Page 28 of Unbossly Manners

I shut off my alarm and went to shove my phone in my pocket but my clothes had none. I’d opted for a long skirt today. No wedgies, but no pockets either.

“Nothing,” I mumbled, gripping my phone.

“Was that the Superman pose?” he asked.

“I have a pitch. It’s my first one.” I crossed my arms.

He smiled, his eyes warm. Then his elbows bent and he put his hands on his hips and straightened his back.

“Come on. Let’s go.”

My lips parted, and I furrowed my brow.

“What?”

“Get in your pose. Hurry. I have to pee.”

I bit back a smile, then I reset my alarm, put my hands on my hips, and turned back to the mirror, Jackson beside me. We stood there until my phone pinged.

“Good?” Jackson asked.

My smile was wide and I had an urge to hug him, but then he said—

“Scram. I’m about to burst.”

I closed the door behind me, my head resting against it, my cheeks hurting from how big I was smiling.

My phone pinged again. It was a message from Prathi Anew, head of HR.

Got a minute?

I assumed this was in regards to the email I’d sent about Isaac and Brody last week. Brody still hadn’t spoken to me, so I’d shot off an email to HR, concerned about what I’d seen.

Sure.

Great! Meet me in Studio B.

Studio B was the smaller of the two studios. The table in the middle held several microphones on stands, an outlet bank in the middle, and four conference chairs surrounding it for the hosts and guests when they were recording. One wall was all glass and on the other side was a small room where the producer and sound engineer sat.

Prathi sat on a chair, her long black hair braided and hanging over one shoulder. She wore a crimson tank top and black Thai Harem pants, which accented her chestnut skin.

“Hiya. Have a seat,” Prathi said, overly-bright like she was forcing the lighter tone. “I know this stuff can be super awkward but in the world we’re living, we have to be on top of any intimate stuff that happens between colleagues. Consensual or not.”

“Okay.” I drew the word out. “Well, from all appearances it was consensual. But I could be wrong. I mean I witnessed a small part of it.”

Prathi frowned. “Jackson said you only discussed being intimate. Has something happened beyond that?”

Oh, shit. This was about Jackson and me. When had he talked to HR?

My skin prickled, and I wanted to sink into my chair, but I kept my spine straight and acted like this was totally normal. Inside I was seething. I wish Jackson would’ve given me a heads up. I thought we’d agreed to speak to her together.

“I know it’s unconventional, but we both agreed to it. We both literally signed off on a sexual relationship on a piece of paper,” I hurried to say. “He’s my superior but that’s allowed, right?”

If Prathi’s face was any indication, she thought I was a nutcase.

“You signed a… never mind. Jackson sent an email documenting that conversation you referenced. I want you to confirm his recollection. Then you’ll sign a form that says you didn’t feel threatened or unsafe. Unless you did. And that is completely valid and we need to address it at once.”

“Did he feel threatened?” I stood, suddenly unsure. Had Kat and I bullied him into this. “I… can I read his email? Is that allowed?”

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