The Project

CHAPTER9

“Well, I think that went well,” Andi said, sending the man that hadn’t said anything since they’d left the boardroom a hopeful smile only to find him glaring across the table at her.

Deciding that this was one of those rare moments that she should stop talking, Andi cleared her throat and took in the rest of the executive dining room, from the freshly polished floor to the mahogany tables covered with crisp, bright white linen tablecloths and everything in-between before she glanced back at Devyn and-

“Was that one of the things that you decided wasn’t relevant on your resumé?” Devyn asked, leaning back in his chair as he considered her.

“One of many,” she admitted with a solemn nod, debating asking him what was going to happen to him now that the deal fell through, but she didn’t want to say anything that was going to upset him. He had enough on his plate without her making it worse for him.

“And the reason that you didn’t tell me how good you were with numbers was…”

“Because I’d have to quit,” Andi said, really hoping that it didn’t come down to that because she actually loved her job. Okay, so that wasn’t entirely true, but she liked working for Devyn. Other than the whole multitasking issue, that is. She really didn’t want to have to start over again, but she knew that she might not have a choice after today.

“And why is that?” Devyn asked, watching her as though he was trying to figure something out.

“I don’t want to work in the accounting department,” she said as the waitress that had given her a weird look when she’d asked for a plate of bacon earlier set their orders on the table.

“Thank you,” Devyn said, never taking his eyes off her as Andi murmured, “You’re an angel,” as a large plate of bacon was placed on the table next to the steak that Devyn ordered for her before excusing herself.

“You never answered me,” Devyn said, making her frown as she helped herself to a delicious-looking strip of bacon.

“About what?”

“Why did you take care of me?” Devyn said, asking the question that she really wasn’t sure how to answer. As much as she would love to be able to say that she would have done that for anyone…she couldn’t.

“Because you needed me,” Andi said, finishing off her slice of bacon with another nod.

“Fair enough,” he murmured before asking, “Why don’t you want to work in the accounting department?”

“I hate everything about it,” she admitted, wondering if this was the part where he was going to give her no choice but to quit. She-

“You left this morning,” Devyn said, helping himself to a slice of bacon.

“I had to make sure that I got to work on time because my boss is a tyrant,” Andi said with a solemn nod as she selected another slice of bacon.

“Is that how you see me?” Devyn asked after a slight pause.

She opened her mouth to tease him, only to change her mind when she saw the look on his face. “No, you’re not a tyrant.”

“But that’s what everyone thinks, right?” he asked, making her heart break for him.

“Honestly, I have no idea what they think,” Andi said, shrugging it off because it didn’t matter.

“And you don’t care,” Devyn said, sounding thoughtful.

“No, I don’t. I have better things to do than to waste my time worrying about what other people think.”

“That sounds like there’s a story there,” he murmured absently, looking lost in thought.

“Not a very interesting one,” Andi said, reaching for another slice of bacon only to go still when he said, “You’re fired.”

Nodding slowly, she reached over and pulled the plate of bacon away from him as she said, “You don’t deserve bacon.”

Sighing heavily, Devyn reached over and helped himself to another slice of bacon as he said, “I have another job for you.”

“Explain,” Andi said, narrowing her eyes on him as she waited for him to say something that would leave her with no other choice but to grab the plate of bacon and walk away.

“I need your help cleaning up this mess,” Devyn said, sighing heavily as he popped the piece of bacon in his mouth while she sat there, thinking about what he just said only…

“Why can’t I be your assistant?” she couldn’t help but wonder.

“Because you suck at it.”

Nodding, she murmured, “Fair enough.”

* * *