Boss On A Leash: A Single Dad Billionaire Romance, Kara Hart [free ebook reader for iphone .TXT] 📗

often. It really gives us a chance to go over the important stuff.”

“Let me guess. Jim called. He wants to make sure the big unveiling is still on,” I say.

She’s not impressed by my forecasting skills. “Is the model coming or not, Marc?”

I hear another door shut behind me. Cocking my head, I see Brian. A camera hangs around his neck. His hands are fastened to his hips.

“Where have you been? It’s been a full week since I’ve had any work,” Brian says.

It’s a full on assault.

My heart starts to pound. “Ali wants to come to the unveiling, yeah.”

Sandra looks at me like I just sprouted an extra head. “And this is a problem, why?”

With my two confidants surrounding me, I make my way through the hall until I get to my office. “I didn’t say it was a problem. Did I?”

It’s a problem. A big problem.

“You’re acting weird again,” Sandra says.

“What else is new?” Brian responds.

I meander around the chairs and sit in my own little office throne. Leaning back, I breathe in the stale office air and imagine I’m smelling Ali’s perfume while I touch her waist and hold her thighs for dear life.

“We need to talk party details,” Sandra says.

Maybe I’ll make a mood board of all the things I’d like to do to Ali instead.

Unable to read my thoughts, Sandra continues. “I’ve got a big shipment of balloons, confetti, streamers, sprinkles, sprinklers, sprinklers that sprinkle sprinkles...”

Sandra goes on and on, but I’m not listening to a word of it. She’s been in charge of handling nearly everything for the last six years. I trust her. There’s no way she’s going to do this poorly. Problem is, I don’t want to go. I think I understand Sammy now.

Sandra claps, startling me. “C’mon, Marc. Wake up. Are you even listening?”

“The most beautiful legs,” I whisper, dreaming of Ali’s smooth calves and taut skin.

Sandra snaps in front of my face and addresses Brian when I don’t respond. “He’s practically catatonic.”

“He’s certifiable,” Brian says. “Send him to the institution.”

I’ve got hearts in my eyes, wings on my back, and a stack of love quivers to shoot with my bow. “I’m fine,” I say.

I’m not fine. I’m fucked. Ali wants to go to the party, but it’s a bad idea. Jim will only hound her to death. Worst of all, she’ll find out I intended on using her for the five-page spread. It wouldn’t be such a big deal if she was my wife. But she’s someone I just started seeing. I’ve got a feeling she’s going to flip.

Brian places the back of his hand against my forehead. “Temperature is elevated. He’s in love,” he says.

“Or he’s sick,” Sandra says. “That would explain his poor decision making.”

They’re both standing over me, looking down at me like I’m some mental patient. I stand and break up their little council. “I’m not insane, and I’m not sick,” I announce.

Hearie, hearie.

I continue. “I am just a little freaked out,” I admit. “And I’d rather not have to entertain a party of over eight hundred guests. It feels like Christmas just happened.”

Rowdy barks so loud everyone in the office turns to look at the window. I wave and give an awkward smile.

Sandra leans on one heel. “You cannot skip out on this. Not this time,” she says.

“Why not?”

“Jim isn’t concerned about the magazine. He’s concerned about the entire company,” she says. “Sales are down. Not to mention, an economic downturn is coming, and we’ve done nothing to prepare for it. You need to make this right, or everyone in this building is shit out of luck.”

Bullshit. Sales are down this quarter. They’ll be up the next. People still need to be entertained in a recession, and our magazines fulfill that need. At any rate, this doesn’t even matter. I have all the money I’ll ever need. Staying in Jim’s good eyes is important, but it also feels like a vanity project.

I take a deep breath and ask her what I’ve wanted to ask everyone here for so long. “What is the point?”

Her lips hover her open mouth. “You’re asking me what the point of keeping a three billion dollar publication company solvent is,” she says, dumbfounded.

I straighten my back and crack my neck, leaning into my stupid question. “Who cares,” I mouth.

Maybe I should’ve went to school with Sammy, after all. I’m misbehaving and need a timeout.

Sandra throws up her hands before stampeding toward the door. “I’m done,” she says.

I lean against the wall and give my best puppy-dog eyes. That usually does the trick, though none of my superpowers seem to be working today. “Sandra...”

She holds it open, waving Brian and I out. “Seriously,” she says, pointing directly at the center of my forehead. “If you don’t help me get this thing set up today, I’m done. I’ll quit.”

She’s even mad at Brian. “Same to you, you weasel,” she growls.

“Hey, what did I do?” he asks.

“You’re friends with this moron,” she growls. “Now, here’s a list of last minute items that I desperately need you to grab at the store.”

I’m an errands boy now. Awesome.

Without wanting to anger her, I clear my face and turn serious. These people depend on me. If I can’t do this for myself, I’ll do it for my staff.

“I’ll get it done,” I say.

She shakes her head. “The shit I put up with around here.”

I nudge Rowdy forward with my boot. “Don’t forget to say bye to Rowdy,” I say.

Sandra bends to scratch Rowdy’s massive chin before leaving. “He’s such a good boy,” Sandra says. “Better than the one you bought your daughter.”

Brian and I exit the room, headed to the elevator. Everyone is looking at us. I wonder how much they heard.

I frown. “Have a good day, Sandra.”

As the elevator door closes, the last thing I see are her eyes rolling in the back of her head. She has a good reason to be mad at me. All of my motivation has been sucked out of me.

I