Page 9 of Baby Bombshell for the Boss

“I’m sorry,” Ivy stammered. She felt truly caught off guard. Even though answering her phone on Saturday mornings had never been an expectation that was laid out, she felt as if she had failed at something she should have known. It was strange — she actually felt ashamed. Ashamed of not waking up early to deal with work on her day off, when nobody had asked her to do that! How could she possibly feel any shame about that?

But she did. She felt guilty for not having answered his calls and embarrassed that she hadn’t known she was supposed to. Thinking about it now, of course she was supposed to be available at all times. Of course he would want that from her. This was Devin Sayers. He was right — anybody would kill for the opportunity she had been given. Of course he had the right to make all kinds of demands on her time.

“I’ll do better,” she told him firmly.

He sighed. “I don’t know, Ivy. I think we may have taken this as far as it can go.”

“What does that mean?”

“I think you have talent, but I’m not looking to be a teacher or a mentor. That isn’t what I need from the people who work for me. I need people who are already proficient in this industry — people who are ready to take on bigger challenges. And I don’t think that’s you.”

Ivy faltered. Was she losing her job? She couldn’t lose this job — working for Devin Sayers was the opportunity of a lifetime. “I’m sorry it’s taken me such a long time to learn, but I promise I’m going to get these things right. You won’t be sorry you took a chance on me.”

“I’m already sorry,” Devin said ruthlessly. “It hasn’t worked out, Ivy. There’s no point in you arguing with me about it. That’s the way it is. You don’t need to bother coming in on Monday. Someone else can get the clients their coffee.”

It was adding insult to injury. “I’m good for more than fetching coffee,” she said.

“You haven’t shown me that you are.”

“Devin, you haven’t given me a chance!”

“Look, I’m sorry about this,” he said, though he didn’t sound very sorry. “I know you moved to New York to do this. I get it.”

There was no way he got it. Obviously he didn’t get it. But she couldn’t say that to him, so she was silent.

“You’ll find something else,” he told her. “Start a little bit lower on the totem pole, and I’m sure you’ll find someone who’s ready to work with a person at your level — get you up to speed so you’ll be ready to join this competitive industry. I just can’t be that person. My firm has a reputation to uphold, and someone like you doesn’t fit in with that. I can’t compromise the integrity of my business for the sake of your field education.”

She’d never have asked him to. But that wasn’t what this was. He was firing her, not because she wasn’t any good at interior design, but because she had slept in on her day off! She really would have been willing to set alarms in the future. Even though she found it an unreasonable ask, she valued the chance to work for Devin Sayers highly enough that she would have done whatever he wanted her to do.

But it wasn’t good enough for him. It wasn’t enough that she was willing to do what he wanted. According to him, she should have known what he wanted without his even having to say it.

And that was too much. That was more than anyone ought to expect. She didn’t understand how he could ask for such a thing.

Was she wrong not to have provided it without being asked? Obviously Will had known. Or had Will just gotten lucky and been awake this morning?

If I hadn’t let myself celebrate last night, none of this would be happening.

But even as she had the thought, she found she couldn’t quite regret the fun she had had the night before.

CHAPTER 5

ELLIOT

Elliot heard Ivy’s call end and got out of bed, feeling uneasy. It had been obvious by the tone of her voice that she was getting bad news, although he hadn’t heard what was said. He was sure that whatever it was, she wouldn’t want a near-stranger in her house while she dealt with it. He dressed quickly, prepared to make a graceful exit, a little sad that he wouldn’t have the chance to cook her breakfast as he’d planned. Last night had been more fun than he’d had in a long time.

He went out into the kitchen and found her sitting at the table with her head in her hands. He took care to make plenty of noise on his way in, to alert her to his presence, but she didn’t even look up.

“Ivy?” he said after a few moments of this.

Her voice was muffled. “I just lost my job.”

Elliot swore under his breath. He had known that something wasn’t right, of course, but he hadn’t tried to guess at what the problem might be. He’d considered it none of his business.

But apparently she wanted to tell him. He pulled out a chair and sat down. “Do you want to tell me what happened?” he asked hesitantly.

“It’s my own fault,” she said, raising her head from her hands. He could see that she had been crying — her eyes were red — but he didn’t remark on it. Instead, he got up and started opening cabinets until he located water glasses. He pulled one out, filled it at the tap, and brought it to her. She managed a half-smile and took a sip.

“How is it your fault?” he asked her.

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