Chapter 5
CHAPTER FIVE
Gigi
The next few days pass in a blur, but finally, it’s Friday.
I’ve moved myself and Emma into our new apartment, which was easy, because it’s fully furnished.
And when Rush leaves the office for a lunch meeting, Erika comes up to join me and catch up.
I miss living with her, but it is nice that Emma and I have our own bedrooms. And Erika deserves some privacy and a life without a toddler underfoot.
I bring her up on the elevator, Rachel waving when she sees Erika. “Hey, Girl.”
No wonder Rachel has been watching out for me.
Erika winks back. “How is it up on the big floor?”
“Another day in paradise,” Rachel wrinkles her nose, with a sigh, her eyes moving wistfully to Gris’s closed office door.
“Want to join us for lunch?” I ask.
“Definitely.” She grabs her lunch from her desk and leads us to the conference room.
I hesitate before I enter, feeling like I’m invading a space I shouldn’t be in. There was nothing in the handbook, I’ve read it from cover to cover, about not using the conference room for eating, but still…
Erika and Rachel don’t hesitate, seating themselves at one end of the table. I enter more slowly, gingerly taking a seat as I pull out my salad.
We eat and chat, the conversation getting increasingly friendly, until Rachel leans forward, her voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper, “I’m thinking about starting an account on one of those dating apps.”
I smile, standing. Before Vigo, I remember wishing that I had a man of my own. Now…
Crossing to the bank of cabinets, I pull out a trash bag. I know there are meetings in this room later, and I don’t want the room to smell like our food.
I also grab some Windex and paper towels.
“That’s a good idea,” Erika nods, giving me a sidelong glance. “I actually…” She pauses, and I stop throwing our trash in the bag, waiting for what she might say. “I…um…have a date.”
My mouth drops open. Erika’s been divorced for longer than me and she doesn’t have a child. Still, she winces when her gaze meets mine, like she feels guilty. She shouldn’t. “That’s wonderful!”
Relief pulls at her features. “Are you sure? It isn’t weird?”
“Why would it be weird?” Rachel asks, looking between us.
“It’s not weird at all,” I assure both Rachel and Erika. “When Erika and I met, we were both getting out of relationships.”
Rachel’s eyes light with understanding. “Break-up sisters. Got it.”
I laugh at the term. I like it. I finish picking up the trash and knot the bag. I’ll toss it down the shoot before I return to my desk. Then I spray down the tabletop, bending over to wipe the surface.
“Who’s your date with?” Rachel asks Erika.
“One of the guys on the legal team. He’s always hanging around my desk and yesterday…” She blushes.
Erika is a gorgeous, a real blonde, unlike me. I’m sure guys are falling all over themselves to go out with her. And she deserves a really great guy who will treat her right.
“Work crush,” Rachel sighs. “I hear sometimes those work out.”
It’s completely obvious that Rachel has a crush on Gris Smith, but three times in the last two days, I’ve heard him on the phone with his wife. The man is smitten and completely unavailable. My sympathies go to Rachel, but I’m glad she’s looking elsewhere.
Erika turns to me. “You read the handbook. What’s the policy?”
“It isn’t strictly forbidden, but highly discouraged,” I answer, leaning out even further to wipe some crumbs.
“What about you?” Rachel asks. “Any man in your life?”
My movements slow. “Definitely not.”
“The breakup was that bad?” Rachel asks even as Erika looks down at her lap. We have an unofficial rule that we don’t talk about our exes other than with each other.
“Bad,” I confirm. “But also, I think I’m going to have to learn to manage this job and the Big Bad Boss?—”
“Ahem,” a deep male voice clears his throat behind me. I straighten slowly, dread pooling in my limbs as I slowly turn.
Gris stands in the doorway, Rush just behind him, both looking at me. My face flames as I gasp in a breath.
Did Rush know what I was saying? Am I about to be in trouble? I hold the damp paper towel to my abdomen, my body curling as I try to face whatever is coming.
“Ladies,” Gris drawls as he leans on the door jam. “Can I confess my disappointment that I didn’t receive an invitation to this tête-à-tête?”
“Gris,” Rush rumbles behind him.
At the same moment, Rachel sighs.
Not sure what else to do, I bend down and pick up the trash bag I’d collected.
“We have janitorial staff,” Rush growls out.
