Fired!
Ohmygod.
My mind spun. Not so long ago Shane had told me to dream, to imagine the life I wanted and then to go after it. He’d said if I did that, my dreams would come true.
How wrong he’d been.
How would I find another job? The market sucked. It had taken me a long time to find this position.
“Miss Deatrich.” My now ex-boss stood, extended a hand and smiled. What the hell was he smiling about? “It was a pleasure having you with the company. I wish you the best.”
“When?” I muttered.
His stupid grin dimmed slightly. “Now. You’ll have to leave immediately.”
Stunned into silence, I shook his hand and followed him out to my cubicle. He stood to one side and watched me gather the few personal items I’d kept at my desk. The picture of my mother and me when I was five. The snacks I’d stowed in a drawer. My purse. Then, saying absolutely nothing, he escorted me to the human resources office where I filled out a mountain of paperwork--exit interviews. Medical insurance forms.
Within an hour of arriving at work, I was standing next to my car bawling my eyes out.
I was officially unemployed.
Although I was tempted, I didn’t call anyone as I drove home. I knew if I did I’d fall apart and might end up in a car accident. No, I waited until I was safe in my living room before I dialed my best friend Jill’s number. I left her a short message when she didn’t answer. Then, I skimmed my list of contacts.
It was very short.
There was Jill.
There was my brother. He’d be no help. I hadn’t spoken to him in ages. A longtime alcohol and drug addict, his life was a train wreck and mine became one whenever he was around.
And there was Shane Trant.
I hadn’t called Shane before. He’d always been the one to call me. Despite the fact that we’d recently been…spending time together.
Perhaps, looking from the outside, the arrangement we had between us seemed a little one-sided.
He was the one who called me.
He was the one who made all the plans.
He was the one who, more or less, controlled every aspect of our relationship. But, with a few exceptions, I’d been okay with it that way.
Until today.
Until now.
I needed a shoulder to lean on. Jill was at work. I was panicking.
I hit the button, calling him. But before the first ring, I cut off the connection.
No. If I called him he’d probably feel some obligation to fix my problem for me. I didn’t want that.
Sure, I was scared. I was petrified I wouldn’t find another job. But already I knew that he’d probably offer me a job working for him. I couldn’t work for him. Not now. Not ever.
What if this thing between us ended badly?
Needing to burn off some nervous energy, I dragged out my old laptop and powered it up. The first thing I did was register for unemployment. I was going to collect peanuts, but what the hell? Peanuts were still better than nothing. Next, I scoured the internet, looking for help-wanted ads in the area. I found a few promising websites but absolutely no positions I was qualified for. So I opened a new document in my word processor and started drafting a new resume to take to the employment agency I’d used to get the job with Tamby.
Three hours later I had a pretty decent looking resume. I emailed it to my contact at the agency and refreshed my inbox a dozen times (or more) before becoming disgusted and frustrated and depressed. Just as I was about to fall into another bout of self-pity, my phone rang.
Shane.
I jumped to my feet and stared down at the glowing screen. I took a moment to compose myself before answering, “Hello?”
“You called?”
“Oh…yes. I did…I just wanted to say hi,” I lied, running my hand down my neck to work out the knots.
“Mmmm. Hi.”
“Hi.”
“What are you doing?” he asked, voice low and sexy.
I glanced at the clock. It was ten minutes to five o’clock. If I hadn’t been fired today, I would have been at work. I would be counting the minutes until I could leave. How I wished I was there now. “I’m…erm…at work. I’m getting ready to head home. Why?”
“Just asking.”
“Oh. Okay.”
After a few seconds of silence, he asked, “Are you sure there isn’t something going on? You don’t sound like yourself.”
“No, I’m fine. I’m just…tired. Someone kept me up late last night, past my bedtime.”
His chuckle did some pleasant things to my insides. I imagined him sitting in his limo, eyes sparkling, corners of his lips curled into that devilish smile that made certain parts of my anatomy tingle. “I should apologize, but I’m not sorry.”
“You never are.”
That little jab earned me another chuckle. “I want to see you again,” he said.
“You will.”
“Friday.”
“Yes, Friday.” I hoped by then I’d either have some good leads on a new position or at least would be out of this funk.
“I have to go now,” he said.
“Okay.”
“Goodbye, Bristol.”
“Bye, Shane.”
I clicked off just in time for my phone to ring again. This time it was Jill. And I didn’t hold back with her. I blurted out my news, unable to stop myself. And, while she raged about what rotten jerks the bastards at Tamby were for firing me with no advance notice, I cried my eyes out until my head felt like it would explode.
Chapter 2
On Friday night, Shane knocked on the door at exactly seven o’clock. Not one minute late; not one minute early. Shane was a punctual man. He lived by the clock.
Knowing I’d be punished if I held him up, I opened the door, purse in hand, ready to go.
His dark eyes widened as I stepped outside. “Bristol,” he said, voice breathy.
I couldn’t help grinning. To have that much of an effect over a man that was this amazing made me feel really good. After spending all week feeling like a failure, this was exactly what I needed. “I clean up okay, don’t I?”
“Better than okay. You look beautiful.”
“You look amazing yourself.” That was no lie. He was sporting a black tuxedo, cut to fit him perfectly. His dark hair was a riot of barely-tamed waves, and a five o’clock shadow darkened his jaw, making him look both sexy and a little dangerous at the same time.
He placed a hand on the small of my back as we walked together to the waiting limo. He stood to the side, allowing me to enter first then took a seat beside me. Within seconds we were on our way to wherever.