Page 9 of The Boss

Lana laughed for the first time since she’d arrived at her cousin’s quaint single story weatherboard in one of Carlton’s quieter streets.

“I’m onto you.” Lana’s laugh grew to belly-shaking proportions. “Your version of not bad equates with sex god. He’s that good?”

Beth nodded, joining in the laughter. “Better. Honestly, you should see this guy. Tall, great bod, killer smile, fabulous eyes. A knockout.”

“Don’t forget the brain behind thepackage.” Lana’s not-so-subtle emphasis on the last word had them in fits of laughter.

“You’ll see him soon enough.”

“If you don’t get me fired, that is.”

Her cousin’s laughter petered out as her worried expression returned. Considering the mess Beth had made of her first day on the job, she didn’t blame her.

So she did the only thing possible, the one thing she’d done her whole life to cope when faced with uncomfortable circumstances: made light of the situation.

“And deprive you of seeing Voss the Boss in the flesh? Not likely.”

Lana cringed. “You know you just called one of the most influential men in archaeological circles Voss the Boss? Just make sure that little gem stays between us.”

“You got it.” Beth leaned forward, tapped the side of her nose, and lowered her voice to a conspiratorial whisper. “Now, would you like me to bat my eyelashes at him to get on his good side? You know, to keep the Walker girls in favor with the boss.”

“Don’t you dare.”

Lana’s eyes widened in horror behind her tortoise-shell glasses and Beth chuckled.

“Don’t worry, Cuz. I have no intention of flirting with the boss.”

However, Beth had to resist the urge to squirm under her cousin’s speculative glance as she quickly pushed aside the thought she already had.

* * *

Beth ignoredthe wolf-whistle of a restaurant spruiker as she strolled down Lygon Street on her way to meet Bobby, her date for the evening.

Not that catching up for a drink with Bobby was a date exactly. In fact, the thought of seeing the lanky, red-headed drummer as anything other than friend material brought a smile to her face.

So she’d dressed up? No big deal. She needed to slip into her favorite black mini and shimmery aubergine top to feel half-way normal again after spending all day in an awful suit. She loved her cousin to death but boy, could Lana do with a wardrobe revamp. Though she should be grateful; at least she hadn’t needed to buy an entire new nerdy tour guide wardrobe.

As she passed her favorite gelateria and studiously avoided looking in the window to stop from drooling all over her top, her cell rang and she scrambled in her bag, hoping Bobby wasn’t standing her up. She needed a drink, some light-hearted conversation, and the inevitable laughs that spending an evening with a fun friend entailed.

It had been way too long since she’d had a good night out; her, the party girl of Melbourne, had spent too many evenings lately holed up at Lana’s place, swotting up on the museum. Boring. Time to live a little, just like she used to.

Staring at the caller ID and not recognizing the number, she tapped the answer button. “Beth Walker.”

“Hello, Beth. Aidan Voss here.”

She stumbled and would’ve sprawled onto the nearest café table if a kind waiter with the sexiest chocolate brown eyes she’d ever seen hadn’t reached out to steady her.

Mouthing ‘thanks’ at the waiter, whose wink had her beaming back at him, she continued walking while furiously trying to think up something fabulously witty to say, anything other than ‘what do you want?’

“Sorry to call after hours but I need to see you.”

Uh-oh. Some first impression she must’ve made.

“I can come in early first thing tomorrow,” she said, trying to keep her tone business-like.

“I need to see you now.”

“Oh.” Damn, that one tiny syllable came out on a sigh and she quickly reassembled her wits. “Sorry, no can do. I have other plans.”

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