Page 29 of Breaking News

And just like that, he shifted right back into dad mode, like the last thirty seconds hadn’t even occurred between us. He talked to his daughter about dinner plans, not looking in my direction again for the entirety of their conversation.

I was busy anyway, making that appointment.

For the rest of the afternoon, I fantasized about what it might be like to completely surrender to Graham. I couldn’t stop imagining what he might do if he were really in complete control. Guiding every movement. Setting the pace. Telling me exactly what to do.

But I forced myself to shake it off, because it’s kind of hard to be a good mentor when you’re too busy daydreaming about the intern’s dad.

chapter ten

Graham

There’s a lot a person can get away with when noticing things in their peripheral vision.

Like the way Jillian’s fingers traced the delicate fabric of her low neckline, or the deep crevice between her breasts that a man like me could get lost in.

We were lucky Olivia returned when she did, because that conversation was teetering toward something HR might have frowned upon. What surprised me the most was the way Jill was the one who took it there. I’d just been messing around, but her “yes, sir” elevated that conversation to something else.

Jillian Taylor was a lot of things. Sharp. Quick-witted. A goddamn force to be reckoned with when she wanted information. But in that moment, she’d let a sliver of something else slip through. In her willingness to play along and follow my lead, she’d revealed just a hint of submission.

Plenty of people in that building called me “sir”, but never likethat.

And I’d spend the rest of that morning obsessing over it.

Hoping theWoodvale Timescrew could distract me, I made my way upstairs to their newsroom, where I found Meghan and Xander sitting across from one another at the table near the front with their laptops open, typing away. “That’s a rare sight,” I said.

“What is?” Meghan asked without looking up.

“The two of you, hard at work.”

“Why don’t you give us a rundown of everythingyou’veaccomplished today, Graham,” Xander muttered, keeping his eyes on his screen, “and then we’ll talk.”

I chuckled, pulling up a chair at the head of the table, where I used to sit. Meghan was running those meetings now, in my absence. With a quick glance at the empty cubicles at the other end of the room, I asked, “Where are Devonte and Byron?”

“Devonte’s covering some golf things. “Meghan smacked her space bar. “And Byron’s covering the Chamber of Commerce luncheon.”

I blinked at her, stunned. Byron, our resident baby announcement and church news writer, wasn’t one to handle field assignments. Especially reports with such importance. Though I’d developed a fondness for Byron over the years, I couldn’t help but feel a little worried. “You’re trusting him with that?”

Meghan finally looked at me. “Turns out Byron knows how to get shit done when you light a fire under his ass.”

I shook my head, impressed–and maybe a little scared. “Wow.” I leaned on my elbows on the table, shifting gears. “Okay, talk to me. It’s an election year. How’s that going?”

Meghan sighed and leaned back in her chair, cracking her knuckles. “It’s making me regret writing an expose on Noah Sherman’s little bestie, I can tell you that. I’ll be talking to Noah face-to-face on Monday for the first time since all of that went down, and I’m not exactly anticipating a warm reception.”

“First of all, never regret writing that article,” I said, tapping my fingers on the table.

Noah Sherman had a lot to lose when Silas was caught embezzling funds and controlling the local news. We were no longer forced to paint him in a positive light, and his campaign was undoubtedly suffering from it.

“And second,” I continued, “do not let that sad excuse for a man intimidate you for a second. You’re the one he needs to impress, not the other way around. Don’t forget you have the upper hand.”

Meghan responded with a slow nod, crossing her arms. She bowed her head, staring down at her lap. “I guess you’re right,” she said, a rare admission from her. “God, I hope that little weasel doesn’t beat Mayor Michaels.”

I inhaled, preparing to agree, when Isaiah, their intern, flew into the room with a cardboard drink carrier in his hands and a white paper sack held between his teeth. He leaned over the table, dropped the sack out of his mouth, and shakily lowered the drinks beside Meghan.

“Gross, man,” Xander whined, scrunching up his face. “Did you drool all over our muffins?”

“Uh…” The kid took a step back, sliding his hands into the back pockets of his khakis, which were about two inches too short. His Adam’s apple bobbed with a hard swallow. “I’m sorry.”

Xander sighed.

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