Page 41 of Claiming My Cocky Boss

He chuckled. “Well, yeah. I mean, I already know you can handle the work. You found the missing pieces to this whole mess.”

I shook my head. “You really think I’d be good at that?”

“I’m sure of it. But, you know,” he added, flashing me that mischievous grin I’d come to love and hate in equal measure, “I’m a bit of a cocky boss. You sure you can handle that?”

“Oh, please,” I shot back, crossing my arms. “I’ve already handled you plenty, Liam. You’re not going to scare me off now.”

He laughed, the sound warm and genuine, and for the first time since Frank had walked out, I felt a tiny flicker of hope. It was ridiculous—my life was in shambles, I had no idea what the future held, and here I was bantering with Liam like we hadn’t just been hit by a freight train.

“I’m serious, Mia,” he said, his tone softening. “You’re smart. You’re capable. You wouldn’t just be working for me; you’d be working with me. We’ll figure it out together.”

I chewed on my bottom lip, trying to wrap my head around it. Work for Liam? The idea seemed so far out of left field that I couldn’t quite grasp it. But at the same time, it made a weird kind of sense. After all, hadn’t we already been doing that, piecing together the puzzle of who was behind the embezzlement?

“You’re really offering me a job?” I asked, narrowing my eyes.

Liam leaned forward, his expression serious now. “Yes. I know you’ve lost your job at the park, and that sucks. But I’m telling you, you have a place with me. You’d have a real impact, Mia. And I’d get to see that brilliant mind of yours in action every day and hold you close the rest of the time.”

I felt a warmth spread through me at his words, the sincerity in his voice making it hard to argue. But there was still that nagging doubt in the back of my mind. “I don’t know, Liam. You’re talking about me diving into this corporate world that I’ve never even been a part of. I’m a park ranger.”

“You were a park ranger,” he corrected gently but firmly. “And you’re more than capable of being a lot more. Trust me.”

I studied his face, trying to figure out if this was just some knee-jerk reaction, a way to fix things because he didn’t want to see me upset. But no, there was no hint of doubt in his eyes. He was serious. And the crazy thing? I believed him.

“Well,” I said slowly, “if you’re going to be my boss, you better be ready for me to give you a run for your money. Because I’m not going to sit around and let you call all the shots.”

Liam’s grin widened. “Wouldn’t expect anything less.”

A small smile appeared on my lips, and for the first time in hours, I felt like maybe things were going to be okay.

Maybe.

After the conversation with Liam, the heaviness in my chest lightened a little. There was still a storm brewing in the back of my mind, but at least I had something to hold onto—an option, a future, even if it wasn’t the one I’d imagined. But for now, I needed to focus on something a little more immediate: dinner.

“I should probably throw something together,” I said, pushing off the couch and heading toward the kitchen. “I don’t know about you, but I haven’t eaten since this morning.”

Liam stood, stretching his arms over his head. “Yeah, food sounds good. You got anything in the fridge?”

I glanced back at him, smirking. “I don’t know. Let’s find out.”

When I opened the door, a wave of pride filled my chest. It was stocked with neat rows of vegetables, fruits, and organic snacks in clear containers. Nothing like the disorganized mess it had been before.

Liam leaned over my shoulder, his brow raised. “Wow. Look at this. All healthy, huh?”

I grinned. “Yeah, I’ve been trying to eat cleaner lately. You know, vegetables, lean proteins, organic stuff. I think you are rubbing off on me. Now you can’t judge me for eating frozen pizzas.”

Liam chuckled. “I’m impressed, but if I know you, there’s still some junk food lurking around here somewhere.”

I shot him a look over my shoulder. “Okay, okay. I might still have a weakness for French fries. You know, Red’s Drive-through down the road—best fries ever. Not giving those up for anything.”

He laughed, shaking his head. “I should’ve known.”

As I scanned the shelves, trying to decide what to make, my eyes landed on a pack of chicken breasts and a bunch of vegetables that were still fresh. “How about a stir-fry?” I asked, pulling out the ingredients. “It’s quick and I have everything we need.”

“Sounds perfect,” Liam said, leaning against the counter, watching me as I gathered the vegetables and set them on the cutting board. “What can I do?”

I handed him a knife and some carrots. “You can chop these while I get the chicken going.”

Liam took the knife, giving me a mock salute. “Yes, ma’am.”

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