So why wasn’t he taking more action in that direction?
At the close of business, once she had finished cleaning the windows, she pulled out her notebook of ideas. She really wanted to push her newsletter and host a few events that would interest families—not just the wealthy—and local artists.
Knocking softly on his office door, she waited for his gruff invitation before she turned the knob.
As usual, he didn’t even look up. “If you’ve finished, you can go home.”
“I am finished, but I wanted to speak to you,” she said quietly as she walked in. “I have the numbers for this week, and I thought of a few ways we might improve them. I put a suggestion box on the desk.”
“You did what?” He looked up sharply as he spoke, and there was ice in his eyes. “You did something without my approval?”
“It’s a suggestion box,” Katie pointed out dryly. “It’s not like I rearranged a gallery, but speaking of rearranging, I really do think . . .”
“Get rid of it,” he snapped. “Now.”
“What?”
“The suggestion box. Get rid of it. I don’t recall giving you permission to add things to the desk. Throw it away and go home.”
Hurt, she worked her jaw back and forth before whirling around and stalking out. She didn’t bother to hide her frustration as s
he slammed the office door behind her.
She left without tossing the suggestion box. If he hated the box so damned much, he could throw it away himself.
With the work day over, she accepted an open invitation to the palace to join the girls for a drink. She hadn’t been back to the palace since she’d started working with Khalid for fear she might run into him, but that night, she didn’t care.
She needed to vent.
Of course, venting to his family wasn’t exactly a professional move. Still, a drink and some light conversation would do her wonders.
“There she is! I’ve complained to Khalid that he’s been working you too hard!” Amira crowed when Katie finally showed up.
Katie took one look at the three ladies and laughed. They were all dressed in pajamas—expensive silk pajamas—and there were two large pizzas and some exclusive imported microbrews on the ottoman in front of them. “Pizza and beer! And from the look of things, ya’ll have already enjoyed plenty of beer.”
“We expected you an hour ago,” Mila complained. “I love that you convinced Amira to have a pizza and beer night. It’s been forever since I’ve had a casual night, although I’m pretty sure that Amira literally just bought those pajamas for this occasion.”
“I sleep in the nude,” Amira said with a shrug. “I didn’t think that’s what you had in mind.”
“No.” Liyah shook her head vehemently. “Nobody needs to see your perfect body.”
“Well, I am way overdressed,” Katie announced as she dropped her purse and leaned over to snag a bottle of beer.
Amira bent over the arm of the couch and pulled up a double handful of satiny fabric. “That is why I purchased you a pair of pajamas, as well. I thought black would look sexy against your hair and skin tone, although, to be fair, you’re so gorgeous that any color would look great on you.”
Katie chuckled as she accepted the clothes. “First dresses and now sleepwear. Maybe I should just leave a suitcase with clothes over here.”
“Or you could just move in,” Mila suggested.
“I don’t think that would be a good idea. I’ll go change. Do not eat all the pizza while I’m gone!”
Hurrying to the restroom, Katie stripped out of her work clothes and held up the pajamas that Amira had bought her. Rather than a plain pair of silk pajamas, Amira had gotten her a low-cut tank top and a pair of hip-hugging yoga pants that said Tasty on the back.
Really? Katie couldn’t help but laugh as she dressed. The girls would get a kick out of it.
The top swooped low and showed off way too much cleavage, and the pants clung low on her hips. She hadn’t worn anything so scandalous since she was in college, and even then, she had been too focused on her studies to enjoy a night out with friends.
Shaking her head at her reflection, she gathered her clothes and hurried out of the bathroom—only to run smack into a hard body. Apologizing, she bent down to pick up her clothes, and then she looked up . . .