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There was no point in trying to lie to her. She’d see right through me—she always did. “Maybe. He was so different than he is at work. He was playful and fun.”
“And flirty. Yes, you said. Come on, wake up. He’s your boss. He’s gotta stay inside the lines of professional conduct at all times. Especially these days with so much sexual harassment in the news. One false move and—”
“I know. It’s just that when he passed my workstation today, I caught him looking at me. I expected him to say something, anything. But he didn’t even say hi. Instead, he picked up his pace and marched into my manager’s office like he was invading a hostile nation, handed Cathy a stack of papers, and then loudly reminded her about a meeting this afternoon as he walked away.”
“So, he acted the same way he has every other day since you started working there?”
Except for the lingering looks.
I rubbed the back of my neck. The truth hurt. “Kinda.”
“So, you should have nothing to complain about then. You should be used to being invisible in that place of business of yours.”
I clenched my fists at my side. “I hate you, you know.”
“Nah, you don’t. You worship the ground I walk on. You simply like to pretend you can’t stand me.”
“Dream on, darling.”
Mia let out a laugh. “Even if you won’t admit it to yourself, it has been crystal clear to me you’ve had the hots for your boss for quite a while.”
“I have not!” I hissed into the phone. I scanned the park, wondering if anyone from my office could be in earshot and listening to my phone conversation.
“Yeah. Okay, sweetie pie. I get it. You just couldn’t stop staring at him on Friday night because of good old-fashioned curiosity. Fine, we’ll go with that story if it makes you feel better than admitting the truth.”
“It does,” I whispered. “But for argument’s sake, say you’re right, and I have an itsy-bitsy-teeny-weenie crush on my boss. What’s wrong with that?”
“Because you work for him. And you’re younger than he is. It’s time for you to finally get any fantasies about him out of your system once and for all. Besides, I want you to meet one of Michael’s colleagues. You haven’t let me fix you up in forever.”
“I know. My refusal has a little more to do with the fact that the last two guys you sent my way were horrible. Remember the one who refused to eat anything green or red because he got food poisoning on Christmas when he was six?”
Mia laughed. “He was pretty bad. I can’t be perfect all the time. But don’t worry, Grant is great. I met him a few times, and he seems beyond normal and quite good-looking, too. He’s also pretty funny and doesn’t have any weird dietary restrictions or fetishes that I can tell. Michael and I both think you two will hit it off.”
“Fine. Send me a picture, and I’ll think about it.”
“Goodie! Oh, man. Sorry, I’ve got to run. Jacques is at the door for my training session.”
“Have fun and say hi to Jack from me. I probably should get back to work, too.”
Chapter Five
“Where have you been?” Cathy bellowed as soon as she spotted me returning to my desk.
I slipped off my wool coat and said, “I stepped out for lunch.”
“Of all days,” she said under her breath. “I can’t believe you just breezed out of here. Today,” she said as she ran her fingers through her mane of wild—clearly dyed—bright red hair. Judging by the frizz on her head, she had reached her breaking point of anxiety and stress a while ago. Cathy was an amazing marketing director, but she was always a bundle of nervous energy, which I liked to ignore. Although most of the time, she directed her rants inward and not at me, I didn’t enjoy this frenzied attention.
“Excuse me?” I felt my back go up. “I’m entitled to a lunch break. And”—I glanced at my watch—“I wasn’t even out of the office my full hour.” I had a full six minutes more of “me time”—thank you very much!
“You never go out to lunch. Ever.”
“I know. Usually, I don’t. But today, I had something to take care of.”
“Well, I wish I’d known. We have a meeting with Jonathan in less than five minutes.”
My heart pounded fast in my chest.
A meeting?
