Page 8 of He Falls First

“Um… I’m not so big on the corporate stuff,” I admit, “but when we come up with programs and software that can help the community? That’s what I like.”

“Really?” His stare bores into me, and I shift uncomfortably.

“Yes?”

“Good to know,” Hendrix says. “I’m going to ask you another personal question.” It’s not a request, but a command that sets my pulse racing.

“O-okay,” I stutter, thrown by the sudden shift.

“Are you single?”

The question unsettles me, totally unexpected and kind of embarrassing. Why would he care? Is this some weird power play?

“Um, yes,” I say, fixing my gaze on the gleaming edge of Hendrix’s desk rather than meet his sharp eyes. “I am single. Not exactly by choice, but, you know, modern dating is like navigating a minefield with clown shoes on. And I just downloaded this dating app, so—”

“Clown shoes?” His eyebrow quirks, and he almost looks... charmed? No, that can’t be right. Hendrix Monroe doesn’t do ‘charmed.’

“Exaggeration for effect,” I mumble, wishing a hole would open up in the floor and swallow me, clown shoes and all.

“Right,” he says, leaning back in his chair. And just like that, the moment passes, and he’s all business again. “Well, that’s good for me. For the company, I mean. Relationships lead to wasting time—answering personal text messages at your desk, taking frivolous time off. We don’t need it.”

“Oh. Speaking of time off…”

“Yes?” From the way his eyes narrow as he says the word, now is not the right time to bring this up. But what choice do I have?

Crap. This is just my luck. I’ve had this afternoon off marked in the company calendar for weeks, but of course Hendrix probably didn’t see that until yesterday. I’d like to think he couldn’t have missed the obvious “ELIZABETH OUT OF THE OFFICE” appointment, but he hasn’t brought it up, so I guess I’m going to have to.

Because I can’t miss this appointment.

“Well, Mr. Hendrix, sir, it’s just that…”

God, his stare really is intense, isn’t it? I’d swear he practices staring people down in the mirror. I can’t imagine how else a person can sit there looking like they’re made of pure stone. I blink a few times to myself, because getting a little break from his stare down is the only way I’m going to feel anything like the fearless new me I’m supposed to be.

He speaks again before I can.

“Spit it out, Elizabeth. Are you already trying to take time off?”

I gulp. “I am. It’s just this afternoon—”

“And this time off is for personal reasons?”

I do a nervous chuckle. “It’s about as personal as you can get.”

He is not amused. “If you’re telling me your dating life is interfering with being able to do your job—”

“No!” How mortifying. “It’s not my dating life. Nothing to do with my dating life. It’s just…”

“Just what?”

“Just. My father has an appointment, a medical appointment, and it’s very important. Not life-threatening or anything, god no, but still important. He’s getting a vasectomy. That’s right. Getting snipped. And he’s an older guy, so you might think he wouldn’t need one, but he does, and I don’t want to think about why he does, I just know I’d rather not get a new sibling twenty-six years my junior.”

I pause, realizing I don’t know anything about Hendrix’s family. “Not that there’s anything wrong with that,” I add quickly. “It’s just that I’d rather not, in this case. If I can avoid it.”

Hendrix blinks slowly. “You’re driving your father to get a vasectomy?”

I nod. “Uh-huh. Believe me, I know it’s not normal. But he said he needs someone to drive him home, and like I said, I don’t want him missing the appointment, because I don’t want—”

“Got it. Go.”

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