Page 11 of The Office Games

Silence.

As if Daphne can feel the shift in the room, she rushes past us and leaves.

“Miss Stone, if you don’t stay and work with your team, I won’t be able to promote you to the job you deserve.”

“You already have the job I deserve.” I fire back. “I haven’t missed the holidays since I started working here, and I don’t plan to start now. Even Mr. Adeleman was lenient when it came to family, something you don’t seem to understand.”

“There’s no need to get personal.”

“Why are you suddenly going on a holiday vacation?”

“That's none of your business,” he says. “Rest assured, it’s not someplace to fulfill a silly marriage contract with someone who barely calls me.”

“So much for not getting personal…”

“The only thing of your concern is that if you’re not here to handle things for me while I’m away, then we’re going to have a problem.”

“One more won’t hurt.”

“Try me, Taryn. Don’t show up to work this weekend and see.”

The look in his eyes tells me I should reconsider things, but my family comes first, and he’ll have to deal with that.

“It’s not my fault you hate your family,” I say. “And the only reason you hate the holidays so much is because everyone being in happy relationships is a cruel reminder of what you’re incapable of having for yourself.”

“Get the fuck out of my office.”

“Gladly.”

FOUR

JAMES

“Mr. Calloway?” Daphne waves a hand in front of my face later that evening. “Mr. Calloway?”

“That woman has some fucking nerve…”

“Um.” She blinks. “Are you still talking to yourself or to me, sir?”

“The only reason the past couple years have been so miserable are because of her,” I mutter. “It has nothing to do with my family, and she knows better than to discuss that.”

“Speaking of ‘family,’” Daphne says, “your mother was surprised to hear that you were considering coming home. Should I tell her that your hotel is only fifty miles away from her?”

“No.” I snap into reality, brushing thoughts of Taryn away. “I’ll call her later.”

“Your hotel is also pretty close to where Miss Stone will be staying for the holidays as well,” she says. “I mean, if she doesn’t cancel her reservation and come to work, that is.”

She better cancel it.

“I’ll deal with Miss Stone later as well,” I say, opening my drawer and pulling out a pink giftbox. “I meant to give you this yesterday. Thank you for being a great assistant this year.”

“Really?” She gasps and takes the gift from me, holding it against her chest. “Does your girlfriend know that you bought me something?”

I shake my head. “Happy holidays, Daphne. You can go home.”

“Thank you.” She leans over the desk and hugs me.

I pat her back, giving her the cue to let go, but she squeezes her arms around me even tighter.

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