffee with a nod. “The worst. It’s like high school all over again. I ignore them. Luckily, I rarely deal with that department. I give their tickets to others who come through.” She smiled sadly. “Still, they always have comments.”

“I know the type all too well. Some never move beyond graduation.”

There was a round of laughter behind us. Rylee shut her eyes. “They’re nice in front of the bigwigs. Other staff. They wait until you’re alone to get their digs in. So fake.” She took another sip. “They make fun of me whenever they can. My looks, my butt, my nerdiness.”

I frowned. Rylee was a pretty woman with soft blond hair and bright-green eyes, plus she was curvy like me and short. She wore glasses that gave her an owlish look, and her outfit was as unique as mine. Whereas I went for lace and silk, she liked leggings and long tunics. Simple, easy.

“I don’t care what they think,” she added. “I left those needs behind me. I like me. My friends like me.”

“I like you too, Rylee. I think we’re gonna be great friends.”

She smiled, the action lighting up her whole face. “I think so too.”

“We should trade numbers and hang out after work sometime.”

“I’d love that.” Her phone buzzed, and she glanced at the screen with a groan. “Well, that was a short break. I’m needed.”