Page 5 of The Naughty List
I like spending my mornings walking the dogs and admiring the city. I like having coffee in the afternoon at mine and Addi’s favorite cafe. I enjoy hanging in the Tavern with my family and our friends while bitching about the Sox, the Pats, or the Celts depending on the season.
Before bed every night, I slip into an oversized T-shirt and cuddle up with whatever I’m reading at the time. This month it’s sappy holiday romances. Last month it was serial killers. What can I say, I appreciate variety.
My life is small, in my own tiny corner of the world, but I like it. Though it’s getting a little cramped in my childhood bedroom. When you grow up with two over-protective older brothers, you learn to appreciate peace and quiet and your own independence.
So that’s what I’m doing. And when I get the job as Jonah’s assistant, I’ll talk to him about how he needs to find something real, with someone real, who cares about him and not just the playboy persona he projects.
It’s at the top of my list.
That’s the other thing about me.
I make lots of lists. I love organizing chaos and lists make me happy.
Grocery lists, to do lists, wishlists, goal lists, dream man characteristic trait lists. Reasons not to kill Jonah even though he drives me crazy lists.
I go through a lot of sticky notes. Last year, for Christmas, Jonah bought me my very own personalized stationary for list-making. Mostly because he was tired of me leaving my sticky notes all over the place.
“Stationary?” My sister-in-law had scoffed when I told her. “The former bad boy of the UFC bought youstationary?”
That was when we deduced that he thought I was boring.
“It has my initials in pretty script font above my name, look,” I’d pointed out.
Then she’d made that face, the one that saidno wonder he thinks you’re boring.
But today I was going to be brave. I was going to step out of my boring little box and boldly tell Jonah that I was the right one for this position. I’ve been filling in since Eli left and I think I’m doing an excellent job.
Once I’ve finished walking the dogs and returned them to Jonah’s apartment, I head home to change into something more suitable for our meeting.
I decide on high-waisted black slacks and a cream silk button down shirt over a matching lace embellished camisole. After spending twenty-minutes debating between black flats and heels, I choose heels because I’m five foot two and Jonah is a foot taller than me as it is. Some added height will bridge that gap at least a little.
As I’m driving toward Jonah’s office, I check my makeup in the rear view mirror and give myself a pep talk.
Surely Jonah has noticed what a great job I’ve done filling in for Eli so far. He can’t possibly expect me to be a dog-walker for the rest of my life. Clearly he knows I’m the right one for this position and if he doesn’t, I’ll just have to show him.
When we were kids, the night before the first day of school every year, Ma used to read this Dr. Seuss book to us
Oh, the Places You’ll Go.
I always loved this one part about moving mountains.You’re off to great places. Today is your day. Your mountain is waiting, so get on your way.
Today was my day. Jonah X was my mountain, and I was going to move him.
3
Jonah
DECK THE HALLS
“Then I quit,” Hollis declares, glaring at me from the middle of my office.
My chest tightens instantly.
She can’t quit. I need her.
Damn, I never meant to need her—or anyone for that matter.
Surely she isn’t serious. “What the hell, Hollis? Why would you quit?”
