Page 88 of Grumpy Boss in Love

“Don’t you have to go?” I asked.

“I’m curious,” she shrugged. “And concerned. I hope this isn’t another stalker issue.”

I stifled a groan, recalling the early days of taking over Westwood Collective. I’d foolishly had a fling with a woman who I’d failed to properly vet. Let’s just say I learned my lesson. That incident was one of the reasons I started moving among the masses under my mother’s surname.

A minute later, there was an alert on my phone. I opened the image security sent and recognition hit me. The lithe woman with strawberry blonde hair was my past student. Ruby’s friend. They usually sat together in my class.

“Simone, have her sent up.” My heart pounded harder with anticipation because I thought the worst. Was she here to give me bad news about Ruby? Because why else would she come to my office?

Jane must have sensed my rising nervousness because she sent me a worried glance before stepping back inside to put her handbag down. Minutes later, Megan hesitantly approached. I stared at her through my open door. She glanced at Simone, who nodded and gestured for her to enter.

Megan stepped into my office, her eyes wide and filled with fear. I jumped up and rounded my desk.

“Is she alright?” I demanded before Megan took another step.

She froze, her eyebrows furrowing. “What?”

“Ruby,” I growled. “Is something wrong?”

“No… I’m here to apologize, Professor… I mean Mr. Westwood.”

I looked skyward. My days as Professor Sinclair were over. The university admonished me for sleeping with a student, which I didn’t do, and fired me. They then turned around and offered me my job back. I refused. As if I didn’t know they wanted to use me to boost interest in the school. The CEO of Westwood Collective as the professor of marketing would attract many, as Ruby had said.

“So, it was you,” I deduced, my eyes narrowing to slits.

Jane cleared her throat lightly as if in warning for me to damper my menacing energy. I snorted inwardly and returned to the other side of my desk so Megan would stop looking at me as if I’d murder her at any moment. Despite everything, I didn’t revel in scaring the young lady.

Megan squared her shoulders, gave Jane a fleeting glance, and turned back to me. “I’m here to fix things for Ruby’s sake. She doesn’t deserve any of this. I didn’t know…” She took a deep breath. “I didn’t know I’d ruin her life. I had no idea the story would blow up like it did. Ruby is my best friend and the sweetest person I’ve ever met. I needed the money.”

I stared at her in disbelief. Her presence was pointless. An apology wouldn’t reverse the massive PR mess I’d had to fix. “If you’re not here to tell me where she is, get out,” I snarled.

Yet, Megan continued., “Not until you know that Ruby didn’t plot with me to expose anything. She let something slip, and I pressed her for more information. She talked to me because she was distressed, and she trusted me.” Megan ducked her head.

I glowered at her. She should be ashamed. “I don’t need you to prove anything. Now you can get out.”

Her face flushed. “She’s in Nebraska.”

My interest piqued. Well, at least that would narrow down my search. “Are you sure?”

She nodded enthusiastically as if she was happy to help. “When she finally answered one of my many calls, I heard her speak to someone in the background. Tessa. Since she isn’t in New York with Cassandra, then she has to be in Oakland.”

I stared at Megan for a moment, then nodded. “Good to know.Leave.”

My icy tone and scowl did the trick. Megan frowned then turned and scampered out the door.

Jane shook her head. “Really, Elliot, must you be so rude?”

I shrugged. “She betrayed Ruby.”

Besides, while I’d fallen in love and softened up a bit, I wasn’t all the way Mr. Nice Guy. I was still Ruby’sCommander Curmudgeon.The moniker almost made me smile. Damn, I missed her.

34

RUBY

Staring at myself in the mirror, I grimaced. “Good grief, you have got to pull yourself together,” I told my reflection.

I looked like someone’s Halloween costume. My usually vibrant eyes were dull and rimmed with dark circles that spoke of my restless nights. My skin was pasty and bore the marks of stress. It was natural since I’d gone through national humiliation after all. My hair hung lank and lifeless… kind of like how I felt.

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