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I exhale in relief. I’ve survived today, at least. Through the window nearby, I get a glimpse of Maverick’s Tesla as it pulls out of the parking lot.
I give myself a minute to breathe.
A hand rests on my shoulder. “You’re still here, Noelle?”
I jump, pressing my hand to my chest. It’s just Chris, my manager.
“Y-yes, sir. I still have a couple of things to do in the office. I should be done soon.” I smile, stepping away from the window.
“Right. Follow me. I need to discuss something with you in my office.”
Sighing, I follow him to his office. Ever since I started working here, Chris has been hitting on me. Can’t he let it go? Some men just can’t take no for an answer.
We enter his office, and he waves me to a chair. He sits in his chair and swivels for a moment.
“You’ve been one of the best workers in this department and I’m proud of you. Keep up the good work.”
I raise a brow. He’s not hitting on me? What next? Will I find a unicorn on my way home?
“Thank you, sir. I’ll keep trying my best.”
“That’s good to hear.” He leans forward. “But that’s not the reason I called you here.”
Here it comes.
“What’s the matter, sir?”
He sighs. “For the umpteenth time, you can call me Chris. I think we’ve known each other long enough for that.”
“But—” I hesitate, looking away.
“But what, Noelle?”
“I can’t call you by your name, sir. It’s a little bit … weird.”
“That doesn’t matter. Now, as you know, we have a new CEO. There are going to be a lot of changes in this firm. A lot of work.” He removes his glasses and rubs the corner of his eyes. “I’ll need you at your best. Nothing less than a hundred percent. Can I get that?”
“Yes, Mr. Burnham.” It’s the best I can do.
My brows crease. The change in his behavior is more than welcome, but something must have happened to him that he isn’t his normal flirty self.
“Good.” He nods. “That reminds me. What about the proposal for the PR event I sent to you? How far have you gone?”
“The one I was supposed to review? I’m done, sir. I made some adjustments and created a spreadsheet with slides and all. I was going to send it to you tomorrow.”
He grins, his eyes glowing. “Good job, Noelle. That proposal might just be the thing to put this company on the map.”
I shift in my chair. This meeting is taking too long.
“Will that be all, sir? I should be heading home soon.” I rise and head for the door.
“Wait!” He walks up to me, ruffling his hair. “Um, have you had dinner?”
“No, Mr. Burnham.” I glance at my wristwatch, keeping my distance from him. “It’s just a few minutes after six.”
“If you’re not doing anything, I was thinking we could, you know, grab some dinner this evening. I found a restaurant that’ll blow your mind.”
Here it is. Took him long enough. I don’t know how many times I’ve rejected his advances, but he still keeps pushing and pushing. Why doesn’t he take the hint already? Groaning internally, I struggle to smile.
