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Daddy’s Billionaire Boss

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Even though I already knew that I would rationalize a

bsolutely anything to keep Emily with me.

A tap at my door made me realize that I’d left it open. “Mr. McHenry?” David Jameson stepped cautiously into my office, except now I could only see him as Emily’s father.

“Come in, David,” I said, smoothing down my hair as I gestured to my guest chair. “What can I do for you?”

He spread some folders across my desk, quickly pointing out how one of the corporations we worked with was inadvertently tripling up on their studies on some new chemicals.

“Damn,” I said, nodding swiftly and making a note. “Great work, David. Prescott is going to be very impressed.”

“Actually, Emily is the one who spotted it,” he said. “I just double-checked it against the database before bringing it to you on her behalf.”

Leaning back, my fingers drummed heavily on my desk. “I see that you’re up for the promotion today,” I said, watching his eyes carefully.

David nodded. “Yes. Yes, I am.”

“If you’d taken credit for this discovery, you’d be much more likely to get it.”

“I’m never going to take credit for someone else’s work,” he shrugged. “Emily found it.”

There was something in the way he looked at me that made me realize he knew. “Emily is a very special girl,” I said carefully.

“Yes, she is,” he nodded. “But I don’t think I’ve ever seen her as upset as she is today.”

“That’s completely my fault,” I said. “I’m still thinking about how I can straighten things out with her.”

David nodded. “I know you’re a good man.” His voice sounded strained. “If Emily thinks you’re the right one for her, then I’ll have to put aside how you met. We don’t always choose these things, do we?”

“No, I guess we don’t.”

Realizing that the door was still wide open didn’t even bother me. Let the world know that I had a wonderful girlfriend, and was trying to work things through with her father.

For the first time in my life, I didn’t care about being the most powerful person at the meeting. I needed David’s help.

19

_____

Emily

After drying my eyes properly and finger combing my hair, I realized I had to be strong. Mason was a very powerful man. If I wanted him to respect me, and listen to my side, I would need to walk in there with my head held high.

Cowering in Daddy’s office was not a good look.

I walked down the hallway to Mason’s office, noticing that the privacy glass was opaque, but the door was open. Sandra was at her desk just outside, and quickly held up her hand to stop me, placing her finger on her lips. She gave me a pointed stare, directing her eyes toward the door.

Creeping closer, I listened to my father speaking to Mason. “...and I know that you can’t possibly give a promotion to your new girlfriend’s father. It wouldn’t look right. So I’ll withdraw.”

“You’re a good man, David. I appreciate that. Why did you want this promotion, anyway? It will be more work overall, and less of the more interesting projects.”

My dad chuckled as I inched closer. “I was hoping to use the extra money to take my wife to England. She’s always wanted to go there, and we love to travel, but things have been a bit tight. You know how it is.”

I heard a strange rhythm, like fingers tapping on the desk.

“You’re absolutely right that I can’t hand a promotion to my new girlfriend’s father,” Mason said slowly. “But there is a symposium in England next month. I was considering sending one of our representatives. I could send you to take notes for three days, then stay on for an extra two weeks to…shall we say, report back on the local culture? You’ll have to take your wife as your assistant, of course.”

Tiptoeing closer, I heard my dad gasp. “That would be incredible, sir. But wouldn’t that look like favoritism?”



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