Dating the Boss (Blue Harbor #2) - Jaclyn Osborn Page 0,78

office. After parking, I walked inside the building… and went straight to the fourth floor. It was where the higher-ups like the board of directors, CEO, and the human resources officer were located. With my stomach rolling and me feeling like I was going to pass out, I walked down the hall, checking the doors until I found the one I was after.

Jeremy Blake, Human Resources Officer.

I knocked on the door and hoped he was inside. The handle jiggled, and I breathed a relieved sigh. Relief that was quickly followed by that same knotting of fear in my gut. I was probably out of my mind… and Daniel was going to be pissed. But I had to do it.

“Can I help you?” Jeremy asked after answering the door. His coat was still on, so he must’ve gotten there right before me.

“I hope it’s not too early, but I’m Reed Nolan from marketing,” I said, holding out my hand. He took it. “I need to talk to you about something. It’s important.”

“Come in.” Jeremy held the door open and motioned for me to come inside. I walked past him and to the chair he’d pointed to. “What can I do for you, Mr. Nolan?”

HR was in charge of office administration, firing, hiring, and company policy regulation. The person who held Daniel’s and my jobs in their hands. If Daniel talked to him, I suspected he’d walk out without a job. I was doing this for him, even if meant sacrificing my job because of it.

I sat down and tried to remember the speech I’d mulled over in my head on the way there. My mind was blank.

“Mr. Nolan?” Jeremy pressed.

“Sorry. I spaced for a minute.” I cleared my throat and shifted in the seat.

“It’s okay. Just tell me what’s on your mind.”

I took a deep breath, held it, then released it. Everything would change after this. But I was prepared for whatever repercussions it caused. I looked at Jeremy.

“This isn’t going to sound good, and I’m fully aware of how inappropriate it is and stuff, but…” I took a deep breath, steadying my nerves. “I’m dating my boss.”

Chapter Eighteen

Daniel

Right as I stepped off the elevator to the third floor, I bumped into Jennifer.

“Oh, good morning, Mr. Sawyer,” she stammered, going red in the face. “Reed’s not with you?”

“I thought he was already here,” I said, confused.

“I haven’t seen him.” She chewed her bottom lip. “I want you to know I’m not going to say anything. What you two do outside of work is your own business. Sorry I got weird when I saw you guys last night. It just… shocked me. And then I told you I was poly, and people usually judge me for it, and that made me even more awkward. I’m rambling, aren’t I?”

No wonder she and Reed were friends. Both had a rambling problem.

“Well, I don’t judge you for it,” I said. “If you’re happy, that’s all that matters.” If only it was that simple with my relationship. Which reminded me of what I was about to do. “Not to be rude, but I need to go.”

“Of course. Don’t let me keep you.”

I walked toward my office. I had wanted to stop by and see Reed before I went to talk to the HR officer, but he wasn’t at his desk. Knowing him, he’d more than likely started talking to someone on his way to make coffee and got sidetracked. After hanging up my coat, I headed toward the stairwell and took the stairs up to the fourth floor.

You can do this, I told myself as I walked to the HR office.

But as I reached it, the door opened… and Reed stepped out.

“Reed?” I asked, my heart hammering like crazy. “What are you doing up here?”

“He was speaking with me,” Jeremy Blake said, opening the door wider. He pushed his glasses up his nose and offered a thin smile. “Since you’re here, you might as well come in too. You’re free to go, Mr. Nolan.”

Jeremy went back inside the room, giving us a brief moment to speak privately.

“I’m sorry,” Reed said to me, his eyes watery. “I couldn’t let you take the fall for everything.”

“What did you do?” I growled under my breath as we stood outside the office.

“Definitely something that’s gonna make you mad.”

“Mr. Sawyer?” Jeremy said, standing beside his desk, hands in his pockets. “The sooner we take care of this, the better.”

“I’ll talk to you later,” Reed said, giving me a half-hearted smile before