Boss I Love to Hate: An Office Romance(14)

“Well …” He shrank into his seat, looking like a reprimanded child. “Normally, you’re funny, but now, you’re just rude.”

Crap.

That wasn’t good. I liked to stay the utmost professional at work. I was careful not to let my personal life bleed into my work life. I guessed I should have tried harder.

I carefully composed my features. “Yes, everything is okay. Fine,” I lied. Everything was far from fine. Tick, tick, tick, tock, tock, tock goes the countdown to the wedding.

“Okay. Well, if you need anything …” His voice trailed off, and he waved a hand. “Anyway, Kristin just went into labor early this morning …”

I let out a silent sigh of relief, glad our conversation was off his dating life and my mood swings. “Really?” My spine went stick straight, and a genuine smile surfaced.

Kristin was Mason’s secretary. She was sweet like candy and ready to pop.

“That’s great.” Then, I remembered her due date. “Wait, I thought she had a few more weeks.”

“I guess not. But Mason will need some help booking his trip to Ohio this weekend to next week. Could you do that?”

“Of course.” I swiped at my iPad and made myself a note. “I have access to his calendar and all of Kristin’s files. Consider it done. Is Janice going?”

Brad’s face scrunched up.

Whoops, I’d said Brad’s bad word, the naughty word, the person he disliked the most—Janice.

“The gold digger,” he scoffed. “I hope to God not. It’s a work event. I wouldn’t doubt it though, given that she likes to tag along on all his trips and spend his money.”

I ignored his comment and kept on typing. Let’s just say, Brad was not a fan of Mason’s girlfriend. Honestly, I wasn’t a fan. She did give off that gold digger, I’m only into designer, but I can’t afford it on my own vibe. But still, it was Mason’s choice who he decided to be with. Not mine. Not Brad’s.

“Just ask him. I don’t even want to broach that subject.” Brad ducked his head back into his computer, already done with the Janice conversation.

“All right. Is that it?”

He rubbed at his brow again, one of Brad’s many I’m annoyed habits. “Last thing, could you book a double queen at Great Wolf Lodge for this weekend?”

I blinked. “The water park?”

That was a strange place to overnight with a woman pal. And he had a new one already? Maybe he meant Sybaris—that couples hotel with mini swimming pools in each room?

“Yes, the water park. I’m taking my nieces this weekend.”

I nodded slowly. Don’t judge a book by its fine-ass cover.

The smile that crept up my face was automatic. “That’s sweet.”

“Yeah, I want it to be a surprise.”

“It’s going to be a good one.” I stood, but before I left, he called out my name.

“I’m not a total Scrooge, you know.”

I peered back at him and threw him a sideways glance. “I didn’t say you were.” Just an unsatisfied, woman-hunting dog. But I kept my thoughts to myself.





Chapter 4





Brad





The weekend flew by, and I had bonded with Sarah and Mary in a way that I’d never done before. We’d had a fun weekend at the water park. The girls had been fed and clothed and safe, and I had acted like a responsible adult all weekend.

Screw Mason and his fun uncle comment.

While he was on his business trip, I’d made sure to text him pictures of us—by the waterslide, eating nachos, pillow fighting.

I hadn’t gotten a response, which only meant he was jealous.

Sucker.

“Girls,” I yelled from the bottom of the stairs, “are you ready?”

Annie had called to tell me that she couldn’t drop off the girls, so I’d told her I’d drop them off this morning. I’d wanted to fire her right then and there, but Mason would have been pissed. It had taken all my energy not to.

“Sarah, Mary, let’s get going. You don’t want to be late for school.”

Mary and her cheery way hopped down each step until she reached the bottom. She dropped her bag, rushed toward me, and gave me her good-morning hug. These good-morning and good-night hugs from Mary never got old.

“Uncle Brad, that was the best weekend ever. Better than Great America, better than that cupcake tour I took with Uncle Mason.” She tilted her head, looking thoughtful, and then scrunched up her nose in the cutest way. “But definitely not better than Disney World with Daddy. Sorry, Uncle Brad.”

“It’s really hard to beat Mickey.” I rustled her hair and then nodded toward the kitchen. “Breakfast is ready. Go, peanut. You’ve gotta get going before you’re late to school.”

I peered up at the stairs, waiting for Sarah to appear. She’d been in a mood over the weekend. A much better mood than I was used to, but a mood, nonetheless. I hated that she was turning into a teenager—well, pre-teenager. Couldn’t we go back to the days when she was sweet and happy all the time?

Hormones were to blame for her transformation. I couldn’t deal with women’s mood swings on a day-to-day basis, but I’d have to deal with Sarah’s. There was no way to avoid it. Any other female and I would have left already.