The Naughty or Nice Deal

1. Maeve

MAEVE

Maybe I should’ve picked a different outfit.

The thought belatedly passes through my head as I approach an upscale restaurant in Midtown Manhattan.

I chose a simple blue skirt and flowy blouse, since trying to find the right colors to go with my flame-red hair can be tricky, especially with my color-blindness.

But now I’m worried that I look too much like I’ve just come from work.

I mean, I have come straight from work. God forbid my demanding bosses let me off at five o’clock like everyone else, although I guess I can’t complain too much.

You don’t work as the assistant for one billionaire, never mind three, if you aren’t braced for long hours.

But it sometimes feels like Hayden, Ford, and Gabriel derive a special kind of pleasure from piling work on my desk.

Here goes nothing .

Squaring my shoulders, I head inside the restaurant.

It’s a little fancier than I would’ve chosen, but Kyle insisted he wanted to take me here.

Maybe he’s hoping to make a good impression since it’s our first date, but honestly, I don’t need a man to spoil me to get my attention.

I work for three men who could buy every castle in Europe if they felt like it, so wealth doesn’t impress me.

In fact, it puts me on edge. Ever since…

I shake those thoughts away. I’m not here to think about my ex-fiancé. In fact, I’m here specifically to forget about him. I’m here to move on.

Entering the restaurant, I look around. I’ve only seen Kyle in photos before, and I can’t help but worry that maybe he made himself look better.

I’ve heard plenty of horror stories about online dating and apps, even though everyone uses them nowadays.

I wanted to meet someone naturally, get to know them, feel that spark.

But it just hasn’t happened, and maybe it’s naive to wish for that anyway.

Luckily, I spot him, and he does look exactly like his pictures.

That’s a relief. Kyle sees me and raises his hand, and I wave, making my way through the tables.

I can’t shake the feeling that people are staring at me as I walk past them.

Probably wondering why a man like him is on a date with a woman like me: plus-sized and on the shorter side, with fiery red hair that I can never quite tame.

Kyle stands to pull my chair out for me as I sit down.

“Thanks,” I say breathlessly. “Sorry I’m late. Traffic was a nightmare.”

It wasn’t traffic, honestly, it was my bosses, but I don’t want to get into all of that. Work rules my life enough already.

“Hey, no problem.” He chuckles. “It’s worth waiting for a beautiful girl like you.”

The compliment feels practiced, more for show than from the heart, but I smile politely anyway. “That’s very sweet, thank you.”

We’re given our menus and a wine list to peruse. I was so busy all day that I had barely had time for lunch, so I’m contemplating if I should give in and have some of the bread from the basket left for us when my phone buzzes.

A familiar tension coils in my stomach. I should ignore it. I really should ignore it.

My phone buzzes again.

“What do you recommend to start?” Kyle asks the server. “And I’d like to speak with the sommelier, get the best wine recommendations.”

While he’s distracted, I take a quick glance at my phone, even though I already know who’s been texting me. Hayden Russo.

I have him saved in my phone as Grumpy Boss, a private joke that helps me survive working for three demanding billionaires—Hayden and his two best friends.

I know it’s unprofessional, but at this point, I think if Hayden saw it he’d probably just get some kind of twisted amusement out of it.

He definitely wouldn’t fire me. He can’t afford to.

GRUMPY BOSS: Keller, where are you?

GRUMPY BOSS: Your phone must be dead. Or maybe you’ve been hit by a car.

I roll my eyes and respond to him.

MAEVE: I’m off the clock, so it’s none of your business if I get hit by a car or not.

GRUMPY BOSS: Pretty sure it’s still my business, since I pay for your health insurance.

MAEVE: A lesser assistant would pretend you’re funny, but lucky for you I believe in honesty.

“Thank you,” Kyle says, and I drop my phone into my lap to smile up at him.

“I don’t know all that much about wine,” I admit. “You don’t have to go to any trouble.”

That was one of the things that ate at me when I was with… doesn’t matter. Rich people are weird about wine. If you can’t talk about how you can taste the notes of oak in it then apparently you’re not well-bred or something.

“No, no, I’ve been really getting into wine lately,” Kyle says earnestly. “And I did say I’d wine and dine you.”

I laugh, because I think it’s supposed to be a joke, but I’m honestly not sure. My phone buzzes again and I can feel my jaw clench.

I keep the phone in my lap and surreptitiously read the text as the sommelier approaches. I need to put the kibosh on this or Hayden will bother me all night, and I don’t want to ruin this date.

