Unconventional

Yeah, Chris was a real piece of work. And worst of all, he worked with me. I could go to human resources, of course, and stop this whole thing once and for all. Keep him out of my office forever, and back on the other side of the building where he worked as an editor.

There was only one thing stopping me, though.

Chris was my b

oss Chloe’s brother.

“Brooke!”

I drifted back to the unfortunate reality of my situation, just as Chris was snapping his fingers in my face. It was just one of the many things that made him a horrible person, much less a terrible ex-boyfriend.

“Are you even listening to me?”

I was angry now. He’d finally pushed me to that point.

“Chris?”

“Yes?”

“Get the fuck out of my office.”

My tone, and the look in my eye, told him I was deadly serious. He stared back at me for a moment, contemplating his next move. Sometimes Chris pushed me even past this point, and that’s where things got really ugly. Fortunately not today, though.

“Fine,” he said, waving his hand with a nervous laugh. “Maybe tomorrow, then.”

“Not a chance.”

“Actually Friday might be better,” he said, more to himself than to me. “I’ve got bowling tomorrow night, so we’d have to cut things short. And I’d rather spend more time with you than less. We really need to talk.”

I sunk my head into my hands, which were finally starting to shake.

Hold. It. Together…

I felt the presence of motion, and even a slight breeze as he left. My blood pressure dropped almost immediately. I took a long, deep breath…

And then finally looked up, right into my boss’s face.

“You should be working on the Cosmo article rather than bullshitting with my brother,” said Chloe. “Don’t you think?”

I bit down hard on my tongue to keep from screaming. She was standing in my doorway, hands on her hips. Not exactly angry, but not happy either.

“Yes,” I agreed. “I sure do.”

“Is that it?” she asked eagerly, staring at the back of my monitor. She took two steps into my office. “Let me see what you have so far…”

My screen was still covered with gibberish, from trying to distract Chris. I closed the window with a deft click of the mouse.

“My notes are at home,” I said truthfully. “I’ve been collating at night, when my head is clear.”

Chloe looked me over skeptically, but seemed to accept the answer. She knew the quality of my work. As a boss, I had to admit she was pretty fair.

“Fine, but it had better be good, Brooke,” she said. “I want you to take your time with it. Do whatever you have to do.”

I sank back again, steepling my hands together as she left my office. Thinking fondly ahead toward the end of the week… and Friday night.

Whatever I have to do…

Four