I freeze again. “I…I didn’t want the room to smell like our lunch. I know there are meetings scheduled here this afternoon…” I feel my face getting even hotter.
“You think of everything,” Gris gives me an easy smile and a wink.
But I barely notice as I start moving again, eager to leave and return to my desk. I feel like I’m one wrong move away from being fired or punished or?—
I dip my chin, trying to hustle past them, through the doorway.
Rush’s hand shoots out to stop me and I visibly flinch. I’m flustered and I know it. My gut reaction is to turn away from a man’s touch, but I try to hide it most of the time. But in this moment…
I hear Erika give a small cry behind me, and I know I was completely obvious. Nipping at my lip, I can feel my eyes welling with tears.
It’s so silly, my boss is not going to rear back and hit me, but I can’t shake the reaction, the fear.
“Gigi,” his voice is soft, not like I’ve ever heard it. “Are you all right?”
“I’m fine,” I gasp. “I’ll just take this trash to the chute and then I can start on the financial reports for the?—”
His hand brushes mine, taking first the trash bag and then the paper towels from my fingers. My blouse now has a wet spot from where I’d held the damp towel against the fabric.
God, I’m a mess.
“I’ll take the trash. You go wait in my office.”
My breath hitches. I’m going to be fired. He heard me and… He turns, heading toward the elevator and I stand watching him go, horrified at what I’ve done and what I’m sure is about to happen.
“Come, luv,” Gris murmurs next to me, his hand coming to my back. His touch is gentle and I automatically heed it.
I can feel the tears threatening to spill over, and I will them back.
I don’t ask questions, they only ever make things worse. My feet move like they are someone else’s, Gris steering me toward Rush’s office.
My hands press over the damp spot, trembling, despite my best attempts to stop them.
We’ve just reached the door when Rush appears again. “I’ve got her from here, Gris.”
Gris’s hand drops and he withdraws, leaving me with the boss I just insulted.
“I…” I start, finally lifting my head. “I’m sorry. I…”
He waves his hand, dismissing my words. “In my office, Gigi.”
I step in, panic replacing the numbness. “Please don’t fire me. I promise that I won’t?—”
“I’m not firing you,” he rumbles, his hand coming to my back, where Gris’s had been. “But I do want to know why I frightened you so much.”
My skin shivers again, but for a completely different reason. His touch sparks a sizzling that I thought my body was incapable of. I straighten away and he drops his hand.
He’s right in front of me. The heat of his body, radiating out so that I can feel the warmth. I have this urge to press into him, let his body protect mine. For once, I’d love to borrow someone else’s strength.
I know it’s stupid to make myself vulnerable to a man, any man, but especially one this powerful.
Still, I can’t shake the thought that he’d feel so good. “It’s nothing.”
“I’ve noticed the black eye,” he fires back, his voice hard and unyielding again. “Who gave it to you?”
I shake my head, my eyes growing wide. This is still my first week of work, I’m not sure I’m ready for heart to hearts, least of all with my very demanding and grumpy boss. “My ex-husband.”
“How long have you been divorced?”
No. No. No. It’s too soon for him to know this much about me. Honestly, I hoped never to tell anyone here about my past. Not ever. “We split a year ago, but the divorce only finalized recently.”
“You initiated?”
This is getting so personal. “I don’t think?—”
“Does he know you work here?”
“No.”
Rush gives me a quick nod. Then his hand comes to my back again. “My father was a piece of shit, but my mother was a strong and loving force in my life. I have never, nor would I ever, raise a hand to a woman. Understand?”
I give a tentative nod. His words ring with sincerity, and I appreciate them. “Are you upset that we ate in the conference room?”
“There is a breakroom,” he says by way of answer. “I know the views aren’t as good, but it’s a far more appropriate place for employees to dine.”
“It won’t happen again.”
“Good.” Then he gestures toward the couch. “Would you like to sit for a minute and collect yourself?”
I shake my head. How bad do I look? “That won’t be necessary.” I turn, making a dash for the door.
I have no idea how close I just came to being his fourth fired assistant, but I don’t want to find out.
Making my way to the bathroom, I splash water on my face, then use the hand dryer to dry the spot on my shirt.
Thank goodness it’s Friday and I’ve got the weekend to compose myself before facing another week.
Because this job is pushing all my most sensitive buttons.