too clean for words. Grace prided herself on her organizational skills, but Lionel’s desk made her look like a slob.
Adrian was in, so she knocked on his door and asked how his holiday was. She eyed his inbox and asked what he was working on. By the time she went to Evan’s office, she was convinced that she’d been given an uneven amount of the pie. Evan was about to walk out when she pushed him back in and closed the door behind her. “I’m on a mission,” she said with a beeline to his desk. “Is this your current case load?” she asked, fingering the folders in his inbox.
“Yeah, why?”
“Because mine is twice as thick. Richard keeps piling it on, and I keep saying fine.”
“Are you sure?”
Grace started rambling off the projects she was a part of or lead on.
Evan stopped her halfway through. “Did you ever think the reason Richard gives you all the work is because you don’t complain?”
“I don’t complain because I want to keep my job.”
“C’mon, Grace. He isn’t going to fire you if you tell him you’re too busy for more.”
“Can you promise me that?” she asked.
Evan shrugged, leaned a hip on his desk. “I understand why you think the way you do, but if you’re ever going to break this pattern between the two of you, you’re the one to do it.”
She didn’t like the fact that Evan was right. Grace never had problems with confrontation when it came to her personal life. But with Richard, she didn’t have it in her. “Okay . . . the next time he tries to give me more, I’m going to say something.”
“Good. Tell him to give it to Lionel. He’s always taking time off.”
She opened the office door. “Thanks, Evan.”
“Don’t think I’ve forgotten about the Christmas party and a certain someone . . .”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“Yeah, sure.”
She stepped out and didn’t elaborate.
An hour later she was walking back into her office to hear her phone ringing. She scrambled to pick it up. “Grace Hudson.”
“You’re working today?”
Dameon. Why did she feel like a high school senior talking to the football hero?
“I’m guessing that means you’re not.”
“No. I give my staff the week off. If there’s anything that needs to get done, they can do it from home.”
She set her coffee down and found her seat. “Lucky them.”
“I tried calling your cell first. I wanted to stop by your place and give you your Christmas present.”
Grace paused. “My what?”
“It’s late, but . . .”
“Dameon, that’s not necessary.”
“That doesn’t mean I didn’t get you something.”
Now she felt bad. “I didn’t . . . I mean—”
“I wouldn’t expect you to get me anything. If that’s what you were about to say.”
She sighed. “I guess that means you’re in town.”
“Yup. Just did a Home Depot run and was about to get dirty.”
“Doing what?”
“Scraping off the popcorn ceilings.”
“You’re serious?”
“Yup,” he said. “They’re nasty and stained. I think the owner smoked.”
She hadn’t noticed. “Seems like a lot of effort for a place you’re going to eventually tear down.”
“It’s honest work and I could use the exercise.”
“You don’t appear unfit.”
“Checking me out, are you?”
She grinned. “Maybe.”
“I like that. So, what do you say? I can stop by later?”
“Tell ya what. I’ll come to you. Five thirty?”
“I’ll be here.”
They said their goodbyes, and Grace smiled at the phone.
A noise outside her door had her looking up.
Richard walked by and stared as he did.
Her breath caught. How much had he heard?
She ignored the pounding in her chest and ducked back to the work in front of her.
The last task of her day was finishing up her expense report for the month. She sent the file through the office e-mail system to Richard’s desk. They were always due before the first, and he preferred them early.
Grace shut down her computer and tucked her files away with the next morning’s workload on top.
Most of the staff that had shown up had left early or were walking out as she closed her office door behind her.
Three steps later she heard her name.
“Hudson.”
She paused, gritted her teeth, and turned toward her boss. “Yes?”
“A word?” He stood in his office doorway and motioned for her to come in.
What now?
“Close the door,” he said as she walked in.
“Is there a problem?” she asked.
He sat behind his desk and motioned to the chair.
“Can this wait for tomorrow? I have somewhere to be.” And as she saw it, he had all day to ask for a meeting instead of