Page 18 of Rude Boss 2

“I always go,” Greta says after her phone call ended. “It’s amazing how alcohol loosens the stick up people’s butts—Mr. DePaul included.”

Ian chuckles and snorts. “Good one, Greta.”

Mauve says, “I’ll be there for the booze and cash, baby.”

“Absolutely,” Zahara says. “Last year, I won five-hundred bucks.”

“Five hundred bucks!” I say, sitting straight up in my chair. “How’d you do that?”

“There was one of those money booths there—you know the thing that looks like those old school telephone booths? Anyway, you get inside, close the door and money is flying all over the place. Whatever you grab before the time runs out, you keep. I grabbed five one-hundred-dollar bills.”

“Made you flash back to your stripper days, hunh?” Jake quips.

Zahara balls up a piece of paper and throws it at the back of his head.

“Stripper days?” I ask. “Is there something you neglected to tell me, Zahara?”

“Girl, don’t pay Bieber no mind. He just wants some attention.”

“Yeah, your attention,” Ian says, snorting a laugh.

“Shut up, Glasses,” Zahara and Jake say together.

Meanwhile, I’m interrupted by my team’s antics by a flashing messenger indicator on my taskbar. I click it to see that Essex has messaged me.

Essex to Quintessa: rsvp for the employee appreciation gala

I’m smiling from ear to ear.Why am I smiling?I shouldn’t be cheesing this hard. I glance around to make sure no one is looking over my shoulder, then reply:

Quintessa to Essex: whatever happened to good morning?

Essex to Quintessa: good morning. rsvp for the employee appreciation gala

Quintessa to Essex: lmbo

Essex to Quintessa: what’s funny?

Quintessa to Essex: you are. And, I don’t know if I’m coming to that…need to check my schedule

Essex to Quintessa: you’re coming…

Quintessa to Essex: ugh…stop being so bossy.

Essex to Quintessa: if you’d just do what I say, I wouldn’t have to be bossy, would I?

Quintessa to Essex: omg…what kind of twisted logic is that?

Essex to Quintessa: I need to talk to you

Quintessa to Essex: you’re talking to me right now

Essex to Quintessa: I mean, in person

Quintessa to Essex: about what?

Essex to Quintessa: you’ll find out when you meet me. can you sneak away from that girl?

Quintessa to Essex: you mean Zahara? lol

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