Triplets Make Five

I was really going to enjoy it here.

Five

Delilah

I wrapped my fingers around my Manhattan as the bar covered me with its sounds. That man intentionally put me on the spot in that meeting today. At least, it felt like it. And I’d made an ass out of myself, so it was only a matter of time before I lost my job. He didn’t try to seek me out the rest of the day, which meant he didn’t alert me to any other meetings that should’ve taken place. He should’ve been meeting with all the teams, not just the graphics department. Was he asking someone else to do it? Was this how he was preparing to fire me?

I was in so much trouble.

I hated this. I hated all of it. I wanted Bernie back. I wanted Mr. Hathaway to pop out of a corner, tell us we were all being videotaped, then go back to his regular place. I knew I needed to be happy for him, but I also knew he was the only reason I still had my job. All of the investors thought I was weird, no one at the company wanted to include me in anything. I was aware of the rumors that circulated about me. How people thought I was sleeping with Bernie to keep my job. That was one of the reasons why I never went to the company’s formal functions or parties. The last thing I wanted was for Bernie to be talking with me and people get the wrong idea.

I respected him more than that. He deserved better than that.

I polished off my first drink of the night as I turned my gaze out the window. Cars were passing by and horns were honking as often as the stars were twinkling in the sky. Well, the stars I could see from my tiny corner booth. This bar was my only place of solace besides my apartment. Here, no one bothered me. Here, I had a specific order that no one questioned. Here, I was paid attention to but left alone. Like a king on his throne awaiting his next big decisions to muddle through.

I wanted to enjoy my drinks tonight. I wanted to wash away the entire week. I wanted to forget about Bernie’s retirement announcement and this dumbass retirement party. I wanted to forget about the company-wide meeting where I’d made a fool out of myself. I wanted to forget that it was my new boss that woke me up in my office with a piece of soaking wet paper stuck to my chin, and I sure as hell wanted to forget that graphics department meeting.

There had been something in his eyes when I introduced myself that I didn’t like.

“Another Manhattan,” the waitress said.

“But I didn’t order another one,” I said.

“The man over in the corner ordered it for you. Said to tell you it was from your new boss.”

I froze in my spot as I slowly panned my gaze across the bar.

He was sitting there in a booth with a smug look on his face. That cheeky little grin and those sparkling playboy eyes. He raised his glass to me before he beckoned to his booth, silently asking me if I wanted to come over and sit with him.

No. No I didn’t want to sit with him. But did I really have a choice? This could be my only shot to kiss his behind and keep my job. And heaven knew I couldn’t afford to lose my job.

“Thanks,” I said with a groan. “Could you transfer my check over to his table?”

“You want him to pay it?” the waitress asked.

“I wish. Just wanted to let you know I was moving,” I said.

I grabbed my purse and slid out of my regular booth. Preston’s grin turned into a broad smile as I approached him. What in the world was he so happy about? Was this man going go pop up everywhere I went? I gave him a forced smile as I sat down across the table from him, my Manhattan sloshing around in the palm of my hand.

“That your regular drink?” Preston asked.

“It’s what I gravitate towards, yes,” I said.

“It’s a good drink. A strong one.”

“It’s what my father used to drink when I was younger,” I said.

“My drink of choice is a simple martini.”

“Interesting, since you don’t strike me as simple,” I said.

His eyes whipped up to mine and his smile faded into a smirk. I watched his gaze dance around my face before his eyes took in my breasts. He wasn’t even trying to cover up the fact that he was looking at my tits, and I rolled my eyes. I wasn’t going to play this little game of his. There were plenty of women in the company who would willingly spread their legs for him. I wasn’t going to be one of them, and no amount of coercion would change my mind.

I would gladly lose my job if it meant putting his playboy ass in its place.

“So. How long have you been at Kiefer and Associates?” Preston asked.

“Nine years,” I said.