Page 17 of Falling for the Boss's Son

Blake smiled and changed the subject. “Are you settling into your new condo? Beks said your party was a success. I’m sorry your mother and I couldn’t come.”

His father had to fly to New York the day before and had asked his mother to accompany him. It was rare for his mother to stay home these days when his dad had to travel. With no young children needing her attention, his parents spent as much time together as they could. He didn’t understand the significance of that when he was younger, but he did now, and he wanted that for himself.

“Oh, that reminds me, your mom wanted to know if you could stop by on Saturday. She found some boxes tucked away in a closet that belong to you.”

The server came to take their drink orders, breaking the flow of conversation. Once they were alone again, Jesse responded. “I can’t on Saturday, but I’ll try to swing by on Sunday.”

“I’ll see if your sister can stop by as well and you can both stay for dinner.”

While his parents had been excited Jesse had the opportunity to work in Europe, they were thrilled to have him home. They’d missed him. “Sounds good.”

Their drinks came and they placed their orders. As they waited for their food, Jesse shared some of his ideas for the accounting department. Like it or not, he knew he had something to prove. He was the boss’s son and he wanted to show everyone he was there because he could do the job, not because Daddy was signing his paychecks.

“What did you think of your team?” Blake asked.

Conversation pulsed again when their food arrived. After assurance they had everything they needed for the moment, their server disappeared, and they both picked up their utensils to dive in. “No red flags as of yet.”

“Your assistant, Stephanie, has a lot of ambition.”

Jesse nodded. “Cassie told me she’d only been in the position for a little over a month.”

His dad stopped his chewing and stared at his son for a long moment. He had no idea what his father was looking for, but Jesse continued to eat his food. Eventually, his dad did the same.

There were so many questions he wanted to ask about Cassie, but he didn’t. She was already nervous about them dating.

They finished their meal discussing a much safer topic…Beks. His sister was a bit of a wild child. While he’d been in Europe, she’d been hopping from job to job. Dad had tried getting her to come to work for the company, but she had no interest in finance or business in general. To be honest, he didn’t know what she was interested in.

Jesse walked his dad back to his office, hoping to see Cassie again, but she wasn’t at her desk. It was after one, but he figured maybe she was still at lunch.

Blake stopped outside the door to his office. “I’ll let your mom know about Sunday and text you the time. Don’t be late.”

“Not me you have to worry about.”

His father nodded. “True.”

They said goodbye and Jesse made his way back to the elevator. He shoved his hands into his khaki pants and rocked back on his heels.

The elevator doors opened, and he came face to face with Cassie. She stood frozen, like a deer in the headlights, and he took advantage. He stepped inside the elevator and closed the doors before she could move.

“Hey.” She reached for the button to open the door again, but he closed his hand over her wrist and brought it back to her side. “What are you?—”

Jesse used his body to back her up against the wall. “I was hoping I’d see you again before I left.”

She looked up at him, her breathing labored as if she’d walked up ten flights of stairs instead of taking the elevator. “You were?”

“Yes.”

The elevator began to move, and he wished they’d have more time alone.

As the doors opened, he took a step back. A woman entered, one he recognized from the accounts receivable department. She seemed surprised to see him but smiled. “Hello, Mr. Masters.” Then she looked at Cassie and her smile fell a little. “Are you all right?”

Cassie straightened. “Yes. I’m fine.” She glanced over at Jesse, then back at the woman. “How’re things in accounting?”

The woman relaxed again. “Well,” she said, leaning in as if imparting some big secret. “Word is we’re getting a new boss.”

Cassie played along. “Really?”

The woman nodded, sending me a sly smile as the elevator doors opened again and she exited.

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