Page 2 of The Substitute

“You’re going,” she says.

“I just said I would.”

“Yes, but I know you, and I know you’ll come up with a reason to stay here to look after me. I won’t have it, Maya Renee Sterling. I want you to go live your life in Seattle. I’ll come visit.”

“Do you promise?”

“I wouldn’t have it any other way.”

Chapter One

Derek

“You are such an asshole!”

I blink calmly at the woman standing in my office, her eyes flashing with indignation and anger, her breath coming fast, and her hands in fists at her sides. I can’t remember her name for the life of me, but she’s worked for me as an assistant for less than a week.

If looks could kill, I’d be a bloody heap on my desk.

“Your point?” I ask, tipping an eyebrow and finding it mildly amusing when her cheeks flush an even deeper red. I didn’t think that was possible.

“I fucking quit,” she says, her chest heaving. “No wonder you can’t keep an assistant. Since you’re British and everything, I thought you’d at least be polite, but the only thing the accent does for you is make you sexy. And trust me, all that goes right out the window as soon as you say anything, which is a shame. You’re demanding and rude and so freaking…mean. What the hell is wrong with you?”

I sigh wearily and flick my hand her way.

“Off with you, then. I’ve no time to listen to your whining.”

“Whining?”

“Yes. Get your things and get the fuck out of my office.”

Seething, she glares at me for a full three seconds before stomping out of my office and slamming the door behind her.

I simply pick up the phone and call the temp agency.

“This is Britney Carter. How may I help you?”

“Derek Langley,” I reply, and if I’m not mistaken, Ms. Carter sighs on the other end of the line. “I need a new assistant.”

“What happened to Chloe?”

Ah, yes, her name was Chloe.

“That wasn’t a good fit. She’s already quit.”

“Mr. Langley, you’ve run through most of my available people. There’s one person I can call, but she won’t be in Seattle until Monday.”

“It’s Tuesday,” I remind her.

“I’m aware.” Her voice is dry. “Perhaps if you were a little kinder, you wouldn’t blow through assistants so fast.”

“Perhaps if you had some people with thicker skin, they wouldn’t run out of here like rabbits.”

“Mr. Langley.” She sounds weary now. “I’ll send over one more person, but if this goes as the rest have, you’ll have to look elsewhere. I can’t keep sending people into a hostile work situation.”

“This is not a hostile situation. Is it wrong of me to expect competency? A decent work ethic?”

“No, but it’s wrong to yell at them.”

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