Page 31 of Claiming My Cocky Boss

My gaze flitted over the maze of contracts and proposals, attempting to refocus on the work at hand, but my mind stubbornly wandered back to Mia. The memory of her nestled in my embrace after the gala was a persistent distraction. Yet, duty beckoned—I couldn't afford to let Edgewater slide while I indulged in memories of Mia in my arms.

My phone buzzed on the desk, pulling me back to reality. A text from Carla.

Great.

CARLA: On my way to Cedar Cove. Got some client proposals to drop off. Be there in an hour.

I sighed, rubbing a hand over my face. I didn’t ask her to come all the way out here. Didn’t need her to either. But Carla had a way of making sure things happened whether I wanted them to or not, so I shot her a return text.

LIAM: No need to come all the way out here. Just email me the files.

Her reply came almost instantly.

CARLA: Nope! I’m visiting my sister in Cedar Cove. You’re getting these in person.

I rolled my eyes. Classic Carla. Stubborn as ever. She was right, though—I hadn’t been in the office for a while, and things were probably slipping without me around. Still, I wasn’t in any rush to go back to Dallas. Not yet. Not with everything that was happening with Mia.

An hour later, there was a sharp knock at the door, and I heard Carla’s no-nonsense voice calling out. “Liam, open up. I’ve got your paperwork.”

I pulled the door open, and there she was—Carla, in all her executive assistant glory, dressed like she was about to lead a board meeting. She didn’t waste time with pleasantries, handing me a thick stack of folders before brushing past me into the cabin.

“Nice place,” she said, glancing around. “But you really think hiding out here is doing the company any favors?”

“Good to see you too, Carla,” I said, tossing the folders onto the desk. “You didn’t have to drive all the way out here.”

She shot me a look. “Yes, I did. You’ve been MIA for weeks, Liam. It’s starting to show. People are leaving early, coming in late, productivity’s down… and I’m not exactly loving playing babysitter while you pretend this place is your new office.”

I leaned back against the counter, crossing my arms. “You’ve got the authority to handle it. I hired you because you’re the best. Just crack the whip and get them back in line.”

Carla snorted. “I’m doing my best, but we need you in Dallas. You know it, I know it.”

“I’ll be back soon,” I said, waving her off. “Just tying up a few things here.”

Carla raised an eyebrow, clearly not buying it. “Tying up things, huh? Well, while you’re at it, you might want to consider that the office isn’t the only thing slipping. Remember that embezzlement case you’ve been chasing? Your excuse for hanging out here in the woods. The accountant hasn’t seen any more red flags in weeks. Whoever was messing with the funds seems to have stopped. Maybe it worked itself out? Or perhaps it was a mistake.”

“I doubt it,” I muttered, my mind already spinning. Something didn’t add up. Things like that don’t justwork themselves out.

Carla settled onto the leather couch, elegantly crossing her legs. “Zoom meetings aren’t sufficient anymore. You've got a good team, but they need you to lead. You're the boss, remember? The 'billionaire' CEO of Edgewater."

I smirked, shaking my head. “Always one to keep me grounded, huh?”

“Someone’s got to,” she said with a small smile. “By the way, I ran into Derek the other day at lunch. He’s been singing yourpraises. That guy’s loyal, Liam. You should be thankful for a friend like him.”

“Yeah, Derek’s solid,” I said, my thoughts briefly wandering to my old friend and the gala.

Carla stood up, brushing off her skirt. “Anyway, I’ve done my part. Now it’s your turn. Get your ass back to the office. We can’t run Edgewater without you forever.”

“Message received,” I said, pushing myself off the counter. “But while you’re at it, I shouldn’t have to remind you again…youput your foot down, Carla. You’ve got the authority to fire, hire, and shmooze everyone to do what you want. Do what I pay you for.”

Carla gave me a long look, then sighed. “Yeah, yeah. But don’t think this little vacation is going to last forever. Edgewater needs its cocky king back.”

“I’ll be there soon enough,” I said, walking her to the door. “Thanks for coming all the way out here.”

She left with a wave, and I closed the door, leaning back against it for a second. I appreciated Carla’s loyalty—she was always looking out for me—but she didn’t understand the real reason I was dragging my feet. It wasn’t just the case or the office that kept me in Cedar Cove. It was Mia.

And the more I stayed here, the more I realized I wasn’t ready to walk away from her. Not yet.

After Carla left, the cabin fell silent again, the kind of silence that should’ve felt comforting but now just felt heavy. I tossed the folders she’d brought onto the desk, knowing I’d get to them later. The idea of going back to Dallas, to the office, felt like stepping back into a cage I’d just barely escaped from.

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