Page 94 of Married to My Grumpy Minotaur Boss

THIRTY NINE

Ronan

Justine stumbles over the question. My mind tracks back to the awful dejected look on her face in that exit interview, so I know exactly why.

“Well, I wasn’t feeling great when the show ended.” She pauses, swallowing thickly. “I guess I’ve had some time to reflect since then, and I’m so glad I went on.”

“But?” Tabitha gives her a knowing look.

I silently pray Justine sticks to the script and doesn’t mention what an ass I was to her. My team were kind in their edit. Of course, they were. They all want to keep their jobs.

I watched the footage back. All of it.

I deserved far worse.

I’m lucky she was so patient with me or I would have made a complete mess of the board’s direction to improve my public image. I did my best, anyway. She’s too forgiving.

“But I”—Justine looks around at me, chewing her lip—“My perspective has changed since then.” Her cheeks color and I have to hold back my smile.

I hope I’ve done a little to redeem myself in the last few months.

Tabitha’s brows shoot up and she looks between us. “Oh! Has something happened between you two to change your perspective, Justine? When the show ended, it looked like that was it for the two of you, but from what I hear you’ve been spotted together. So does this mean the rumors are true that you’re an item?”

When Justine stammers, I cut in. “It’s true that we formed a connection while we were filming—”

There’s a ‘oooooh’ from the audience and I have to restrain my urge to roll my eyes.

“And we’ve stayed friends.” The last word is firm, hoping to draw a line under this line of questioning.

“Awwww. Only friends?” Tabitha looks disappointed. “You know I was definitely shipping you guys. So does that mean you’re dating other people now?”

“No.” We both answer at once. Justine glances at me under her lashes.

Tabitha raises a brow. “Oh, so let me get this straight. You’re both ‘friends’”—she makes an irritating motion with her hands to show her disbelief of this—“but neither of you is dating?”

I fold my arms across my chest. “I don’t date. There’s not enough time in my schedule for that.”

Tabitha turns to Justine. “Well, what about you? You must have received so much attention after the show finished. I’m sure there are lots of lovely young men and monsters lining up for an introduction.”

“Absolutely not!” I glare at Tabitha and they both look around at me in surprise. I’m seething. I’ve got half a mind to cut this interview short and walk out. After all, Tabitha still works for me. She’d do well to remember that.

I breathe in through my nose, keeping hold of my temper for now. She’s just doing her job. No need for me to be irrational.

No need for her to go on about it, though.

Despite my frosty glare, she does, though. “Oh, don’t tell me you’re jealous, Ronan. You’re just friends, right?”

I let out a hot huff of breath. “Friends look out for each other. I just don’t want to see her hurt by some asshole who is only interested getting famous by dating her.”

Justine shoots me a hurt look.

I soften. “Not that she’s not worth dating, but you know how people are.”

Tabitha frowns. “So let me get this straight, you think she’s worth dating, but you don’t want to date her. And you don’t want anyone else to date her either? Seems unfair to me.”

I open my mouth, but for once I can’t think of any retort.

Tabitha continues writing out her resignation. “So she’s supposed to what? To wait for you forever? No deal!” She turns back to Justine. “I say get out there! Have some fun. And you just might find that prince charming you’re waiting for. After all there’s a reason you went on the show, right?”

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