“You haven’t had it easy.”
She didn’t know anyone who did.
“We have this other thing we need to deal with.” She bit her bottom lip as she tried to come up with the right words to describe what really happened. “Joe Cantor. The Insider brought up my work history. That can only mean people are whispering about it and making up details… Joe was my boss… He’s been saying… I mean, it’s not as if it actually happened.”
Derrick reached his arm across his expansive desk. “Ellie? Breathe.”
She did. “I did not come on to him.”
Saying the words brought the frustration crashing down on her again. She had enough to deal with without Joe and his lies. But what she really wanted was to reach out, to grab on to the lifeline Derrick offered. Fighting that urge, she stayed still in the chair.
“Of course not.”
“Yeah, that’s…” Her brain caught up with the conversation and the air whooshed right out of her body. “Wait, you believe me?”
Derrick’s chair squeaked when he got up. Footsteps thudded against the floor as he came around the desk to sit on the edge right in front of her. “Your former boss is a raving jackass.”
“I could insert a general snide comment here about businessmen in DC.” One that fit a lot of the men she’d met and worked both with and for in the two jobs she’d had since college, the first at a department store then the last one with Joe. But it didn’t fit Derrick.
He folded his arms in front of him. “Please refrain.”
“I’m stunned you’re taking my side. I thought you rich sit-behind-a-desk dudes stuck together.”
“And I’m ignoring that description.” He continued to watch her. “But the firing was not news to me.”
She wrapped her fingers around the edges of the armrests. The wood dug into her palms but she held on. “Technically, I was laid off.”
“Actually, you were marched out of the office building by security.”
She felt something inside her deflate. “Gossip really does run wild in this town.”
“There’s also rumor you kicked Joe during this argument?” There was no judgment in Derrick’s tone. If anything, he sounded amused by the thought.
“Right between the legs.” She sighed. “Yeah, that happened.”
“Well, there you go.”
“Excuse me?”
“Joe is said to enjoy the chase but he clearly doesn’t like a woman escalating it to the point of kicking his…”
She laughed. “You can say it.”
He smiled at her. Big and beautiful and warm. “Balls.”
The amusement died down, leaving behind one unanswered question. “You know about how Joe acts but…”
“What?”
“Are you friends?”
“Hell, no.” Derrick made a face that suggested he was appalled at the idea. “And since I hired four women in management positions away from his office years ago, before you were there, he’s not my biggest fan.”
“You did? I might need their names for my employment attorney. And maybe your testimony.”
He nodded. “No problem.”
Score one more for Derrick Jameson. He wasn’t anything like she expected…well, in some ways, yes. The bossy, intimidating, totally hot part—yes. The kind of sweet side that peeked through now and then? Nope. She had not been prepared for that at all.
“You almost sound likable.” More than almost, but that was enough to admit for now.
“Don’t start that rumor.” He gave her a conspiratorial wink. “Really, though, I’m surprised you lasted with him for more than a day. I can’t imagine you taking his nonsense for five seconds without lecturing him to death.”
“See, I think there was a compliment in there somewhere, so I’ll just say thank you.”
“You’re welcome.” He dropped his arms and let his hands rest on his lap. “And I’m sorry I ignored your text.”
“I believe you.” But that left one big question. “So, who planted the gossip in the Insider? It sounds like someone wants to discredit me.”
“I don’t know but I’ll find out.”
An edge had moved into his tone. Usually that sort of thing touched off her guard and her defenses rose. But not this time. She knew the temper wasn’t directed at her. “Now you sound angry. Why?”
“Why?”
He sure did enjoy raising his voice. “It’s a simple question.”
“I don’t want anyone messing with you.”
“But this is…us…it’s fake.” She sputtered through the explanation.