Page 57 of My Boss's Sons

“I can do it for you.”

I shook my head. “It’s part of my process. You can stand back and watch me if you want.”

He picked me up and let me slide down his front until my feet touched the ground. “I think I’ll do just that.”

46

***Alex***

Family dinners were the bane of my existence but there was no getting out of them. Especially not when Noah and Ethan went along with the idea so quickly. Sitting across from our dad wasn’t my idea of a good time and not even seeing Mom made up for it some nights.

Mom sat next to me at the table and chatted happily about her day until Ethan cleared his throat and fixed Dad with a hard stare. It was so abnormal to see Ethan making waves that I was immediately focused on him.

“Who was that guy in your office today?” There was something dark in Ethan’s voice and I couldn’t look away.

“Matthew Francis.” Dad finished off his glass of whiskey and sat it down with athud. “Did you figure out whatever caused you to rush in and call Sophia away?”

Mom perked up. “Sophia?TheSophia?”

Noah coughed and shook his head. “No.”

“Can we focus on what Ethan is saying?” I gave Mom a look that I hoped conveyed my message. I’d tell her later about Sophia but we didn’t want Dad to know that we were sleeping with someone from the office.

“We figured it out.” Ethan pushed his plate away and sat forward with his elbows on the table. “She mentioned something to me after we left your office. She was really upset and when she finally told me why, I understood completely.”

I frowned and looked between Dad and Ethan. Sophia hadn’t seemed upset after coming back to her office with Ethan.

Dad grunted and threw his napkin over his plate. “She’s emotional. That’s one of the reasons she keeps missing those promotions.”

I stiffened. “She’s never been emotional with us. She’s always been the picture of professionalism.”

“And I’m supposed to trust you to judge that?” Dad laughed. “She’s emotional and I’d love to hear what she blamed it on today.”

If Dad noticed the angry look on Ethan’s face, he didn’t act like it. Ethan’s fists were balled as he spoke. “She said Matthew made her feel uncomfortable. He rubbed her shoulders and kept staring at her chest. Did you see him doing that?”

Noah sat up straighter. “What the fuck?”

“Watch your mouth, Noah!” Dad slapped his hands down on the table hard enough to make the dinnerware rattle. “Of course, Matthew didn’t make Sophia feel uncomfortable. She managed to turn that story around nicely for herself.”

“What do you mean?” Ethan shook his head. “I saw how upset she was, Dad.”

“It’s time we had this talk, I guess. Sophia is good at her job, even though she is emotional. She’s great at research and she’s an asset to the company. I think you boys should keep your distance, however. She has a reputation around the office… Ihate to even repeat it and I wouldn’t if I hadn’t seen it for myself a few times throughout the years. She’s not always professional with the men she works with.” Dad blew out a big breath and held up his hands. “Just today, I walked in on her flirting heavily with Matthew. He was waiting in my office for me and she was practically pushing her chest in his face when I came in. Matthew is a happily married man, though, and he turned her down. He told me that himself. I guess the rejection upset her.”

Prickles of anxiety broke out all across my skin. I couldn’t believe what he was saying. We knew Sophia better than that.

Ethan shook his head. “I don’t think that’s what happened, Dad.”

“Well, I was there, Ethan. Are you suggesting that I’m making it up?” Dad hit the table again. “Why the hell would I do that?”

Noah laughed, but there was no humor to it. “Dad, come on. We’ve worked with her for almost two weeks and she’s the picture of professionalism. She takes her job seriously, Dad. I can’t imagine her being the way you’re saying. Maybe you thought you saw something that wasn’t actually what it was.”

“I’ve got a list of complaints I can get you through HR.” Dad pushed away from the table and stood up. “It makes me sick to think she’d paint Matthew as a villain just to feel better about herself.”

Ethan stood up, too. “I saw how upset she was, Dad. It wasn’t fake.”

“Grow up, Ethan. Women lie. Men fall for those lies. It’s just the way the world works.” Shaking his head, Dad gripped the back of his chair and sighed. “I should’ve told you boys about her before sending you to train under her. I’m sorry about that. She hasn’t been unprofessional with any of you, has she?”

“No.” Noah stood up and pressed a kiss to Mom’s head. “I’ve got to go, Mom. Thanks for dinner.”

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