The Fake Engagement

“They won’t. Not if they know what is good for them.” Eliza kissed her friend’s cheek.

Mackenzie pulled back and sniffled. “I’m good. I’m going to be good. It is all good.”

They all started to laugh.

“I’ve got to head out,” Juliet said. “You’re going to be okay? We can do lunch?”

“Yes, lunch. No questions asked,” Eliza said. “We are doing lunch.”

They all agreed to meet at the Italian restaurant again. Mackenzie headed back to bed, and finishing her coffee, Eliza had no choice but to be the grownup and head out. She didn’t take her car. Seeing as it was a lovely day, she started to walk toward her work.

It was only after the first hour passed and she realized she was going to be late that she signaled for a taxi.

With her cell phone in her hand, she quickly checked her work emails, surprised to find a massive email alert, as well as some sent to clients that were supposed to show up to meetings that day.

After paying the driver, she headed in, saying hello to the main receptionist as she ran toward the elevator.

She got to her desk just in time.

“Eliza,” Preston said.

She let out a squeal, not expecting him near her desk. As she’d been about to sit down to find out who’d hacked into her emails, she missed the chair, throwing it back and landing on her butt.

“Ouch.” She pursed her lips as pain ran up her spine.

“I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to startle you.” He went to her side, offering her a hand.

“It’s fine.” She took his hand and he helped her to her feet. She rubbed at her ass, trying to soothe out the pain, and realized while she was holding the boss’s hand and rubbing her ass at the same time.

To any onlooker, this would look way too strange.

She jumped back, colliding with her desk, nearly dropping the computer. She quickly grabbed it and sent whatever curse she could think of out to the klutz gods, to leave her the hell alone.

“Mr. Boone, I mean Preston, hi. Good morning, even. I just … I think there is something wrong with the emails. There have been multiple sent that I’ve—”

He held his hand up, stopping her. “I sent them.”

“You did?”

“Yes. I have access to every single account in this building.”

“Right. Of course, you do. It’s your company. It is only natural that you have full access to everything. It makes a lot of sense. Totally, a lot of sense.” She was rambling now.

“Would you please step into my office?” he asked.

“Yes, of course. I still need to go and fetch your coffee and your breakfast.”

“Already taken care of. I’ve been waiting for you to arrive.”

“You got your own coffee and breakfast?” she asked.

“Of course.”

She walked past him and pinched her arm. “Ouch!”

“Is your … er … bottom still hurting you?” he asked.

Eliza turned to see Preston with his hand poised close to her ass.

“What are you doing?” she asked.

“I … I thought you were in pain and I was going to rub it, and then I saw where it was and well …”

This was turning into a weird morning.

“Right, of course. I hurt my butt and you were going to rub it better.” The words were coming out of her mouth, but they weren’t helping this cause at all.”

Preston stepped back. “You’re not in pain.”

“No, not in any kind of pain. I’m good. Fine. You know me, perfectly fine.” Here she went rambling again.

She’d been working as Preston’s PA for three years and not once did she have an incident like today. She was cursed. That was what this was. Purely cursed.

Pressing her lips together, she forced a smile. “So, what exactly did you want to talk to me about?” she asked.

Eliza turned back to the desk and saw the cups of coffees and two bagels.

“First things first. A coffee, no sugar, creamer.”

“You know how I take my coffee?” she asked, amazed.

“It’s a first. Also, I phoned the coffee shop and they told me what you liked.”

“That makes more sense.”

He placed the coffee in front of her. “The same with the bagel. Just a plain cream cheese.”

“The way I like it.” She forced a smile to her lips and watched him as he took a seat. This was strange. There was no other word to describe it.

“So, coffee and breakfast. What’s the special occasion?” she asked.

He cleared his throat. “You are correct in your assumptions,” Preston said.

“I’m correct in what assumptions?”

“To make this work, we’re going to need to get to know one another. I need to know everything about you. Your family. Your likes. Your dislikes. What makes you tick. Possibly even your menstrual cycle.”

This made her cough. She quickly swallowed the piece of bagel in her mouth, nearly choking on it, then scolding her throat with the coffee as she forced it down.