Page 4 of Falling for a Grumpy Hero

“Are you serious?”

He blinked hard, a frown forming on his brow as he cocked his head at me. “I usually am, but what are you talking about this time?”

“That girl,” I bit out. “Lisa. Lilo. Luna. Whatever her name is. The person currently occupying the office we designated for my assistant. Are. You. Serious?”

“Oh. That. Yeah, I am serious.” He leaned back in his seat, his frown morphing into a grin as he raised an eyebrow at me. “Her name is Lila and why do you ask?”

“Well, maybe because she’s insane.” I stared at him for a long beat, wondering if this was his idea of a joke. Jared had known me for a while now though, and he ought to know that I wouldn’t find it funny if it was. “She talks, Rexton. A lot. And she does it fast. She also plowed into me in the elevator this morning and nearly knocked my coffee right out of my hand. So she’s not just a talker, but she’s clumsy too.”

He chuckled. “She is a real person, Ford. People tend to talk, don’t they? Even you do it on occasion.”

“Reluctantly,” I said. “The last thing I need is some chatterbox in my ear all day long. Is she even qualified? Because she seems incredibly scatter-brained.”

“She was the most qualified candidate for the job by a long shot,” he assured me calmly. “She’s overqualified, actually, given that she managed a high-price art gallery in Manhattan for the last five years. Trust me, she can handle being your assistant.”

I pulled a deep breath of air into my lungs, letting it sit there for a moment before exhaling slowly. This was what I got for letting Jared conduct the interview on my behalf. I’d been at a conference in California for the last couple weeks and he’d offered to step in to help have the position filled by the time I got back.

While I’d been there, I’d thought the conference was my worst nightmare. I honestly wasn’t sure how I’d survived, but it turned out that coming home to find out he’d hired someone who couldn’t seem to stop talking was even worse.

My worst, worst nightmare. And since she already signed the contract, I’m stuck with her. At least for now. Fucking fantastic.

I sighed. “If she’s such a big-shot gallery manager, what’s she doing here? Is she running from the law? Is there an abusive ex-boyfriend going to show up and cause problems? I don’t need any of that shit in my life.”

Jared smiled, his head shaking. “It’s nothing like that. I promise.”

He paused when our server joined us, dropping off the coffee and sandwiches I’d ordered on my way in. I liked to be efficient, and sitting around waiting for food without even having ordered it yet made no sense to me.

“Thank you,” I said curtly when the woman put the plate down in front of me.

Jared rolled his eyes before he grinned up at the waitress. “Hey, Jennifer. Thanks for this. How are you? How’s the wedding planning coming along?”

“Well, I’m starting to understand why people elope, but I can’t complain. How are you?”

I frowned as I listened to their exchange. Saying that you understand why people elope sounds like a complaint to me, yet you say that you can’t complain. There is something seriously wrong with humanity. Or maybe just with the education system.

Deciding it wasn’t worth the headache trying to figure it out, I tucked into my club sandwich, not even considering joining their conversation. When Jennifer finally walked away, Jerry looked at me like that had been a mistake.

“You know I love you, bro, but you’re really fucking rude sometimes.” He wrapped his fingers around his coffee mug and picked it up. “Would it kill you to be polite sometimes?”

“I am polite. I said please when I ordered and thank you when she delivered that order. What more do you want from me? I don’t expect my customers to come to my workplace and interact with me on a personal level. Why would it be any different for her?”

He groaned. “Your customers expecting some kind of personal interaction is exactly why Lila is going to be a valuable asset. She lit up the office the second she walked in for her interview and just in her first week, she’s already proven to be a welcome addition to the team. Everyone loves her.”

“Why?”

“Why?” He scoffed down a chuckle. “Honestly, Ford, they love her because she’s all sunshine and rainbows. She’s a breath of fresh air and we needed that. Combined with her experience, I really think she could do well with us if you give her a chance.”

I didn’t respond immediately, not in the habit of saying stuff just to speak. Not anymore, anyway.

Before I wound up simply reiterating the concerns I’d already raised about the woman who’d slammed right into me earlier, I considered some of the points that he’d made. By all accounts, Lila was my complete opposite, bubbly, so colorful that looking at her made my eyes hurt, and apparently, she was already well loved by all. The people in the office respected me, but I was entirely sure they did not love me.

Nor did I want them to.

On the other hand, she had the kind of experience that did, in fact, overqualify her for this position. I was still a little concerned about what she was doing here, in Virginia Beach and at CE, but ultimately, I had asked him to take this off my plate—and he had.

I didn’t have to bother with resumes and interviews, and the seat I’d needed a butt in? It had a butt in it. “Alright. I’m not convinced, but I’m willing to give it a chance.”

“I’ll swap assistants with you if you’re really that against Lila,” he offered. “My assistant shouldn’t mind, but I can check with her just to be sure.”