Page 57 of The Boss
The work took me all the way up to lunch, and I tried to make the distraction last through my meal, but as soon as I closed the file and sent it off to Mr. Hancock, there the thoughts were, just waiting for an opening. Halfway through my lunch, I came up with something new to distract me.
Something that made my gut churn with anxiety and my palms sweat. Something, though, that needed to be done. Something that, technically, I wanted to do, even if the execution of it wouldn’t be pleasant.
I needed to speak with Mr. Kordell. I didn’t know how much he knew about what had happened between Nate and me, but he needed to know that it was completely over. And that I’d tried to stay away from Nate. Maybe Mr. Kordell could talk some sense into his partner, get Nate to quit pursuing me.
Then again, I hadn’t gotten a single call or email from him all day today. Maybe he’d finally given up. I tried to pretend that was what I wanted, but the pulse low in my body told me a different truth.
I went back to my desk and did a quick check for any important emails or messages to see if Mr. Hancock had anything else for me to do. Since there was nothing immediate that A&R needed, I had the time now to find out if Mr. Kordell was here. I had a feeling that if I waited, I’d lose my nerve, be too embarrassed to say the things I needed to say.
I wrote a note so that if anyone came looking for me, they’d know I’d be back in a bit. I doubted anyone would read it, but it was there just in case. I didn’t want anyone thinking I’d gone to seesomeonefor a non-work-related purpose. I hadn’t heard new rumors, but it wouldn’t take much to get them going again. Maybe worse this time.
I hurried down the hall before I could change my mind about talking to Mr. Kordell. I was furious with myself for letting things go this far. I’d been here for years, built up a good reputation, was working toward presenting myself in the best possible light. Okay, I’d been procrastinating for other reasons, but all of the hard work I’d done would be for nothing if I couldn’t get Mr. Kordell to believe that I hadn’t slept my way to my current position.
I didn’t know for certain that he was in his office, but it wouldn’t take much to check. Just walk down the hallway and turn to the door on the left rather than the right. Of course, I also had to ignore the fact that I’d turned to the right less than twenty-four hours ago and now wished that I hadn’t.
Well, my brain and heart wished that I hadn’t. Other parts of my anatomy were still thanking me for it.
I was only a foot or so away from the door when Nate’s door opened. I froze, mind scrambling for any excuse I could have for being here, any excuse that didn’t involve having come for Nate. I opened my mouth to say something, but any words I might have uttered died in my mouth when I saw who came out of Nate’s office.
Roma.
Maybe Nate’s ex wasn’t so ex after all.
Though, judging by the pure fury in that woman’s eyes, I wasn’t the only person he pissed off. Then, her eyes met mine, and they narrowed. She’d recognized me. Shit.
“Piece of advice from someone who’s been where you are,” she practically snarled, “get everything in writing, so you have proof of what you’re fucking him to get. He’s not great at keeping promises he makes when he’s trying to get into your pants.”
My jaw dropped, and she laughed, one of those mean laughs that certain girls always seemed to have, the ones that let people know that they aren’t in on the joke – theyarethe joke.
“Oh, sweetie, are you really that naïve? Sex is just another transaction to him. It’s how he does things. How healwaysdoes things. Be smarter than I was and get it in writing.”
As she stormed off, I ducked into the closest room, suddenly desperate to see absolutely no one. I’d thought I knew Nate in at least a basic sense, but I clearly didn’t. How could he be like all of those other men that had been in the news recently, extorting sex from women who just wanted to further their careers?
How could I feel what I did for a man like that?
Thirty-Six
Nate
Before Roma had comeinto my office to complain about how I’d been rude when I’d had Angus waiting in my place to take her home this morning. Apparently, I should have made her breakfast and seen her home myself, after making up for my rejection last night by having sex with her. Or she’d said something like that. I’d been thinking more about how I was going to get her out of my office and how I was glad I’d already had my locks changed at home.
I hung up my phone and hoped to hell the security guys were clear on how important it was to make sure Roma never got any farther than the lobby downstairs, not without a specific order from me. One of the perks of owning the building, I could say who was or wasn’t allowed inside. Granted, only a few people knew that I owned the building, but the people who mattered did.
Now that I was done with today’s interruption, I got back to what I’d been doing before Roma had shown up.
Reading Ashlee’s job application.
I went from there to finding her on social media. She had a couple accounts, fewer than most people her age, and she definitely frequented them less. Almost all of her posts were words rather than pictures, which made me wonder if she just didn’t take many pictures or if there was some deeper reason.
Most of the information was made up of things I’d already learned, some from Ashlee herself, some from her job application, but I did catch a few other things. Like the fact that she was a John Perry’s fan, and her favorite book wasA Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy. Interesting, but I wasn’t sure any of that gave me any insight into the conundrum that was Ashlee Webb.
“Are you busy?”
There was something strange in Finley’s voice, and in the way he looked at me.
“Not really.” I closed all the tabs I’d opened to do my…research.
When Finley took a seat in the chair across from me, I realized what was wrong. He was disappointed in me, and it hurt me as much as it surprised me.
