Page 19 of Keep Your Friends Close and Your… Work Enemy Closer?

"Are you serious?" I gasped. "What the hell is that about?"

"She said they've decided it's not fair, that we don't want to create an environment where employees feel pressured to contribute financially to birthday collections. And something about how we want to foster a workplace culture that is inclusive and considerate of everyone's financial circumstances blah blah blah."

I thought about what she'd said and had to admit I kind of agreed. "Huh. That's interesting. I mean, she has a point."

Mona took a sip of her coffee. "I suppose."

"It's a shame, though, because the gifts were really fun to pick out."

"Well, that's the interesting part. Corporate is going to donate money for the gift-giving now."

"Really?"

"Yeah. And this isn't just Insight Ink. It's all of Echelon."

"All of Echelon?" I repeated. "So Max Sterling is going to buy every single person under his umbrella a bday gift?"

She shrugged. "I guess?"

I thought back to Jared, when I'd asked him to donate, and how annoyed he'd been. Had he complained about it to the higher-ups? "I bet Jared said something," I wondered out loud to Mona.

"You think he complained? Your Jared Jawline?"

"He's notmyJared Jawline," I corrected firmly.

"Jared Jawline?" a deep male voice said. "That's what you guys call me?"

I groaned as I turned to see him entering the breakroom behind me. "That's what Mona calls you. Not me."

He grinned while stroking his chiseled jaw. "I like it." And just as suddenly his grin turned to a frown. "And what do you think I've been complaining about?"

"How much did you overhear?" I asked, not even attempting to keep the vexation from my tone.

"There's more? What all did I miss?"

"We were just talking about the new company policy of no more money collection for birthdays," Mona explained.

"Oh, right. I saw that email." His dark eyes went back and forth between Mona and me. "Personally, I think it's a good idea."

"Of course you do." I started toward the door, not wanting to talk to Jared any more than I had to. "I'm going to get back to work."

Which I really needed to do. I hated to admit it, but the amount of work I had in front of me was daunting and stressing me out. And the added urgency I felt to get the Venus proposal done quickly didn't help.

Whether he knew it or not, Jared had given me a deadline, and now I felt even more pressured. I wanted to get it done and passed on to her people with possibly enough time to hear back before the big charity event next weekend. Or I had this feeling Jared would absolutely insist on the two of us going together and trying to talk to Venus which, knowing Jared, could possibly land us in jail.

A few minutes after I sat down, Jared plopped down in his chair beside me, unloading an armful of chips, already making an obscene amount of noise. Great.

And all day long it continued—crunch, munch, chair squawking, slurp, chair squeaking, crunch and slurp and crunch and slurp.

By the end of the day, as my co-workers said their goodbyes and began to leave, my every last nerve was frayed and frazzled, my hair probably standing on end from holding all my frustration in, trying not to explode at Jared even though he one-hundred percent deserved it.

At least he'd be gone soon and I'd have some blessed peace. I was determined to stay here in this office until I felt decent about the Venus proposal. Going home and relaxing wasn't an option.

After saying goodbye to Mona, I headed to the bathroom and then the breakroom, grabbing a drink and a protein bar, expecting Jared to be gone by the time I returned to my desk. So I was in for a very unpleasant surprise to find him still there, pounding away at his computer.

"Aren't you leaving?" I asked him.

He turned to me, eyes going to my drink and snack. "Not until you leave."

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