4. Maddie
4
MADDIE
“Be good for Aunt Sloan today.” I leaned down to kiss Grant on the forehead, brushing his messy blond curls out of his eyes. “I’ll be back before dinner, okay?”
“Okay, Mom.” Grant, who was still nestled under his dinosaur blanket, grinned up at me, his eyes half-lidded with sleep. “Have a good day at work.”
“I will,” I promised, though part of me still couldn’t believe that I was actually heading to this job—a billionaire’s executive assistant. Since, after how I’d started things off, the fact that I was still employed felt like a minor miracle.
But now, in my second week, I was starting to find my rhythm.
Sure, I’d spent the first few days blushing like a schoolgirl every time Ian so much as glanced my way, but at least I hadn’t done anything too catastrophic.
Not again , anyway.
Was I still slightly annoyed with Sloan for not giving me a heads-up that I’d hit on my boss before seeing him at work last Monday? Absolutely. But she claimed she didn’t realize who I was kissing at the club until it was too late—and after seeing how thrilled I was after my epic kiss with a stranger, she hadn’t wanted to burst my bubble.
Could she have warned me the next Monday morning before I left for work? Definitely. But was I mad about having two whole days to fantasize about the handsome stranger I’d kissed? Not really. Daydreaming about being back in Ian’s arms at The Garden had been a pretty sweet escape while it lasted.
But despite letting me make a fool of myself with my new boss, Sloan had been an absolute lifesaver this past week, watching Grant while I worked.
With her summer schedule mostly free, aside from a few drama camps here and there, she’d stepped in to help until I could find a good summer program for Grant. We were on the waitlist for one in Eden Falls, and the director had texted me on Friday, hinting at an opening. So I was crossing my fingers that Grant would get in soon.
Once that was taken care of, the only thing I’d need to do was to find a place for Grant and me to live.
“Have a good day at work,” Sloan said when I made it back downstairs. She was standing in the corner of her small kitchen, sipping her coffee by the window.
“I will,” I said, grabbing the lunch I’d packed from off the counter. “Ian should be back from that wedding he went to, so hopefully, he didn’t decide to fire me while he was away.”
Sloan chuckled, a half-smile lifting her lips behind her coffee mug. “He probably hooked up with another Norwegian model while he was away, so I’m sure things will be fine and your little blunder will be far from his mind.”
My jaw dropped at what Sloan had just said. When I could gather myself enough to give a response, I said, “I don’t know whether I should be comforted or offended by the fact that you think my kiss with my boss is so forgettable.”
“Oh, I’m sure it was a very memorable kiss.” She waved her hand. “But we’re talking about a billionaire playboy here. He’s just wired differently than you and me.”
“Well, then I guess I have nothing to worry about.”
“You’ll be fine,” Sloan said. “He would be an idiot not to keep you on.”
“Well, I appreciate your vote of confidence in that area,” I said, still slightly bugged by the idea that Ian might have gone off and hooked up with random women over the weekend.
Even though I knew I really shouldn’t care.
Since there was obviously no way him getting hung up on our stolen moment could ever go anywhere.
As I pulled my work bag over my shoulder, Sloan got a sly smile on her face. “Oh, before you go, I wanted to remind you—I’m having a few friends over tonight. Just a little backyard get-together with drinks, appetizers, and a fire.”
“Sounds fun,” I said, grabbing my keys from off the hook.
“It will be,” she said, her grin widening. “You should hang out with us. Who knows, maybe someone who’s not your boss will be there and catch your eye.”
I rolled my eyes, slinging my purse over my shoulder. “I’m not looking for a man right now, Sloan.”
She shrugged, unfazed. “You say that now, but you just wait until Theo shows up. He’s a hot single dad. And while I know you say you’re not interested in dating…we already know that the universe works in mysterious ways.”
“Uh-huh,” I muttered, heading for the door. “Well, have fun playing matchmaker without me. I’ve got to get to work.”
“Suit yourself,” Sloan called after me with a laugh. “But the offer still stands!”
I waved as I stepped outside, shaking my head as I made my way down Sloan’s flower-lined walkway and climbed into my fifteen-year-old Subaru. The engine sputtered to life, a sound I’d grown used to, and I pulled onto the road, beginning the twenty-minute commute from Eden Falls to the office.
Connecticut was breathtaking in the summer—the early morning sun bathing the lush greenery in golden light.
It was like something out of a postcard.
