Page 14 of Stranded for Christmas with my Boss

That’s the kind of impact that I want to make. The kind of reputation that I want to have.

But how do I get there in a reasonable amount of time? I don’t want to work as an assistant for multiple years without any sort of upgrade in position. I believe I’m meant for more than just fetching coffee and writing emails.

Maya smiles, pride lighting up the rich brown hue of her eyes. “I worked really hard, but it was fun too. I’m the connection between the company and our consumers. I’m in charge of showing the people just how amazing our project is.”

She’s a very important piece in a large, complex puzzle, and she ensures that all of the work done in the background shines through to the public. An expert strategist.

Honestly, her position sounds really cool, but it seems a bit out of reach. I haven’t proven myself yet, even if I’ve been working hard communicating with influencers and possible sponsors on Jensen’s behalf.

“Has your replacement been chosen yet?” I ask her before telling the barista my order once she pops her head out of the coffee truck’s service window.

Maya rubs her eyes tiredly. “Not yet. Everyone’s focus is on the update.”

Right. It’s full steam ahead until the beginning of the year. Nothing else matters until the update successfully goes live, and I’m sure there will still be a ton of work to do after that.

I glance behind me after paying and freeze at the sight of Jensen and another notably good-looking, nicely-dressed guy heading toward the front of the building. I remember seeing him outside of the elevator when Jensen and I were finally freed. “Isn’t that the CTO?”

Maya’s gaze follows mine before a sly smile crosses her lips. “Yep. That’s Austin Hayden. Did you know they’ve been friends since college? Built the app before even starting the company.”

I raise my eyebrows as my eyes continue to trail the two as they share a laugh with each other. Good, he seems to be in a decent mood. “That’s impressive.”

“Tell me about it. They were building the app of a generation, and I was struggling during my midterms,” Maya replies with a light laugh.

Everyone certainly has different paths and purposes in life. We all ended up in the same office building, though.

“You’re a big part of marketing to the public,” I point out. She has probably brought in a lot of good numbers, which is nothing to sniff at. The reason why Jensen and Austin have an office full of employees is so that their app can get bigger.

Without all of us, the app’s success would be at a standstill. We should give ourselves some credit.

“And you’re handling the big CEO. Now,thatis impressive.” Maya gives my arm an encouraging nudge.

She has no idea what all has happened in Jensen’s office, and it needs to remain that way. Forever.

But I still smile and laugh like I haven’t broken a bunch of company rules ever since my first day on the job.

“Cappuccino and a hot cocoa!” the barista calls out as she places the hot drinks on the window ledge.

I grab both cups before stepping away from the coffee truck. “I’ll catch up with you later. Meeting at one, right?”

“You got it!”

I shoot Maya a farewell smile before hurrying toward the building as Jensen and Austin stride inside together. My breaths come out in hazy clouds, the cold making my lungs tighten. I quickly sip on my hot cocoa, risking a slightly burned tongue to get at least a little bit of warmth into my shivering body.

“Mr. Riley!” I call out as I step into the lobby, making him pause and turn around before they reach the elevators.

Jensen stares at me for a few seconds with a slightly soft look on his face, his eyes sweeping over me. His body even seems to react, straightening up and turning completely toward me like his friend is long forgotten. But that attention doesn’t last for long. “I was just about to call you into my office.”

My stomach twists into a knot as confusion and dread collided within me, freezing me in place. His words cut through the air, sharp and unexpected, leaving me feeling exposed and raw. “You need to talk to me about something?”

Austin remains quiet as he glances between the two of us, making me feel even more wary now that I’m stuck under the gazes of the company’s founders.

Oh, God. What if I am getting fired?

“Yesterday, I asked you to send me a summary of last week’s marketing meetings,” Jensen tells me in a stern voice, making ice-cold horror seep into my very soul. “Why did I leave work without it in my inbox?”

Oh, no. No, no, no. I was so busy helping Maya and some of the other people in the marketing department that I completely forgot he told me to do that! I have to fix this.

“I’m so sorry. I was helping out over in the marketing department, and before I knew it—”

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