Against the Rules

Chapter 19

Finn

“Everyone’s enjoying themselves. You did a great job,” I tell the staff. Arranging a picnic outside of the office for three hundred people on short notice is no easy task but the admins pulled through. A lot of permits had to be pulled along with the booking of caterers, entertainers, and clean-up crews. Monica, Cesar, and Lucky were up to the task and now the entire O’Hare crew is eating, socializing and enjoying a good day away from the office while my floor is being redesigned into one large space to accommodate a new staffing position that I dreamed up the night before.

Monica beams. “My team is the best. We should probably get a bonus.”

“I agree.” I have not yet told Monica about my plans so a bonus in her bank account should soften the blow.

Cesar punches his hand in the air while Monica and Lucky jump up and down. Other employees drift over, happy at the opportunity to speak to the boss. I learn about marriages and babies and breakups. Some of them give ideas about improving systems that I hadn’t heard of before. Beside me, Lucky jots everything down while Monica and Cesar make sure everyone has enough food and beverage.

I grin at their happiness. What started out as a way to get close to Lucky during the day ended up being a great event. Even if Lucky weren’t here, this scene would warm me up. If anything, she pushes me to be better to everyone. Sitting up high with all the luxuries in life tends to make you forget about all the people that support you and make the engines of the business run smoothly. Once we get through the line of employees, I lead Lucky over to the food table.

“Fried chicken or pasta?” I ask, holding her plate.

“Pasta? No. Fried chicken,” she changes her mind.

“How about both?” I pile her plate and mine with enough food to feed an army.

“Are you giving out doggie bags?” she jokes when we sit down on the grass. “Because there’s no way I’m going to eat all this.”

“Someone has to feed the ducks.”

“I think they’re getting stuffed from the kids.” She points out a cluster of children leaning over a railing with a bag of bread dangling between them.

“Then, yes, there will be doggie bags.” And if the caterers don’t have them on hand, I’ll go to the store and buy some.

“This is a really nice thing you’ve done for everyone. O’Hare had a reputation for treating its employees well, which is why I applied in the first place, but sometimes stuff gets overblown on the internet—both the good and the bad.”

“I can’t take any of the credit. You gave me the idea.”

She cocks her head. “How so?”

“Because I wanted to spend time with you during work hours but I knew you wouldn’t go out to lunch with me alone so I invited the whole office.”

Her jaw drops. “You gave every single one of your employees the day off and paid for their lunch in order to spend time with me?”

“I’m not allowed to show you any favoritism in the office nor am I allowed to proposition you in any way so my hands are tied.” I splay my fingers out for her to see. “I was risking a lawsuit by hauling you out of the bar the other night, but it was worth it.” I take a big bite out of the chicken while Lucky stares at me.

“You’re starting to make me believe in fairy tales,” she admits with a shake of her head.

I wash the chicken down with a swig of cola. “Tell me your dreams and I’ll make them come true.”

“I want to work my way up the ladder into a solid management position, maybe even higher. I was thinking of going to grad school in a couple of years to get my MBA so that I could compete for VP jobs in the future. That’s another reason I joined O’Hare. You offer that.”

My girl’s so smart. I love that. “You’re right and you should take advantage of it.”

We talk a little more about her dreams. “I’m excited for you. If you have any questions, you should ask—“

“Monica?” she interrupts.

I want to pinch her cheek and then give her a good tonguing for being so fucking cute. “—Me.”

“I was kidding,” she says a tad shyly.

“I know.” I’m glad she feels comfortable enough to tease me. We’re getting somewhere.

People are starting to disperse. I set my food aside and contemplate the best, legal way to try to get my admin assistant to spend the rest of her day and then all of her night with me.

Lucky looks at me over the glass of her lemonade. “You’re staring at me.”

“Because you’re beautiful.” The sunlight lights up her brown hair and I can see strands of a hundred different colors of red and gold and brown. She’s wearing a light color of lipstick that’s almost entirely wiped off from her napkin. Her boxy gray suit has given way to soft, light washed jeans, a pearly pink blouse with sleeves that tie just above the elbow. On her feet are cute pink slippers. I take a mental picture and store it away to take out later.