And as I approached the city where I would be spending my workdays for what I hoped to be many years, I couldn’t help but feel a deep sense of gratitude for this fresh start. Getting to rebuild my life in such a serene, picturesque place felt like a gift I didn’t even know I needed.
When I arrived at my desk, I glanced through the glass walls of Ian’s office and saw that he was already inside. It surprised me a little, considering his plane had landed late last night. But Sloan had mentioned that despite his active social life, Ian was always dedicated to his work.
My only hope was that despite my initial blunder at the club, he’d see that I was just as responsible and committed to doing my job well.
I tucked my work bag into my desk drawer and opened Ian’s emails, sorting through the ones that had piled up since Friday. As I was drafting a reply, I heard Ian end a phone call. I glanced up, and just like the first time I’d seen him on the stairs at the club, the sight of him nearly took my breath away.
Man, it should be illegal for anyone to look this good at work.
You are not allowed to have a crush on your boss, I reminded myself, trying to ignore the flutter in my chest as Ian walked to the window, his gaze distant and thoughtful. You’re a professional now. No silly crushes allowed.
But even if I was trying to be professional, it was hard not to notice how he was a work of art, standing there in his perfectly tailored suit, with his brow furrowed and that sexy pout on his lips.
Maybe it was the fresh Norwegian air that had done it, or maybe he’d gotten a new haircut for the wedding he’d attended there. Either way, he looked better than ever this morning.
I shook my head, trying to push the thoughts away. Who cares if he looks like he stepped off the cover shoot for the Sexiest-Man-Alive magazine issue? I had work to do.
I couldn’t afford to get distracted by the very man I needed to stay focused around. But even as I tried to convince myself with my new mantras that included things like “focus on the paycheck, not the playboy” and “salary over smoldering looks,” I couldn’t help but steal one last glance in his direction.
Yep, just because I’d told Sloan I wasn’t interested in dating anyone right now didn’t mean I couldn’t still appreciate my beautiful view.
After finishing Ian’s emails, I glanced at his schedule for the day. He had a few meetings lined up, one of which was a board meeting in just a few minutes. Since I was still new and he’d only been in the office three of the five days I’d worked here so far, I decided it was better to ask what he needed from me, rather than assume. So I stood, smoothed out my skirt, and walked over to his office.
Knocking lightly on the glass door, I watched as he glanced up from his computer and waved me in.
“Do you need me to attend any of your meetings today?” I asked, keeping my tone professional, even though just being around him still sent my pulse racing.
“Actually, yes.” Ian leaned back in his chair, his dark eyes lingering on mine for a moment before seeming to take in my appearance. He licked his lips, then cleared his throat. “I-I’d like you to sit in on the board meeting that’s starting shortly. It’ll give you a better understanding of the company and everything we have coming up.”
“Okay, great.” I nodded. “I’ll grab my laptop and notebook.”
I turned and headed back to my desk, feeling a small sense of relief.
So far, so good , I told myself. One interaction down for the week, and as long as I kept things professional, maybe I’d manage to keep up my streak of not throwing myself at my boss.
But when Ian stepped out of his office, and I fell in step behind him, my eyes couldn’t help but drift up his tall frame and admire it as we walked down the hall together.
How tall was he, anyway? I was five foot five, and he had to be at least ten inches taller.
So...six two? Six three?
I’d never been great at guessing heights, but either way, his towering height just added to his overall appeal.
Which you don’t care about, I reminded myself. Since he’s your BOSS.
When we reached the conference room, Ian held the door open, gesturing for me to step inside. I took a deep breath and walked in, immediately noticing the polished, professional atmosphere. Several executives were already seated around the large rectangular table, all impeccably dressed and exuding the kind of confidence you’d expect from people who ran a multi-billion-dollar corporation.
At the far end of the table sat Ian’s dad, Mr. Joel Hastings, a distinguished fifty-something man with an air of authority that could easily be intimidating—yet somehow wasn’t. Beside him sat his wife, Dawn, a poised woman with warm brown eyes and rich brown hair. Her graceful demeanor matched her husband’s presence, though there was a certain softness in her gaze.
Beside Ian’s mother sat his younger brother, Carter, who was apparently a wiz with numbers. And even though he was only a year out of college, he was well on his way to becoming the company’s chief financial officer.
And though this powerful family could have easily come off as the intimidating billionaires that they were, there was a warmth that emanated from them, making you feel oddly at ease in their presence. It was a rare mix of power and approachability—one that was as impressive as it was disarming.
Which probably helped them in negotiations with the companies they acquired.
