Page 12 of Baby Bombshell for the Boss

“Then we’ll talk about it,” Elliot said simply. “You’ll be able to change course, I know, if things are going in the wrong direction. I don’t know you well, Ivy, but I know you well enough to know you’ll listen to feedback.”

“Of course I will.”

“So then, what’s the problem? Whatever happens, we’ll be able to work it out. I want you for this job. Will you come do it for me?”

Finally she smiled. “Of course,” she said. “That would be amazing. Thank you so much for taking a chance on me. I’d love to do your office.”

He smiled. “I hoped you’d say that,” he said. “I had a feeling you would, because you mentioned how designing an office space like mine was a dream of yours.”

“It’s a little spooky,” she admitted.

“What is?”

“Getting fired from one dream job and having another one offered to me before the sting has time to fade.”

“Take it as a good sign,” he suggested. “You’re meant to be in this job. You’re going to be a big success.”

“Do you really think so?”

“Ivy, once my office is finished, we’ll make sure the pictures land in all the major design magazines,” he pledged. “Everyone will see what you’ve accomplished.”

Ivy beamed, apparently unable to contain her excitement at that idea, and Elliot was thrilled. To be able to help her when things were going so badly for her felt wonderful. He was glad he had been here today.

CHAPTER 6

ELLIOT

“I don’t have any contracts to give you,” Elliot said, feeling a bit awkward. “I can email them to you later today, if you’d like to give me your email address.”

“I’ll get you a business card,” Ivy said. She went to her purse and fished one out.

He read it. “This doesn’t have the name of a company on it,” he noted.

“No,” she agreed. “Devin never offered to provide business cards for me — I guess he thought I wouldn’t need them. So I made my own.”

“That sounds like a red flag to me,” Elliot commented. “Maybe it’s a blessing in disguise that you’re no longer working there.”

“Maybe,” Ivy said doubtfully. “I don’t know if I’m ready to look at it that way just yet, to be honest.”

“Well, that’s fair enough. The email address on this card is the best way to reach you to send over a contract?”

“Yes, that’s best.”

“I really am sorry I don’t have something today.”

“Don’t be silly,” she laughed. “Neither of us knew this was going to happen. You couldn’t possibly have been prepared for it. I’m just grateful to you for offering me the job. It takes a lot of pressure off of me while I look for something else long-term.”

“Well, I’m glad I could help,” he said. Inspiration struck him suddenly. “I’ll tell you what — I meant to offer to cook you breakfast this morning, before all this went down. It’s a little late now, but would you let me take you out to brunch to seal the deal?”

“That sounds really nice, actually,” she said with a smile. “I still don’t know any good brunch places in the city.”

“You’re in luck. There’s an awesome cafe in this neighborhood — I’m surprised you haven’t found it yet, actually — and it’s never too crowded.”

“Another one of your New York secret spots?”

“Something like that,” he said. “This one’s not really a secret, it just got a bad review online a few years back, and the review went viral, so it became really unpopular.”

“I don’t get it. You want to go to an unpopular place that gets bad reviews?”

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