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But it went against every instinct I had not to offer any kind of comfort. I was used to hugging and stroking hair, murmuring soft words of encouragement, and fetching food or drink whenever I dealt with a crying person. That’s what Bella usually demanded of me, anyway. Yet I already knew that would be the wrong thing to do for Yellow.
She needed to feel strong about something right now. Leaning on me wouldn’t help her accomplish that. Besides, she’d just told me she was tired of men always thinking they had the right to just touch her whenever they wanted. And I had a feeling even offering a supportive hug would fall under that category at the moment.
So after handing her a box of tissues, I sat a good ten feet away, rested my forearms on my knees, and waited. And listened. And watched as she completely fell apart before quietly putting herself back together again. I felt wrecked by the time she finished and straightened, sniffing away the last of her tears as she wiped her face and focused on me.
“Okay, I think I’m done now.”
I shook my head and waved out a hand because I still needed a minute to deal with witnessing all that. “Don’t stop on my account,” I rasped from a hoarse voice. “Take as long as you need.”
But she didn’t want to cry anymore. Pushing to her feet, she smoothed out her skirt and shirt, then her hair, before lifting her chin and saying, “I need to get back to work.”
“Um, no. Nuh-uh,” I told her, remaining exactly where I was. “You’re not going back to that desk.”
“What?” Her face drained of color, and dread filled her features. “Wha—what do you expect me to do, then? I have a job that needs to be finished. Oh God, you’re not firing me, are you?”
“What?! No. I just—” Before I could totally botch this up, a knock sounded on my door. Thank God. “Perfect timing,” I announced before calling, “Come in.”
The door opened, and my other colleague, Jada, stepped into the room. It was her day off, but no one would be able to tell that from the crisp and starched pantsuit ensemble she wore with heels and her silver hair coiffed as if she’d just come from a hairstylist. To me, she looked just like Queen Leah from Descendants.
Jada commanded any room she entered, and I could see her assess the situation as I slowly pushed to my feet and slipped my hands into my pockets. Her gaze swept over me briefly before it strayed to the pretty, young blonde on the other side of the office with tear-stained eyes and a red nose.
A heavy sigh escaped her lungs. “Art’s struck again, then, has he?”
I sniffed out my bitter amusement. “Oh, yeah. Except this time, the lady actually rejected his advances.”
“Really?” Jada’s eyebrows arched in surprise as she regarded Yellow with a curious glance. Then she regally turned back to me. “Well, I suppose there’s a first time for everything.”
Bobbing her attention back and forth between us, Yellow widened her eyes before blurting, “You mean, he’s done this before?”
“Only with every secretary he’s ever hired,” Jada answered matter-of-factly. Her gaze roved disparagingly over Yellow’s form as if she deplored what she saw. Then she shrewdly added, “But apparently, you deserve a gold sticker, my dear. You’re the first to tell him no.”
Yellow blinked as if she didn’t understand. Then her expression flared with horror. “So, all the people who’ve worked in that position before I have—”
“Had affairs with him, yes,” Jada confirmed.
Mouth falling open with disbelief, Yellow rasped, “And no one thought to warn me about this?” Her gaze swerved my way, letting me know she thought that should’ve been my job.
I opened my mouth to defend myself, but I wasn’t sure what to say. I suddenly realized I probably should have warned her. But Jada saved me from what would probably have just been a really pathetic apology.
“So what are we going to do about this?” she asked, glancing between me and Yellow. “I assume you wish to file charges against him first before anything else.”
“Charges?” Yellow’s back straightened with alarm. “I, uh, no. No, I don’t think that will be necessary.”
“What do you mean, no?” I boomed. “Your boss just sexually harassed you, Yellow. Of course, you’re going to file charges against him.”
“Yellow?” Jada murmured in surprise, while Yellow frowned at me in irritation.
“If every aide he’s had before me has willingly had sex with him, then not even I can blame him for assuming I might too. It’s not really a crime to let someone know you’re interested in them, and that’s basically all he did. But now that he knows I don’t return the sentiment, won’t he—I don’t know—leave me alone?”
Art? Leave a woman alone? Hmm. Didn’t seem likely. But Jada had just said there was a first time for everything.
“Whatever he said to you caused you to punch him in the throat,” I reminded her. “That seems like he did more than let you know his interest.”
“The throat?” Jada echoed with admiration. “Wow. Impressive.”
But Yellow only flushed with mortification. “I—I think I might’ve overreacted a little with the throat punching. I’m sorry. I really shouldn’t have gone that far. I was probably just trying to make up for how badly I underreacted the last time I was propositioned.”
“Last time? You mean, this has happened before?” Jada asked in outrage as she glanced between us.
