Page 60 of My Forbidden Boss

“So, eventually, the bride was dropped off at the altar to meet her fiancé, her father joined his fellow groomsmen, which meant that he got to keep a close eye on us, and, uh… We stood there and watched the whole dang thing. It was really great, actually. I think that the priest might’ve kept it kind of short, though, just to be safe. Or maybe it was because we smelled so bad…”

She was too stunned to laugh.

I wasn’t all that surprised. “Okay, I’ll admit it. It was a strange day for the other guys and me… but it’s true! We were in a whole bunch of wedding pictures, only because they asked us to. Somebody thought it would be hilarious if we were just off to the side, hidden in the trees looking like that supposed picture of bigfoot, sasquatch, or whatever.”

She shook her head, smiling and bemused as our plates once again disappeared, and our entrees were gracefully set into place.

Tisha eyed the dishes, obviously excited.

I called her on it, and her response surprised me.

“Yeah, of course, I’m excited… This is like my favorite combination ever! Duck with kumquat anything is always a win in my book.”

“Well… I hope it lives up to your expectations. I’ll have to remember that for the future, and I can’t wait to hear what you have to say about this iteration of it.”

She paused, clearly fighting the urge to just jump straight in. Finally, she lowered her silverware and faced me.

“Okay, we need a speed round before we start.”

“What?”

She shook her head, impatiently. “You mentioned your brother. Is it just the one?”

“Uh… no, there’s three of us.”

She nodded, glancing down at the steam circling in plumes from her plate.

Her eyes snapped back. “Their names? Come on, don’t make this like pulling teeth… Get snappy with it, bro!”

I smiled, fascinated by her flashy candor.

“Okay, alright… There’s Ryan, me, and Andy, oldest to youngest in that order, all of us about two years apart. Ryan’s the smart one, the leader, I guess. Andy’s the goofy, funny one.”

Again, she nodded but stopped sharply. “And you?”

It caught me off guard. “ Me?”

“Yes, Hollis, you. Which one are you? Because I’d say that you are obviously incredibly intelligent, clearly a capable leader… and you’re damned funny.”

I opened my mouth, but she kept talking. “Of course, you’re nowhere near as funny as me and, well… I’m not one to brag… but if I’m not the brains between the two of us, then I’d say that we’re just about even.”

I half scoffed, half smirked at her audacity. “Uh… and leadership?”

She briefly shook her head, picked up her silverware, and carved herself a slice of duck before rolling her eyes and savoring the taste.

“Fuck leadership.”

That was it. I was done.

She was perfect. And, what’s more… it was like she knew the pure intensity of her spirit, brilliance, and beauty.

I was in trouble, entirely subject to wherever she directed.

She sat, enjoying her food in silence while I watched her, stupefied. Finally, I regained the ability to at least give some form of reaction.

“Well, Miss Crawford… I will be sure to remember that if we are ever looking for someone to fill any sort of management position.”

Her whole body snapped my way, sharp as a blade. To my surprise, she shrugged and turned back to her meal, leaving me to wonder if I had finally scored some sort of point over her or if she was just more interested in the food in front of her than whatever I might offer, one way or the other.

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