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“The fag?” Draper exploded in horror.
Gritting my teeth, I shook my head slowly. “Insult him again, and you’ll have two lawsuits on your plate, buddy.”
Draper immediately sealed his mouth shut and glared.
Yellow peered up at me with large, worried brown eyes as if she thought I’d charge her with a fate worse than death, so I decided to announce her new position next. “Nicksen will go to Jada,” I added. “And then I’ll take on Jada’s assistant, Magda.”
“Wait. What?” Jada straightened in confusion, blinking at me as if I’d lost my mind. I knew she’d wanted me to trade the two assistants straight across the board, but then, that would mean Yellow would become my secretary, and there was no way I could handle that, so I’d just had all three of us shift.
Jada didn’t gainsay my announcement, but she didn’t seem too pleased by it either. The way she narrowed her eyes told me I owed her big for this. But hey, she owed me for causing me to lose Price.
I couldn’t say I was entirely pleased by the arrangement either. I had just ended up with a great-grandma who should’ve retired a decade ago, couldn’t hear all that well anymore, was behind on all forms of technology, and did everything at the speed of a sloth.
I was really, really going to miss Price.
The only person in the room who appeared in any way pleased by the whole situation was Yellow. And she was the only one I cared about helping right now, so that was all that mattered.
“And if you ever go near her again, or talk to her, or look at her in a way she finds offensive…” I started, stepping intimidatingly toward Draper again.
But he lifted his hands before I could continue. “I won’t. Jesus. Fine. I agree to those terms. You guys win. Take the bitch and give me the queer.”
“Great,” Jada answered with a studious nod, choosing to ignore his crude language. “Then we’re all in agreement. The switch in assistants starts immediately. Good day, gentlemen.” Her attention veered to Yellow and then narrowed icily. “Ms. Nicksen,” she added. “I’ll see you at eight o’clock sharp on Monday morning. I don’t tolerate tardiness and expect a steaming cup of black caffeinated coffee sitting on the northwest corner of my desk, precisely six inches from either edge when I arrive at my office.”
“Yes, ma’am,” she murmured, bobbing into a curtsy. “I’ll see you then.”
As Jada turned and strode from the room, Draper sneered at both me and Yellow before he too hurried to escape, following at her heels.
Yellow lingered after they were gone. Then, without looking at me, she said a quiet, heartfelt, “Thank you.”
I sniffed. “Don’t thank me yet. Jada’s a ball-breaker. She won’t go easy on you.”
She turned to me, her brown eyes intent. “As long as she doesn’t sexually harass me, I can handle it. I am actually qualified for the position I was hired into.”
I sent her a nod of respect. “Good to know.”
She studied me a moment longer. I think she was waiting for me to say something.
I felt like a disappointment in so many ways; I wasn’t even sure where to begin, so I remained mute.
Realizing I wasn’t going to speak, she nodded and turned away to leave.
But just as she reached the door, I squeezed my eyes shut and whispered, “Wait.”
I almost hoped she hadn’t heard me, but when I opened my eyes, she’d paused and was coming back around, her eyes wide and hopeful.
I drew in a deep breath. “Are you certain you’re okay with all this? If you change your mind and want to file a lawsuit—”
“I won’t,” she assured me. “I liked this outcome.”
“Okay.” I nodded, then finally said, “In other news, I owe you an apology.”
Her brow furrowed in confusion. “For what?”
“I wrongly assumed you already knew what Art was about when he hired you. I thought you would be the same as all his other secretaries. I mean, after everything that went down between you and Bella and that asshole, I didn’t think you would object to—”
“But Mr. Draper’s married,” she spat incredulously, gaping at me as if I were insane for even suggesting what I was suggesting.
I cringed even as I shrugged. “And Bella was engaged,” was all I could think to reply. “Why would I assume it’d be any different?”
