“I’m good,” I cut in, spying Jared across the dining room and marching in his direction before she can stop me.
“Ma’am, please,” she calls out, but I keep moving, ignoring her.
My eyes have been locked on Jared since I spotted him, so I’m surprised––and slightly embarrassed––to see two men in fancy suits seated at the table with him. I know I shouldn’t be surprised. This is obviously a dinner meeting if he needs these reports so badly. I just didn’t think this all the way through. I wanted to embarrass Jared, not myself and two complete strangers.
But it’s too late now. I’m all in, and there’s no turning back.
“Your reports, sir,” I say as I stop beside him and drop the spiral-bound, laminated booklets to the table with a deafening thud.
Jared’s eyes widen as they travel from my head to my feet, pausing to stare at my slippers for several beats before darting back up to meet my gaze. I can practically see him winding up to hurl some reprimand my way, but I don’t want to hear it.
I nod to his associates and whirl around, striding for the exit as quickly as possible. I see the hostess let out a relieved sigh as I pass, and I resist the urge to shoot her the finger. Barely. I know she’s only doing her job, just like I am.
The valet takes off as soon as he sees me breeze through the door, and I shift my weight from foot to foot nervously as I silently beg him to hurry. I don’t know Jared well, but I do know he’s not going to let this slide without a confrontation. I’d rather have that discussion tomorrow, after we’ve both had a chance to sleep on it.
Yeah. No such luck.
“Miss Jameson, a word.”
Taking a deep breath, I turn to face him with an innocent expression. “Yes, Mr. Hart?”
“Are you trying to get fired on your first day?” he asks, his voice deep with irritation.
I press a palm to my chest and let my mouth fall open in faux-surprise. In a syrupy-sweet voice, I reply, “But I was only doing what you ordered me to do.”
“You showed up to a very important meeting in the most expensive, premiere restaurant in Las Vegas wearing pajamas and fuzzy pink slippers,” he growls.
I tilt my head and pin him with a dark look. “You gave me forty-five minutes to drive all over town on this little errand. If I’d taken the time to change, I’d have been late. You seem like a man who expects his subordinates to be punctual, so…”
My words trail off as I swoop a hand down my body as if to say “This is what you get.” Before he can respond, my car arrives. I dash around the hood as the valet holds the door for me, then look back at Jared as I speak to the driver.
“The tip’s on him.”
Then I climb in and pull away from the curb as I pull the seatbelt across my body. I’m a block away when the fire drains out of me. I slump back against the seat with a groan.
I’m definitely fired. Time to go back home and hit the job listing sites in earnest.
Spying a bright red sign up on the right, I turn on my blinker and pull into the drive. I will find another job before I lose everything.
But first, tacos.