Page 13 of Grace
My forehead creases. “I already sent them and had them approved this morning,” I say, before I realize I cut her off. I clear my throat. “Mr. Brooks has me working on something.”
She rests back with a huff. “Don’t be ridiculous,” she sneers. “He would never—”
The door behind her swings open and his large frame steps out. Mr. Brooks’s voice cuts through the air. “Ms. Castain, we need to have a talk.”
Her cheeks heat and she shoots me a glare, then she obediently walks into Mr. Brooks’s office. I slump into the safety of my chair and set up my computer to get back to work.
I have new forms to fill out for my promotion, an NDA to sign, and a whole packet to get through along with the work I was supposed to do earlier.
As the other employees filter back from their lunch, Ms. Castain sneaks out of Mr. Brook’s office, her head low as she walks past me without a single glance.
I lean forward as she has left the door open, and my eyes catch Mr. Brooks’s.
A soft smile plays on his lips and a quick wink follows. With a single blink, I’m tilting back in my chair as heat runs to my cheeks.
Maybe I can make this job work, after all.
seven
Ishove my door open with a groan, kick off my shoes, and slump through the hall to the living room. Music crawls closer, and I glance at Ashley’s room, hoping she stays there for a bit while I try to get my mind in order.
I don’t know how tostartto talk about everything that’s changed today.
My mind buzzes and my skin tingles as I try to understand everything. A mix of emotions I never thought I would feel threatens to pull me away from reality entirely, the shock and heartbreak from Sebastian’s betrayal and something new as Mr. Brooks lures me in somehow, without my knowing whether it’s his intention. How am I supposed to figure out what any of it means?
If Mr. Brooks is toying with me because of his…likes…that’s unprofessional and I’m his son’s ex, so isn’t that wrong? Or maybe I’m crushing on an older man who finally notices me,who appreciates my company and welcomes my hard work, who doesn’t make me feel like shit…
Shaking my head, I rise from the couch and head into the kitchen. I fling open the fridge, still needing that ice cream I craved earlier. The chill of the freezer calms my frayed nerves a fraction.
“One problem at a time,” I mumble to myself as I peel off the lid of a Ben & Jerry’s caramel fudge.
“What’s the occasion?” Ashley jokes as she walks out of her room and tries to fit into the tiny kitchen with me. I press myself against the stove to give her access to the fridge.
“Confusing day and a shitty ex,” I mumble.
She leans against the bar, watching me with amusement glinting in her eyes. “Tell me more,” she urges, and I softly chuckle.
“It seems my ex has been screwing around with my boss’s assistant, who also was my supervisor, but not any more since I now have her job.”
She blinks a few times as she rolls her tongue over her pierced lip. “The boss is also your ex’s dad, right?”
“Don’t remind me,” I grumble and open the cutlery drawer to grab two spoons. “He’s nice, though.” I slide the Ben & Jerry’s to the center of the bar and hand Ashley a spoon.
“Who? Your ex?” she teases, and a blush rises on my cheeks as my stomach tightens.
“No, my boss.” I pause with a sigh. “His dad.”
“Nice enough to make you blush?” She giggles. “He would be a great rebound,” she adds.
“No, no, no.” I shake my head. “I don’t want a rebound. I just… I just want to do my job.”
She hums and glides the spoon in her mouth. “So, you don’t want a rebound. But you’re not saying you don’t want him.” Her eyes flick to mine as I gape at her. “Got you there, roomie,” shetaunts and takes another scoop of the ice cream. “You can’t even deny it. You look like your eyes are about to bulge out of your head.”
“I–I–I… no, there’s nothing there. He’s nice to me, that’s it.”
“Okay, if you say so,” she says, keeping my gaze. “Tell me this, at least—why did you split with your ex?”
My shoulders drop. “I wasn’t what he wanted.”
