Taboo Boss - Natasha L. Black Page 0,9

menus and handed them to us. Each of us ordered a glass of wine. He was only gone for a short time before coming back to the table with our wine, but Emily and I had already chosen our first desserts. I ordered a selection of mini cheesecakes, and Emily ordered blintzes with fresh ricotta cheese, honey, and nuts.

“You look kind of tired,” she said after the waiter walked away. “Are you okay?”

“Oh, yeah, I’m fine,” I said. “It was just a really long day.”

“Why?” she asked, taking a sip from her glass.

“My boss called me at about three this morning and woke me up. He had to tell me he was flying to Oregon to check on his family. The bar his brothers own and operate burned down last night,” I said. “It completely threw off my routine for the day, and I’m just really tired. But I couldn’t tell him I wouldn’t help when he was going through that.”

She cringed. “That’s awful.”

“It is,” I said. “That bar means a lot to him. And he had kind of a rough go of it the last few months. His father just died of cancer six months ago, and his mother, who is also sick, has been struggling with it.”

“I can’t even imagine,” Emily said. “I’m so lucky my parents are healthy.”

“You really are,” I said.

“Have they figured anything out about the fire?” Emily asked. “What started it or anything?”

“I don’t know,” I said. “I haven’t gotten any updates since he left. He was frantic to get out of town and get on a plane to Oregon as fast as he possibly could. He basically put the company in Landon’s hands until he’s able to come back.”

“I can completely understand him wanting to get there,” Emily said. “That’s terrifying.”

“I think he feels bad because he’s the only one of his brothers who doesn’t live in Oregon. His brother Jordan is a bit of an exception. He was serving in the military for the last few years, but even he is back now. Anyway, I hope everything is working out okay,” I said.

The waiter showed up at the side of the table again and only put down my plate of cheesecakes. He looked at Emily. “It should be here in just a minute.”

She nodded and he walked away. I looked at her and gestured at my cheesecakes.

“Do you want me to wait?” I asked.

“Of course not. Go ahead.”

I took a bite of the raspberry-swirl cheesecake closest to me and let out a sigh. “You’ve got to try this.”

Emily took a bite and nodded. “That is delicious. So, have you hit on him yet?”

I nearly choked on my fork. The waiter walked by again but didn’t stop at our table. Emily watched him longingly. I didn’t know which one she was lusting after more at that moment, the waiter or the blintzes she hadn’t gotten yet.

“Excuse me?” I asked.

She slid her eyes over to me, giving me an incredulous, withering look. “Come on, Amanda. You know what I’m talking about. Have you hit on him yet?” The waiter walked by again, and her hopeful eyes swung along to watch him. “Someday. Someday my blintz will come.”

I laughed.

“I haven’t hit on him, and I have absolutely no intention to,” I said.

She looked at me with a raised eyebrow. “Why do you say it like that?” she asked.

“Because he’s my boss?” I asked. “Isn’t that reason enough? He’s also way older than me.”

“And?” Emily asked. “It’s not like he’s creepy older than you. He’s dignified and established older than you. And also, gorgeous and successful. And I know the two of you have a thing for each other.”

I shook my head as I reached for my wineglass and tipped back another sip. “Tom so does not have a thing for me. And I don’t for him, either.”

“Oh, it’s Tom, is it?” she said with a distinct teasing note in her voice. I let out a sigh, and she reached across the table to steal a bite of the chocolate cheesecake in the corner of my plate. “Oh, that’s good. Really smooth and sweet. Much like Tom Anderson when he’s around you.”

“Nice transition,” I said. “But all your eloquence aside, he doesn’t think of me like that. I’m his secretary.”

“He has obviously flirted with you at company parties and outings. Keep in mind, I’m your date most of the time. I get to watch what happened between you, and I have seen every single time he