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“No. It’s just...” She looked toward her boss again and her eyes grew wide as he got up and headed toward her. He was looking down at a piece of paper—most likely something else he was going to have her do. Like what he’d already given her wasn’t enough.
“Ms. Foster, I need you to—” He took in Daniel standing in front of her desk. She knew he was trying to figure out if Daniel was someone he needed to impress or not. Despite Daniel not wearing a tie, he had an air about him that screamed he was important. “Do we have an appointment?”
“No.” Daniel never took his gaze off her boss. “I’m here to take Ali to lunch.”
Her boss’s mouth twisted in displeasure. “I don’t think Ms. Foster will be taking a lunch today.” He turned his attention to her. “She’s rather busy.”
Ali didn’t know how to respond. On one hand, her boss was...well, her boss. But her backside was still feeling the effects of her punishment the night before. There was no way she was going to tell Daniel she couldn’t go to lunch with him. Besides, she needed a break. She’d been going nonstop for almost five hours.
Forwarding her phone, she picked up her purse and stood. “I’ll be back in an hour, Mr. Jacobson.”
“Ms. Foster, I need those numbers compiled today.” The tone in her boss’s voice sent a chill through her body. She felt like a misbehaving child being scolded for needing to eat.
Daniel placed a hand at the small of her back, silently showing his support as she answered. “I should have them on your desk before the end of the day.”
Then, before she could lose her nerve, she walked away.
It wasn’t until the elevator doors closed behind them that all the air rushed out of her lungs and the panic began to set in. What had she done? He was going to make her pay for that. She’d come back to even more work and she was barely treading water as it was.
Daniel’s arms wrapped around her, pulling her against his chest. “Breathe, sweetheart. You did good.” He kissed the top of her head. “It will be okay. I promise.”
They reached the bottom floor and the elevator doors opened. He ushered them outside, guiding them to his SUV.
She didn’t ask where they were going. All she cared about was she was away from her boss. The demands of her job were weighing on her and she had to be honest with herself. She wasn’t sure how much longer she could keep it up.
They pulled up in front of a restaurant she wasn’t familiar with. He parked the vehicle and helped her out of the passenger seat.
The restaurant wasn’t fancy. There was even a sign stating they should seat themselves.
She waited in a booth while he went up to the front to place their order. He came back with a tray full of food and two plates. “Eat.”
Ali did as she was told. She reached for the macaroni and cheese, and then some of the shredded meat.
Daniel loaded his own plate with several items and began eating. He waited until she’d taken several bites before asking, “How was your morning?”
“Stressful as usual, but not any more than usual.”
He nodded. “Do you know a woman named Brenda Renyolds?”
Ali thought about it, but the name didn’t ring a bell. “I don’t think so. Should I?”
“I believe she’d the reason your boss is trying to get rid of you.”
She stopped eating. “What do you mean, trying to get rid of me?”
Instead of speaking, he showed her the files, pointing out the relevant details. She read through the performance reviews and felt both sick to her stomach and vindicated at the same time. It wasn’t her. It wasn’t anything she’d done or didn’t do.
Then he turned the page. “She was their replacement.”
Ali met his gaze across the table. “All three times?”
He nodded.
She sat, her gaze unfocused as she processed the new information. It’s not as if she’d had any warm, fuzzy feelings for her boss before, but now she felt disgusted by him. How could he have done this, not once, but three times? And what about his wife?
Daniel pushed her plate toward her. “Eat your food.”
Picking up her fork, she took another bite, not really tasting what she was eating.
