Page 22 of Grumpy Boss's Secret

Ian looked up from his paperwork; his eyes locked onto mine with a sudden, sharp gaze.

“I don’t have anything of the kind,” he said.

He momentarily held eye contact with me and then walked out of the room.

“He’s a cool character, that one,” said Larry amiably, standing up. “He reminds me of James Bond. Doesn’t he remind you of James Bond?”

I was still reeling a little bit. Ian had looked at me sharply, but it was because he thought I was accusing him of cheating on someone when he slept with me.

Was he single? Maybe he was going through a breakup.

"That's probably why he looked so disheveled this morning," I thought, walking out of the meeting room.

“Well?” Larry called after me.

“What?” I said, turning.

“Are you coming to the mixer?”

“Oh,” I said.

Ian would be there. Single.

“Yeah,” I said. “Yeah, sure. I’ll be there.”

I went home, feeling light as a feather. I had a couple of hours until I needed to leave again. I made myself a burrito bowl, ate it, spoke undying adoration to Potato as she hid under my couch, and then got dressed into a black dress and heels. The dress had sleeves – nothing too alluring –but it was low-cut and showed off my lean figure to advantage.

I applied makeup artfully: red lipstick and eyeliner so subtle it was barely noticeable.

“What are you doing, Jozi?” I muttered as I applied a brown eyeshadow. “You can’t date your boss.”

What was I doing? Trying to hook up with him again? No. Then what?

“I just want him to admire me, I guess,” I said, smiling at my reflection. That was enough.

I stepped back, turning from side to side. Well, I admired myself, at any rate.

“Goodbye, Potato,” I said, picking up my purse and heading to the door. “Don’t raid the refrigerator while I’m gone! I know you’ll miss me.”

Potato was silent, but I could see her eyes gleaming under the couch, watching me shut the door. I stepped out of my apartment building, feeling a brisk wind on my face. The air smelled of rain.

“Not the sunniest summer, is it?” I murmured, glancing back at my apartment. Maybe I should bring an umbrella.

I pulled my phone out of my purse, checking the location of Rouge. It was only a seven-minute walk from my place.

“I’ll risk it,” I decided.

I set off down the sidewalk, inhaling the smells of the city and feeling anticipation purr along my skin like warmth.

Ian was single. Then who had all those posts been for?

“Just art, I guess,” I thought, pausing at a street corner to wait for the crosswalk light to change. I pulled my phone out of my purse again and checked Ian’s Instagram. A new post.

“Hmm,” I murmured.

The crosswalk light changed. Other pedestrians started to cross the street, moving past me, but I stood there and clicked on the picture. It was a photograph of a flower, just beginning to bloom. The quote was Shakespeare: "Teach me, dear creature, how to think and speak."

“Huh,” I said.

---