Page 164 of Tempting All The Way

Filled with a renewed anger at what Hunter did to me, I decide now is a good time to face Alistair. If he wants to be pissed off, then I’ll match his mood.

With my head held high and my shoulders pushed back, I walk through the office in the direction of Alistair’s. Stopping at Terri’s desk. “Hi, Terri, is Alistair free?” I ask her.

“One minute,” she says, picking up the phone. “Mr Warner, Miss Hutchinson wants to see you,” she says into the receiver. I don’t hear his response, but Terri’s brows draw down before she hangs up. “You can go in, but he’s really not in the best mood. Just warning you.” She smiles at me.

“Thank you.” I nod my head at her, take a huge breath, and open Alistair’s door, closing it behind me.

He’s typing away at his computer. He doesn’t even stop to look up at me as I enter. He usually drops everything to give me his full attention. Why do I suddenly feel guilty? Like I’ve done something wrong?

Screw that! I haven’t done anything wrong. If he wants to sulk, then that’s on him. Not me.

I sit down in the chair across from him. Cross my legs and place my notepad on his desk. And wait. I don’t say anything. Just sit silently and watch him focus on that damn screen.

It feels like an eternity before he huffs out a breath and turns to face me. “What can I do for you, Miss Hutchinson?” he grunts.

So I’m Miss Hutchinson now? Just a few hours ago, I was ‘little girl’ or Dani.

“I have the notes you asked for, for the Jameson case,” I tell him, pulling the manilla folder out from under my notepad.

“You can leave it,” he says dismissively.

“Okay, is there anything you need me to work on today?” I ask him. I’ve finished everything he wanted me to research last week.

“Have you checked your emails this morning, Miss Hutchinson? I’ve emailed you a list of tasks I expect to be completed by end of day,” he says, without looking at me.

“Right, I’ll get on that then.” I stand, pick up my notepad, and walk to the door.

“Miss Hutchinson,” he calls out after me just as I’m about to turn the knob.

“Yes, sir?” I pivot to face him.

“Close the door on your way out,” he grunts.

“Of course, sir,” I say in the sweetest voice I can muster.

Shutting the door harder than necessary, I smile at Terri as I pass. I head back to my office, sit at my desk, open my emails, and see there is in fact a message from Alistair. I click it open and read through the list of tasks. It’s all clerical work, things Terri usually does for him. Make copies of this, type up that.

I roll my eyes.

It’s a long list and he probably expects me to fight him on it or not get everything completed. Well, he doesn’t know who I am if he thinks I will ever fail at something.

I press print on the email and head to the copy room, somewhere I’m probably going to be holed up in most of the day anyway. With that thought, I unplug my laptop and bring it with me. Picking up the printed email, I get started at the top of the list. It might be menial work, but that doesn’t mean I won’t do it to the absolute best of my abilities.

I set up in the corner of the copy room. I have my laptop on the floor and a heap of papers spread out around me. I lose myself in the files I’m sorting through. I’ve crossed off ten things from the list of forty tasks.

“Dani, is there something wrong with your office?”

I look up from the paper I was highlighting to find Nathan Miller staring down at me.

“Ah, no, I just needed to print a heap of stuff and figured I’d do it from here. I can move,” I tell him, busying myself with packing up the pile of documents.

“No need. As long as you’re okay,” he says.

“I’m fine. Just focused,” I tell him.

“Right, I’ll, ah, leave you to it then.” He shakes his head and walks out of the copy room.

I barely notice anyone else come and go for the next couple of hours. I work through lunch, ignoring the growl of my stomach. I will not let hunger interrupt or hinder me. I know it’s stupid, and I should stop to eat. But I’m determined to prove to Alistair I can do anything he throws at me. I want to beat him at his own stupid game. Which I know is petty.

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