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She took an obligatory sip then reached up to capture his lips as the first gong of the New Year clock sounded, approving his toast with the decadent taste of champagne bubbles and happiness on her tongue as it swirled with his.
On January 2nd Josh waited impatiently in Brad Humphries' office. He checked his watch. Four minutes late. It wasn’t much, but Josh expected punctuality from his employees.
“I’m so sorry,” Mr. Humphries, senior, apologized, looking from Josh to Mike Malone, the public face of Josh’s multi-billion hospitality company. “I’m sure something hugely important is keeping him.”
There was movement in the doorway and all three turned to see Brad slap his secretary on the ass before he straightened his tie and sauntered into the room.
Humphries, senior, was mortified and shoved a handkerchief at his son. “Wipe off the damn lipstick, Brad,” he hissed in a low voice.
Brad snatched the hanky from his father, but his gaze zeroed on Josh and he scowled in annoyance.
“Look, nerd boy, I thought I told you I was too busy to see you. I’ve got important meetings, like I said. Now get out of here and go hump your slut in your two-bit economy room or something.”
His father blustered and turned so red, Josh thought the old man might have a heart attack. Even Mike’s eyes grew wide, which was saying something for a guy who was never phased by anything.
“Actually, I’ve been slumming it in the penthouse for the past two weeks, while I checked out the service here.” Josh replied coolly, gritting his teeth against the desire to punch Brad in the face for his crude remark about Penny.
Brad seemed oblivious to any of the undercurrents flying through the room as he turned to Mike. “Sorry, Mr Malone. I don’t know how this riff raff got in here, but I’ll call security to have him escorted from the premises.”
Mike gave Brad a flinty look. “As I told your secretary, the company founder and chief executive is joining our meeting today.”
“Ah yes, the head honcho,” Brad replied with a conspiratorial smirk. “We’re honored, I know he doesn’t usually make an appearance. Obviously, he knows we’ve got something special here. When’s he coming?”
Mike inclined his head. “Mr. Humphries, allow me to introduce the ‘head honcho,’ as you put it, Joshua Scott.”
“Oh fuck!” Brad paled, the epithet exhaled under his breath, and Josh retained his aloof composure. Just. He didn’t get involved in the hiring and firing and he refused to undermine Mike now, no matter how hard that was.
It didn’t matter. His operations director clearly needed no guidance from Josh on this one. He narrowed his eyes and speared Brad with a direct look. “Unfortunately, there’s no place for an attitude like yours on our team,” Mike said succinctly. “As of now…you’re fired.”
All in all, Josh decided, it was looking like a promising New Year.
