AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Apparently, they’re legendary around here because they tend to turn into a showdown between Cole and his dad. With Cole’s reminder about the ticking clock until his dad fires me ringing in my ears, I decide to do some quick research on who exactly I’m getting into bed with.
The internet hits on Cole are a miss of industry publications reporting things like mergers and acquisitions, plus a bunch of interviews Cole did almost fifteen years ago about Ashford Marketing’s expansion into digital marketing. There’s also a notice in the New York Times about his wedding.
My stomach swoops. Have I been lusting after a married man?
Not that I’m lusting. I had a brief moment of dispassionate, academic curiosity about his cock when I thought he was sexually harassing me. But that’snotthe same thing as lusting.
I didn’t notice a wedding ring. But that doesn’t necessarily mean anything.
Cole doesn’t have any social media accounts, at least not under his own name. But his wife (former wife?) does. She’s a polished, sweet looking redhead that’s recently posted a bunch of photos of herself with a guy who’s definitely not Cole.
More scrolling eventually takes me back to photos of a wedding to the guy in the photos. Even more scrolling takes me to posts about a new apartment, with lots of comments from her friends about how proud they are of her for moving on and living her best life. I check the date.
Five years ago.
So, Cole’s definitely single. Or at least not married.
There’s also a photo of a strawberry blonde child who predates the divorce, so she’s probably Cole’s. Her name’s Kiera.
Oh.Kiera’s usual. That’s what the barista meant.
I can’t decide if picturing Cole as a dad makes more or less sense than picturing him childless. He’s got that weight-of-the-world-on-his-shoulders thing going on. That kind of unflinching responsibility makes me think of the parents I know who would do anything for their kid.
At the same time, it’s hard to picture Cole with sticky kid-fingers spilling things on his designer suits.
I check the clock, wince, and hastily click out of Cole’s ex-wife’s social media. Cole’s personal life doesn’t have anything to do with whether or not I can trust him to hold up a business deal.
It takes me another hour of clicking through news, society pages, and various gossipy social media posts to find out what I need to know. Cole’s no angel—he’s been out with alotof women since his divorce, and there’s a blurry photo of someone who looks a lot like Cole stealing a cab from an old lady. But he’s nowhere near as bad as his dad. If the gossip is to be believed, Howard left his wife when she demanded he get treatment for his enormous gambling problem.
I think of Cole sayingI don’t gamblein the cab when we were talking about bluffing. Suddenly his vehemence makes a lot more sense.
Cole’s dad seems to have gotten that addiction under control—or at least figured out a way to keep it out of the spotlight. But the rest of it isn’t great either. Unlike Cole, Howardhasa social media account. And a lot of his posts are kind of mean. Petty. Incredibly out of touch about what it’s like tonotbe insanely rich.
If I have to choose between the two men, I choose Cole. By a long shot.
Even so, I drag my feet on going back to Cole’s office to face him again.
I read the style guides for the clients whose ads I’ll be working on.
I watch a mandatory HR video on appropriate workplace behavior.
And through it all, my stomach is weirdly tense and fluttery. I can’t tell why. Then I realize—Once I agree, I’ve locked myself into communicating closely with Cole for the next two months.
Something tells me he’s not going to be the type to send a few edits on a design via email. He has the look of a nitpicker about him.
I want to groan. This isnotwhat I signed up for when I took this job. I wanted to keep my head down while I saved money and made the connections I’ll need to start my own graphic design business in a year or two.
Once I’m working for myself, no one will be able to fire me. No one will be able to make me feel small. No one will be able to make me start over, over and over again.
But before I can get to thatSomeday,I have to choose sides in a corporate power play.
I look at the clock. My body tenses at the thought of facing down Cole again. Even if, this time, we’re going to be on the same team.
I check to make sure no one’s paying attention to me, and head to his office.
No sense putting off the inevitable.
“Come in,”Cole growls when I open the door.
