Page 71 of A Little More

“I don’t need your books.” He didn’t have a plan, but by the time he got to Atlanta Monday morning, he would have one figured out.

18

“Lexi, I need to see you in my office.” Julien didn’t pause as he passed by her door. For some people, that might be odd. Rude. Not for her boss. Julien never slowed down for a simple, pleasant conversation.

She grabbed a pad and pencil and rushed out the door. John stood at the other end of the hallway, his face red under his white beard as he gave her a sad look.

That wasn’t a good sign.

“Sit down, Lexi.” Julien sighed, like the effort hurt him to tack on the simple word, “please.”

She sat, crossed her legs, and plastered on a serene look. She could bluff her way out of not knowing why, on a Friday afternoon, he’d call her into his office. Was it about the promotion? Surely, he’d seem a little more excited, even for him.

“I’ve received some disturbing news.”

Don’t smile. Don’t frown. Straight face. Ms. Peggy’s rules for poker.

“John confirmed it by doing a horrible job trying to cover for you. I appreciate his effort to preserve his friendship with you.”

Lexi raised her eyebrows. “What disturbed you?”

“I received a rather random phone call. They said that you and a client have entered into a relationship.” He tilted his head to the side, assessing her.

“I’m not in a relationship with anyone.” She’d given Nash up. No lie.

He narrowed his eyes. Of all the bosses to have when she lied, which she wasn’t good at anyways, she had to get the guy the FBI should hire. Or one of the underground spies of the government no one acknowledged existed. The man that extracted secrets by nefarious methods.

The back of Lexi’s knees started to sweat the longer they competed in the staring contest. She wanted to blink, her eyes burning from the lack of sleep. And crying. She hated crying over a man as much as she hated feeling dependent on one.

Julien broke first, standing and walking around his desk. He leaned back against it, giving him even more of an advantage. God, he was intimidating, even in a pink dress shirt. Was that the top of a skull tattoo sticking out the neck of his shirt near his ear?

“Nash Holloway. Does the name ring a bell? The farmer who hired us to design and build a quaint country store. The store that John says is well beyond the stage that you are normally involved with. I came down a couple months ago, right?”

“Yes, sir.” She took a deep breath, calming her heart. “Can I ask who called?”

He interlaced his fingers, setting his hands on the desk in front of him. “I don’t think that’s the point.”

It wasn’t the point, but she couldn’t help but wonder who ratted them out. Gina. Did Junior hate Nash that much? Her brain whirled a moment. Charlie might have said something. What if Juliana put something on social media—

“John said that you were dedicated to helping the Holloways out. That you and Nash’s mom had become close friends.”

“Yes. I stayed at her house while I was down there because the hotel wasn’t acceptable, and the bed and breakfast was closed.”

“You stayed with Mrs. Hollowayeachtime?” he asked, emphasizing “each” harder than necessary.

This was where a lie would come in. Boldface, Pinocchio-nose-growing lie. Plenty of people have lied to their boss. Things from calling in sick and spending the day playing golf or claiming they never received an email. But for Lexi, lying about Nash almost threw every real emotion she’d had the past couple months out the window. If she lost her job, she might as well keep one memory intact.

“No.” She relaxed back in the chair. No use putting on a brave front now. His gaze had already dropped to her shaking hands. She closed her eyes for a moment. “I stayed with Nash the past few times.”

He rubbed his beard. “Thank you.” After a moment, he added, “for not lying. I wasn’t sure what to do if you’d lied.”

Lexi blinked, trying to clear the haze. “It isn’t what you think. We aren’t seeing each other any longer. And we never did anything that jeopardized the company.”

“But, as the caller pointed out, people saw you two together. From what I understand, it was blatantly obvious you and Nash, if not together physically, were still very much attracted toward one another. I got that impression when I visited the worksite.”

Even before she’d given in and kissed him, the two of them had looked like a couple. She nodded a little and stood, knowing the next step, wanting to take it before he could utter the words. “I never meant to cause the company any harm. I can pack my office. Sorry I can’t be of any help with the Orlando office.”

Two lines appeared between his brows, his lips pressed tight. “I haven’t decided if I’ll let you go or not. You’re a tremendous asset to my business. Your design skills are phenomenal. I’d still like to consider you for the Orlando office.”

---