Page 8 of Married to My Grumpy Minotaur Boss

Ronan chuckles. “Every girl, huh?”

I take a big sip of coffee to dull the warm glow in my cheeks. It doesn’t help, of course. When I look up, he’s still looking back at me with that sardonic teasing smile. I squirm. “Yeah. Well. Most girls...” I falter because I don’t want to insult him. I also don’t want to admit I’m currently sitting here remembering every dirty rumor I ever read about minotaur tongues and the size of minotaur equipment.

I cough. “Anyway I think it could really work. Like you said, we have to try new things. Tap into promotional opportunities on other forms of media, make the most of our highest-grossing programs to do even more for us. Plus, you know, Heartstone Times’ Bachelor of the year...”

He rolls his eyes at this, but he’s nodding.

My heart pounds faster in my chest.

“Well, you can listen, I’ll give you that. How would it work? Would it just be for show? Like a charity stunt or something?”

“No. I think it would have to be for real.”

He frowns.

“At least, you’d let people think that. You’re single right?”

“Yes.”

“That’s great!” I cough. “I mean for the show. We could make out like you’re lonely. And let people think you’re serious about finding your match.”

Ronan scoffs. “I’m not lonely. And if I was, I’d never go on reality TV to find someone.”

That annoys me. I should have expected it. People always make fun of Married for a Day. I mean I know it’s TV. I know it’s set up. But there’s still a part of me that believes the premise, even if I know the reality. “Well you could act, couldn’t you?”

He shakes his head. “It’s a clever idea. But it won’t work.”

“But I really think—”

“I said no.”

We spend the rest of the ride in silence. I resist the urge to message Courtney and tell her I think I’ve just lost my job for real, in case he sees me.

I wish I’d just kept my big mouth shut.

FIVE

Ronan

I bloody hate the idea. Raising my public profile is the last thing I want to do. I’m already far too easily recognizable for my liking. Makes having a genuine private life almost impossible. Casual dating is off the cards when you’re Heartstone Times’ bachelor of the year. I get swarmed by society misses who want you to put a ring on it.

They’re trying to steer the wrong bull.

Unfortunately, raising my public profile is also the thing we discussed at the last shareholder meeting. The board of directors told me I needed to improve my image or they were selling up.

I should just give up already. Sell my shares and back away. Trouble is, it feels like one of the last pieces of Dad I have left.

Why didn’t he leave me a controlling balance of shares?

The atmosphere in the boardroom is practically frigid. Between Justine’s embarrassed silence and the board’s hostile demeanor, it’s enough to make me want to walk right back out again.

I take my place at the head of the table and usher Justine to wait beside me. She’s still holding the damn coffee, looking around the room as if she’s trying to find a place to put it. I take it from her and set it next to me.

I glance down the table. Five disapproving expressions greet me. I let out a long sigh. “Good morning. What was so urgent that we couldn’t have waited until our usual meeting time?”

Hathir, a griffin with long brown-gray feathers on her wings and a winged pair of horn-rimmed glasses narrows her eyes atme over her beak. “Is this what you call ‘improving your public profile’, Kernos?”

She slides a tablet across the table to me and I glance down at the picture on the screen. Then I look again. I’m sitting with my hoof crossed over my leg, staring down at my phone and looking bored as fuck. In the background, the red and white banner of Heart Health Org on the wall behind me is a stark reminder of what I should have been doing.

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