Page 20 of Boss with Benefits

My phone pinged with three more texts. All from Derrick.

“I’m going into the Pilates studio. I’ve got to relieve Ginna.” I swung my feet to the rug and stood. In the kitchen, I put my mug in the sink. My skates were in the foyer, and I shoved my feet into them.

“I feel like you haven’t been at the studio much,” Eva said. “Is it still Gianna’s plan to hand you the keys when she retires?”

“I’m not sure it’s really what I want to do anymore. I’m really liking working at Dreamary. Not the job itself as much as the vibe.”

“Didn’t you used to dream of being a chef?” Eva asked.

“When I was like eighteen. And it wasn’t a dream as much as a delusion. I am a failure at cooking.”

My grandmother almost fainted when she realized I didn’t have a rice cooker. She loved me, but I was a total disappointment as a pseudo-Indian granddaughter.

“It’s not in my blood. Literally.” I slid my arms into the loops of my backpack. “I had to realize that.”

“It has nothing to do with biology. Your mom was too damn tired to cook, so why would you have learned anything? She was a single, working mom with brutal hours.”

“True.” I hugged Eva. “Gotta glide.” My phone pinged again, and I rolled my eyes.

“Derrick?” Eva asked.

“He needs to chill out. I only took the job for some extra money and now he’s all up in my biz, trying to save me or something.”

I pressed the button to their private elevator and skated in circles around Eva while I waited.

“You kinda love it.” The elevator chimed, and Eva smiled.

I groaned because she was right. As much as I waxed poetic about my independence, I had a daddy complex. There was this gaping hole that my subconscious wanted to fill since I never had a father figure in my life.

That didn’t mean I wanted Derrick. It just meant there was a reason I kept turning to him for help. A vomit-inducing reason that drove me crazy, but I couldn’t deny it: somewhere deep down, I wanted a strong man to love and look after me.

There, I said it. But if I ever found that man, I’d want the relationship to be on my terms without compromising who I was and my autonomy.

I had never met someone who could keep up with me, so I was happy enough with casual relationships. Marriage wasn’t for everyone, and I didn’t have to be married to have kids or anything if that’s what I wanted one day.

If it was meant to be and the guy could put up with my spontaneity and independence, then I wouldn’t say no to a relationship.

I was allowed to change my mind. I did it every day.

11

DERRICK

Iwas in my office listening to the unedited recording of the latest episode ofMissing Girls, making notes for the producers. Outside my open door, Rachel and Lexi’s laughter drifted in.

They were working together on Lexi’s social media accounts.Sex with Lexdealt with sensitive issues that could be controversial, which meant her social media blew up with trolls and haters after certain episodes.

Peyton usually handled the social media accounts for the hosts, but Analise, the director of social media, had moved her to content creation, which meant keeping up with minor things like the comment sections and DMs of the various shows’ accounts were falling through the cracks.

When Lexi emailed and asked for someone to assist her because the emotional stress of looking at the toxic comments was taking a toll on her, I sent a message through Slack to Rachel.

It seemed the professional thing to do. No more personal texting.

She had never responded when I followed up on her text about seeing her stalker again. I sent several messages, but after three days of silence, I took the hint and pulled back. All communication had ceased except in a professional capacity.

I should never have gone to Rachel’s doctor’s appointment. She’d been too emotional to think straight. I should’ve been the fucking grown-up and said no. What she needed was a friend, not her boss weirdly escorting her.

But the thing about life is you can learn from your idiot mistakes. And that’s what I was doing. I wasn’t her older brother. After a lifetime of taking care of my sisters, I had to remind myself that not every woman needed or wanted my help. Not even all my sisters.

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