Dating the Boss (Blue Harbor #2) - Jaclyn Osborn Page 0,46

down the hall.

“Morning.” Was my voice higher-pitched than normal?

“You look nice,” she commented, moving her finger up and down at me. “I love that shirt.”

“Thanks.” Yep, definitely higher pitch. I quietly coughed before holding up the coffees. “I have to get to Mr. Sawyer’s office.”

“Right. Good luck.”

I halted in step. “What do you mean by good luck?”

“He’s in a mood today,” she responded. “I went in to get his thoughts on a design, and he was a bit snippy. More so than usual.”

“He could be tired,” I said. “I mean, we were stranded for, like, four days.”

“Maybe that’s it. I’m glad you’re both back safe. I was a little worried.”

“Just a little?” I smirked before turning around. “Later, Jen.”

My cool attitude deflated as soon as she was out of sight. The pit of my gut tightened, and it felt like a metal rod had been jammed down my throat and fused with my sternum and rib cage, just a thick heaviness that made me feel like puking. I placed my coffee on my desk and faced Daniel’s office, repeating the I can do this mantra inside my head as I approached.

When I reached his door, I breathed in through my nose and exhaled before lifting a hand and knocking.

“Come in,” a cold voice said from the other side.

I turned the handle and walked into the room. “Good morning, Mr. Sawyer. I have your coffee.”

Daniel sat at his desk, his sleeves pushed up to show his toned forearms. His suit jacket hung on the back of his chair. He didn’t look at me as I placed the cup in front of him. “Thank you.”

“You’re welcome.”

“Is there anything else?” he asked, clicking something on his computer. Still not looking my way.

“No, sir.”

“You should get to work, then.”

The damn metal pipe twisted inside me, and my chin quivered a bit. “Y-Yes, sir.” My eyes stung as I turned and headed for the door. Crying was not part of the deal I’d made with myself that morning. There was no room for tears.

“Reed?” Daniel said in a voice that had my heart skipping a beat. There’d been life to it unlike the cold, detached one he’d used so far that morning.

“Yes?” I looked back to see him staring right at me, his blue eyes pained.

“I…” He swallowed hard and glanced at his computer. “I’d like for you to get me the numbers for the Henderson campaign.”

Hope was so fucking cruel. It blossomed only to be cut down like an unwanted weed.

“Oh,” I said, disappointed. More at myself than at him. “Okay. I’ll do that right away.”

As soon as I was out of his office and closed the door behind me, my composure slipped and a tear escaped my eye. I hastily wiped it away and went over to my desk.

Daniel was just like that bird. When he no longer had use for me, he spread his wings and left.

***

“Here’s to…” Monty’s words trailed off as he held a shot glass in the air. “Um, living in the moment, I guess.”

“That was beautiful,” Quinn said, rolling his eyes. But he clinked his glass to Monty’s before looking at me. “Come on, Reed. We’re here to have fun.”

“Fine.” I touched my glass to theirs before we all took a shot. The shit burned going down, but I kept from making a face. Unlike my best friend.

“Goddamn,” Quinn said, cringing.

“Ah, Specks. Can’t hold your liquor?”

“I bet I could drink you under the table.”

“Prove it. Loser has to do the dishes.”

“I always do the dishes,” Quinn said with a scoff.

“Only because you don’t let me,” Monty grumbled.

“That’s because you don’t do it right.”

As they continued to banter like an old married couple, I looked around the nightclub.

The bass of the music rumbled in my chest as the alcohol spread through my veins. Two men made out on the dance floor, the neon lights lighting them in green and blue. A group of women stood off to the side, one wearing a sash that said Bride-To-Be. They toasted to something, then downed their shots.

After a week of me moping around, Quinn and Monty had invited me out that Friday night. The gesture was unexpected because Quinn hated crowds… and well, most people for that matter too… but he and Monty had come over to my house after I’d gotten home from work, bought us takeout, and then forced me to change and go with them to the club.

Crazy to think that just last Friday, I’d been in Ivory Falls