GRUMPY BOSS: I also believe in honesty, Keller, which is why I’m going to be honest with you. I think you’re hiding something from me.

Oh, for crying out loud.

MAEVE: Yes. I’m hiding my nefarious plans to poison your coffee and stage a corporate takeover. You caught me. Put me in cuffs, officer.

Kyle is chatting with the sommelier when I glance up from my phone, asking questions and pointing down at the lower end of the wine list. When I look down at the menu, I can feel my eyes go wide.

Holy shit, these wines are insane. I can’t accept him buying one of these.

“That’ll be perfect,” Kyle says, “thank you.”

I take a deep breath. This is a first date, I don’t want to accidentally start an argument or embarrass the guy. If he wants to buy an expensive bottle of wine, then that’s his business. It’s just my weird hang-ups because of my financial situation.

I give him a smile and glance down at my menu. “So, what did you hear is good? It all looks lovely to me.”

“Well…”

Kyle continues to chat about the menu, but my phone buzzes again.

I keep smiling at him while I glance down to see what Hayden has said now.

GRUMPY BOSS: Sarcasm doesn’t become you, Keller.

There is really no pleasing this guy. I text him back.

MAEVE: When I’m asked why I’m drinking an entire five-hundred-dollar bottle of wine I’m going to blame it on you. You drive me to it.

He sends me back a list of local AA meetings, the asshole.

I roll my eyes subtly, pursing my lips to hold back the tiny smile that tugs at one corner of my mouth.

Hayden is one of those men who’s handsome, rich, charming, and unfortunately actually funny, so he thinks he can get away with anything.

He’s amazing at his job, he’s smart, and he’s ruthless as hell in business.

I’d die before I’d tell him this, but he has a right to think highly of himself.

Beneath the infuriating layers, I respect the hell out of him.

I wouldn’t have stuck it out this long at my job if I didn’t.

But sometimes I swear he delights in driving me to the brink of insanity.

Like right now.

GRUMPY BOSS: So glad to know that you’re wasting the salary I give you on $500 wine.

That comment makes me wince, although there’s no way that Hayden can know why it’s a low blow. My three bosses don’t know everything about my past. Not even Ford. But it twists in my stomach like a hot knife, so I text back again quickly.

MAEVE: I would never waste money like that. It’s my date. He insisted.

The moment I send the text, I know it’s a mistake. Hayden doesn’t need to know about me being out on a date with someone. It will just give him more incentive to meddle.

I shove my phone under my napkin and shift my attention back to Kyle just in time for him to finish his monologue. It does make me worry a little that he doesn’t seem to have noticed I was texting somebody while he was talking.

“I highly recommend the salmon,” he says.

“Salmon sounds great.” At this point, I don’t even care about what I’m eating. That’s probably not a good sign.

My phone vibrates again, and I can feel my smile turning brittle. I probably look like a serial killer. “So, Kyle, you said that you enjoy music as a hobby?”

I glance down at my phone as it vibrates again. Grumpy Boss has informed me that there’s a piece of work he needs me to do.

You’d think such a good businessman would be better at lying.

MAEVE: No, there isn’t. I run your calendar. I know when things are due. Try a little harder next time.

I don’t know why Hayden wants to pull me away from my nice evening. Maybe I made his coffee wrong this morning, and this is his revenge or something.

Putting a smile back on my face, I look up and realize that Kyle has an odd look on his face. He must’ve noticed that I asked him a question and didn’t even hear the answer.

“Everything okay?” He tilts his head to one side.

“Everything’s fine,” I assure him. “My boss is just demanding sometimes. Even after hours.”

“Ah. That’s so annoying,” Kyle says sympathetically. “Honestly, shitty bosses are one of the big reasons I quit and work for myself now.”

“Oh?”

Our wine arrives and the sommelier gives a little speech about it.

I nod along and try to look interested, but I feel a bit bad.

Kyle clearly cares about this and probably thinks he’s impressing me.

He has no idea I’ve had to hear all kinds of speeches about fancy wine before, and that it just reminds me of a time when a man did all he could to make me feel small.

The wine is poured, and Kyle holds up his glass. “A toast to a lovely evening.”

I raise my glass. “I’ll drink to that.”

A shadow looms over our table as we start to clink our glasses together, and I look up, expecting to see our server.

But it’s not the server at all.

It’s Hayden.