To My Arrogant Boss (The Inappropriate Bachelors #2) - J. S. Cooper Page 0,81

She also seemed to be oblivious to the fact that she was so beautiful. It was crazy.

I, on the other hand, tried very hard each day to make sure I looked as good as I could.

“Hmm, okay,” I agreed, even though she didn’t owe me anything. For my birthday, she’d taken me to dinner and given me a bottle of Gucci perfume, but I wasn’t going to argue with her. Anabel was making big bucks at a law firm, and if she wanted to take me out, who was I to say no? “If you’re sure.”

“Of course, I’m sure.” She grinned. “I know just the place. It’s this new restaurant that just opened up on 78th Street. There might be a wait, but we can look at photos of Max Parker online and stare at his balding hair and fat face and have a laugh. But I’m open to your suggestions as well.”

“Hahaha, I bet he looks like a short, fat troll.” I had no idea what Max Parker looked like, but I assumed all billionaires looked the same.

“I bet he does.” Anabel grinned at me. “Oh, I should invite Emily. She’s back in town.”

“Yay! I was going to ask you if she was back.”

Emily was Anabel’s roommate and one of our mutual best friends from college. She was straight up and very honest and one of the funniest people I knew. If anyone could make me feel better about my day, it was Emily. Lunch with Emily and Anabel would be fantastic. They would get me out of my funk in no time. In college, we’d been known as “The BFF Gang” because where one of us went, the other two weren’t far behind. I had been so caught up with what was going on with my job that I hadn’t texted her to see if she was back yet, and that made me feel slightly guilty.

“Yup, she got back last night from her camping trip. Do you want to text her or should I?”

“You text her and I’ll look up places. Let’s try somewhere really swanky and fun. And then when she gets there we can go stare at pictures of that ugly loser, Max Parker, and curse him to hell.”

I growled as I said his name. I would have punched him if I could. It all seemed so dreadfully unfair to me. This man had essentially lied to my bosses when he’d bought their small boutique design shop. He had said he would keep on all of the old staff and just expand the business. At least, that’s what my boss of two years, Sally, had said when she’d sold off the company to the Parker Corporation. But he hadn’t even waited a week before he’d fired all five employees, effective immediately. Right before we were meant to get our annual bonus and in the holiday season as well. Did he not know that Christmas was meant to be a holy season, a time to be a good person? Not that he cared.

I’d never met the man but I hated him. Hated him about as much as I’d ever hated anyone. I knew it was irrational, but I’d had plans for that Christmas bonus. Plans that meant something, and he’d gone and ruined them.

“Okay, Emily is in. She wants to know if you have a place in mind yet?”

I shook my head. “Still looking, sorry.” I offered Anabel an apologetic smile. “I was killing Max Parker in my mind again.”

“Soon, you’ll have us hunting him down.” She grinned at me and wiggled her eyebrows. “What we do after that, I don’t know.”

“Hmm, let’s think.”

“Well, Emily must be a pro with a gun after her camping trip.” Anabel giggled. “I think she said she was going to hunt for her food.”

“Emily? Hunting?” I burst out laughing. “Yeah, right. I thought she was going glamping?”

“I think she thought she was as well.” Anabel’s eyes widened in glee. “Turns out she was wrong. Wait until you hear about her trip. Let’s just say, your day isn’t so bad. You didn’t almost shit on a rattlesnake.”

“What? Oh, poor Emily!” I laughed and Anabel and I giggled together, picturing our flighty friend squatting down to use the toilet. “Oh, Anabel, you always know how to make me feel better.” I shook my head and giggled again. “Hunt him down, indeed.” I looked around surreptitiously to make sure no one had heard us, just in case we had some nosy neighbors. I could