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Chapter Twenty-Three
Scott gestured to thefarthest chair from Luke. “Have a seat. Do you want me to ask him to leave the room?” Scott nodded.
“No. Please don’t.” This was bad. Another consequence. This one possibly unrecoverable.
Scott looked at his watch. “You didn’t talk to Dana for long. Did she explain the situation to you?”
“Yes. Can’t we say the recording doesn’t exist, since neither of us gave permission?” I spared a glance at Luke, who didn’t look nearly as concerned as I was.
“This isn’t court,” Scott said. “The fact that the recording is illegal doesn’t change what’s on it. We’re pursuing Mike for a number of legal reasons, but that also doesn’t change this circumstance. Do you understand how this looks?”
According to Dana, it looked like Luke harassing an employee. “Yes, but it’s not like that,” I said.
Scott pinched the bridge of his nose. “I’ve heard this story before. I’ve told this story before. Luke’s already given me his side of things, and it’s exactly what I expected. He told me he abused his position and crossed a line, and none of it is your fault.”
“Why the fuck would you do that?” I’d smack Luke in the arm if he was sitting closer.
“To protect you,” Scott and Luke spoke at the same time.
I crossed my arms over my chest and sank in my chair. Idiot. Lovable, sexy, protective idiot.
Most of the time, it was easy to forget Scott had been running this company in one form or another for two decades. He tended to look and act as young as any of us. Today, the lines around his eyes and mouth were evident. “This is where you tell me it’s not his fault; it’s all on you. That he didn’t threaten your job, and you were out of line.”
“Are you serious?” I stared at him blankly. “Why would I do that?”
“Like I said, I’ve heard and told this story before.”
“Then you’re an idiot too.” Shit. I didn’t mean to say that out loud.
Scott raised his brows and stared at me.
I really called the head of our company an idiot. And I wasn’t even done talking. “It was consensual. All of it. There was no power struggle. There was some seduction, but really, it’s no fun otherwise.” I could shut up anytime now, please. “None of that’s your business. Point is, I’m not going to tell you it was all my fault, and it’s not all his fault. We’re adults, and we both knew what we were doing.”
Luke looked like he was trying to fight a smile. Nice to know my babbling in vague terms about our relationship was funny to him.
Scott was still watching me. “Are you done?” he asked.
“Yes,” I said sheepishly. “Please don’t fire me. Or Luke.”
He stared at me until I wanted to look away, but I didn’t.
“I still can’t have you reporting to him, if you’re doing what this recording implies.” Scott furrowed his brow. “No, wait. There’s no implication there. It’s really straightforward.”
I’d like to curl up in a ball and die now. “We’re not doing that. Not anymore. Not that it’s any of your business.”
“The details aren’t. The one of my managers is sleeping with his employee breaks our rules.”
“You’re dragging this out a bit much.” Luke finally spoke. “It’s starting to look dickish.”
What?
Scott’s face cracked into a smile. “I could see that.”
“Is there a punchline here?” I wasn’t going to be someone’s joke, especially after everything that happened this week.
Scott turned back to me. “This was supposed to wait, but circumstances being what they are... I can’t lose either of you, but I also can’t keep the report-to structure the same. Anne, I’d like to offer you a director position. You can’t step into your new duties until this game is out the door, but if you accept, you report to me, not Luke, effective immediately.”
It didn’t matter that Luke had warned me this was being considered; actually hearing Scott make the offer stalled my brain. I had the sense not to ask things like what? and are you sure? But most other mental functions left me.
