Page 77 of Dear Grumpy Boss

Marisol didn’t get angry as a general rule. She expected life to go her way, and when it didn’t, she became genuinely confused.

Despite our breakup and mutual flaws, I still liked her and respected her professionally. She wouldn’t have her position if I didn’t.

And until recently, a trip like this would always end in us sleeping together.

I had absolutely no desire to go there with her anymore.

Exhaling, I pinched the bridge of my nose. My meeting with Brian had only served to drive a spike through my skull. After our contract ran out, I would have my production teams search for a supplier to replace him. Our history wasn’t enough to save our business relationship.

“You know I hate when anyone speaks for me.” I dropped my hand and tucked it in my pocket. “Did you wait around for me to tell you that?”

Her red lips curled into a smirk. “That, and to allow you to ask me to dinner.”

I frowned, scanning the parking lot. “Did you send Dev and Jeff away?”

She stepped closer, her hand sliding up my chest. “Of course. It would have been impolite to ask them to wait when I’ll be riding with you.”

“I have Elise with me. I had no intention of giving you a ride.”

Her tongue touched her top lip. “Oh, her. I completely forgot about her.” She waved the thought of Elise off. “That’s fine. I don’t mind if she’s in the car.”

My frown deepened, as did the ache in my head. “What did you expect me to do if you minded? Leave her here to fend for herself?”

Marisol huffed a little laugh. “I saw her flirting with the factory boys. I’m sure one of them would be more than happy to give her a ride.”

A furious laugh shot out of me. “You have to be joking, Marisol. Tell me you’re joking. Do you have any idea who Elise is to me? Do you remember anything I ever said to you?”

Instead of waiting for an answer I really didn’t care to hear, I strode toward the side of the building, which I knew from memory was the location of the picnic tables. Before I could reach the corner, Elise and two men came around it. She was laughing at something one of them said, her cheeks a deep pink.

My mood had already been black, but seeing her with two men crowded around her, interested in her, sent me into a cold fury.

“Elise,” I barked.

She stopped walking, her eyes flaring wide as she finally noticed me.

“It’s time to go.” When she didn’t move right away, I swore I went blind for a second. The spike in my head dug deeper, and frustration dragged me under. “Right now.”

My tone was sharp and commanding. Too harsh for Elise, but I felt driven to it. She knew from our texts I was frustrated, yet she was dragging her feet, not coming to me when I needed her to.

Finally, she said something soft to the two men before starting toward me. I only exhaled when she was by my side. Her anger was palpable, but she kept her lips pressed together and her professional face on, even when Marisol joined us on our walk through the parking lot.

I wasn’t able to hide my feelings, nor was I willing to play polite when Marisol had the gall to cut off Elise so she could reach the passenger door first.

“Elise is in the front with me,” I intoned. “If you want me to drive you back to your car, climb in the back.”

Marisol spun away from the door, her lips popping open. “Weston?”

I opened the back door for her. “If you’d asked first, I would have told you the only seat I had available was the back one.”

She stared at me for a long beat, her deep-brown eyes sweeping over me as if trying to read how serious I was. Elise was behind me, but I had to take care of this problem before I gave her my attention.

Marisol flipped her black waves behind her shoulder and marched forward to duck into the second-row captain’s chair. She folded her arms across her chest and stared straight ahead as though she’d never been so wronged in her life.

I closed the door on her and reached for Elise. “Come on.”

“She could have taken the front seat.”

I huffed a long breath. “Don’t give me shit right now. She wasn’t invited into my car, you were. You don’t sit in the back seat.”

---