I’d been curious about my new company’s founding family last week, and not wanting to have any more mix-ups with who I should and should not recognize, I found Ian’s social media accounts. It turned out that in addition to having Carter for a younger brother, he also had two other siblings who—you guessed it—were also extremely talented and good-looking.
Nash and Cambrielle didn’t work at the company, though. Nash was an up-and-coming actor who recently had a small role in a movie alongside one of my all-time favorite actors, Justin Banks. And Cambrielle, who was the youngest in the family, had just graduated from Juilliard and landed a job as a professional dancer for the New York City Ballet.
With such an accomplished family, it was hard not to feel like an imposter in their midst.
I hesitated for a moment at the conference room’s entrance, waiting for Ian to step farther inside. Then I followed him down the small aisle to the seats near the other Hastings family members.
As the meeting began, I did my best to stay focused, taking notes while the board members discussed quarterly progress. Much of it went over my head, but I tried to keep up. A few executives expressed concern about the numbers falling short of projections, but when the conversation shifted to the upcoming business summit in Boston, the mood lightened again.
I quickly scribbled "Summer Business Summit: Boston?" in my notebook, adding a question mark to reflect my uncertainty. Before I could fully process it, I felt Ian lean closer, his breath warm against my ear.
“I’ll tell you more about the summit after the meeting,” he whispered, his voice low and intimate. “I’d like you to attend with me.”
My heart skipped a beat as the nearness of him, combined with the intoxicating scent of his cologne, sent my mind spinning for a moment.
Did he just say he wanted me to go with him?
A work trip with my incredibly attractive boss?
“O-okay,” I stammered, trying to shake off the haze and focus back on the meeting. This is a business trip, Maddie . Strictly professional.
But my mind had other ideas, suddenly conjuring up scenarios straight out of the contemporary romance novels that I loved.
You’d think after everything, I’d have learned not to get carried away. But no, instead of focusing on financial reports and investor strategies, I was imagining all kinds of forbidden moments—a business trip that turned into something...more.
That’s what I get for reading on the weekends Grant was with his dad this past year instead of going on dates, I guess. My brain seemed to be convinced I was living in a rom-com, especially after that kiss I’d shared with Ian when we first met.
I’d basically had the most unfortunate meet-cute with my future boss that anyone could imagine, and now my mind wasn’t letting it go.
But this wasn’t a romance novel. This was real life.
In real life, I needed this job to pay my bills and take care of my son. So imagining a scenario where we’d end up at a hotel and, whoops, there’s only one bed left? Yeah, that needed to stop.
I sighed internally, shoving down yet another scene my overactive imagination was trying to formulate. One where Ian and I were snowed in at some remote lodge, forced to stay the night together and… No. I needed to stop this.
Besides, it was June. It doesn’t snow in Boston in the middle of June.
The meeting continued, the voices of the executives fading into the background as I mentally slapped myself back to reality. Ian was my boss, and I had no business entertaining these thoughts. Not if I wanted to keep this job and not complicate my already complicated life.
By the time the meeting wrapped up, I’d managed to fill my notebook with semi-coherent notes—though I’d probably have to decipher half of them later.
“So, about that business summit,” Ian said, glancing over at me as we walked toward his office behind a few of the other executives. “I was thinking I could fill you in over lunch since it’s coming up in just a couple of weeks. There’s a great Thai place next door.”
“It’s happening that soon?” I asked, trying to keep the surprise out of my voice. “Like, at the end of the month?”
“It’s the last week of June.” He nodded, his gaze steady. “Sorry I didn’t mention it sooner. My assistant usually handles my schedule, and with your recent hire and my friends’ wedding last weekend, things have been a bit hectic. But we should get you up to speed.”
“Yeah, that makes sense,” I said, my mind already racing with what I’d need to arrange for Grant during the trip. “I can join you for lunch.”
The sandwich, fruit, and yogurt I’d packed could wait another day.
But the idea of this trip happening in just two weeks? That was fast.
I’d need to see if Jaxon could take Grant that week. And if he couldn’t, maybe Sloan could help. Or Lexi?
“Great,” Ian said with an easy smile, completely unaware of the logistical gymnastics my brain was already working through. “I’ve got a call in a few minutes, and then we can head down together.”
“Sounds good.”
He opened the door to his office, and I sat at my desk, trying to calm the strange anticipation thrumming inside me.
It’s just lunch, I reminded myself as I pulled up a training video I still needed to watch. Nothing to get excited about .
Since again…my life was not a romance novel.