The Boss (The Boss 1)

In a strange way, it was a relief that he wasn’t my boss anymore. Now he could just be my boyfriend, and I could just be his girlfriend.

Even if things were strained between us at the moment.

Of course, this meant my lunch with Gabriella tomorrow would be life-or-death. Okay, life-or-unemployment. Same difference.

Chapter Twenty-One

“Look at you,” Neil said with a low whistle as I leaned close to the mirror, applying eyeliner. “You never get this dressed up on the weekend for me.”

“Because I don’t have to.” I blinked a few times. The cold sensation of the liquid at the edge of my eyelid faded as it dried. “You like me with or without.”

“That I do.” He’d been leaning against the sink, watching me, seemingly fascinated by the whole process as I put on my makeup. I suspected he just liked watching me. “If Gabriella Winters had any intelligence at all, she would appreciate you the same way.”

“Well, hopefully she’ll appreciate me sans earrings, because I didn’t bring any.” I frowned, and hoped I could keep my hair from moving for the entire lunch, so she wouldn’t notice.

“I might be able to help with that.” Neil straightened and went out of the bathroom. By the time he returned, I’d applied my mascara. I noticed the distinctive light-blue box in his hand. He turned it around in his palm and cautiously met my gaze in the mirror. “This was supposed to be a Christmas gift, but... I think it might make a better good luck charm.”

Nothing on this planet would ever riddle me with such anxiety as the sight of Neil holding a small jewelry box with an earnest expression on his face. He lifted the lid and took out a blue velvet drawstring bag, which he up-ended into his palm. When two gleaming stud earrings shook out, I had to forcibly stop my sigh of relief.

“Oh my god.” I stared down at the truly beautiful gems in their gleaming round settings. “Is that white gold?”

“Platinum, and pink sapphires.” He held them out to me. “Do you like them?”

“They’re absolutely beautiful.” I took them, feeling oddly choked up. “Neil, this is too much.”

“You don’t want me to tell you how to live your life, don’t tell me how to spend my money,” he scolded gently, leaning forward to kiss my cheek. “I know that you will do beautifully today. Gabriella is a fool if she doesn’t hire you.”

I admired the earrings a moment before putting them on, and Neil continued, “Of course, I think you might be a bit of a fool to consider working for her when I’ve offered to help you find another job...”

“That’s enough,” I warned sweetly. After our near nuclear fight the day before, we’d come to a truce. He wouldn’t give me unsolicited career advice, and if I got into dire financial straits, I would remember to ask him for help before doing anything drastic like a high interest credit card.

“I’m sorry we fought.” He said quietly. “Those... might be a bit of an apology as well.”

I smiled as I fastened the back of one stud. “I’m not sorry, actually. It was nice to have a fight with my boyfriend, not my boss. I didn’t have to hold back.”

He gave me that half-smile and watched as I put on the other earring.

Then, softer, I said, “These are beautiful. Thank you so much.”

He came to stand behind me, his arms encircling my waist. “I love you, Sophie. No matter how we might fight, I love you. We’re having some growing pains, but I’d much rather argue than not talk about our problems. That didn’t work out so well for me the last time.”

My heart did a ridiculous little flutter. He wanted us to work out. To what end, I didn’t know, and I didn’t want to speculate. Things were moving pretty fast already.

“Is this the part where I mention the super awesome make-up sex?” I giggled. “I want to make sure I’ve got my clichés right.”

“I think this is the part where you’re going to be late for your lunch, and I’m going to be late for my meeting, if we don’t behave ourselves.” He gave me one last peck on the cheek and went to his closet to dress.

The meeting he was having at Porteras this afternoon was an emergency one he’d arranged last night. He was going to meet with the rest of management and discuss the information I’d given him— and my firing. They were also planning to uncover just who was stealing the subscriber list. A lot of the staff had worked up from the mailroom, or assistant positions that’d had access to the list. Ferreting out the culprit was going to be difficult.

I put the meeting out of my mind, to focus on my own. Neil would be out most of the afternoon, but we’d made dinner plans. I hoped everything would be sewn up by then, so we could get back to normal.