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"Good morning, princess," I say, my voice dripping with sarcasm as I open the door.
"Morning," she replies, her tone matching mine as she sits on the edge of the bed, clearly annoyed by my presence.
"Did you sleep well?" I ask, trying to keep my temper in check.
"Like a baby," she retorts, rolling her eyes. "What do you want?"
"Nothing," I say, attempting to brush off her attitude. "Just making sure you're still here."
"Where else would I be?" Lulu snaps, and I can't help but chuckle at her feisty spirit.
"Fair point," I concede. She looks far too chipper for my liking and I raise an eyebrow at her.
"Is there something you'd like to tell me?" I ask defensively, suddenly paranoid that she knows about my thoughts from earlier.
Lulu tilts her head, her hazel eyes dancing with mischief. "Oh, nothing much. Just that I saw what happened last night."
I feel my face heat up but quickly recover. "So what? I hope you enjoyed the show."
Her smirk grows wider. "Well, if you don't let me go back to Miami, I'm going to tell everyone that you hire hookers. I'm sure you don't want that ruining your squeaky clean image."
"Who will you tell?" I challenge her, knowing she has no access to the internet or any means of communication. "And with what proof? If you're going to blackmail me, at least do a better job."
Her mouth opens and closes a few times. She obviously hadn't thought through her strategy.
"Behave yourself today, okay?" I say dismissively as I turn towards the door.
"Whatever you say, boss," she says, her mocking tone following me into the hallway.
My drive to work is filled with thoughts of Lulu and our exchange, but I try to shove them aside for now. When I arrive at the office, Mariana greets me with her usual warm smile.
"Good morning," she says, concern etched on her face. "What's eating you?"
"Ah, just babysitting problems," I reply vaguely, not wanting to divulge too many details. As far as she knows, I have a wayward niece staying with me after getting into too much trouble back home.
"Little girls often get themselves in trouble when they don't have enough to do," she advises, her maternal instincts already showing. "Maybe find something to keep her occupied?"
"I'm not sure what entertainment I can provide," I admit, rubbing the back of my neck in frustration.
"Think on it," she shrugs, giving me a sympathetic smile before heading back to her desk.
As much as Lulu frustrates me, I can't help but feel that my assistant may be right. Maybe if I give her something to focus on, she'll be less of a thorn in my side. But what could possibly interest a woman like her?
It's only an hour later when my phone rings, Mariana's number flashing on the screen. "Sorry to bother you," she pants, "but my water just broke at my desk."
"Shit," I mutter, springing from my office chair and racing toward her work area. She's clutching her swollen belly, but her eyes are alight with excitement. "Are you okay?"
"Never better," she grins, breathing heavily. "Can't wait to not be pregnant anymore."
"Need me to go to the hospital with you?" I ask, my heart pounding in concern.
"No, my husband's on his way." She reassures me with that glimmer of a smile I've come to know so well. Her husband arrives ten minutes later, guiding her gently toward the exit as he reminds her to breathe. "Good luck," I call after them, watching as she waves goodbye before disappearing through the doorway.
Back in my office, I slump down into my chair, suddenly feeling the weight of loneliness without her presence. Picking up the phone, I dial the temporary assistant service she provided me with, hoping for a quick replacement. But luck isn't on my side today.
"Sorry," the voice on the line informs me, "the temp we had lined up recently found a full-time position elsewhere. We don't have anyone else available at the moment."
"Damn it," I growl, slamming the phone back into its cradle. My frustration is reaching a boiling point, and I begin pacing the length of my office, each step echoing the parade of anxious thoughts in my mind. I need an assistant now more than ever, especially with Lulu's antics taking up so much of my time and energy.
