concern, exactly, but it’s the first thought that comes to mind. Maybe I should think about how I’ll pay my rent on my tiny Chicago apartment without a job, or if I’ll have to move back in with my parents who are close by in the suburbs, or maybe I could relocate to Las Vegas, where my brother, who’s engaged to my best friend, plays pro football. But I don’t think about those things. I think about Todd.
“All right, Miss—” Belinda begins as she takes a seat in the chair facing my desk. I sit behind the desk.
“Nolan,” I supply, and she nods.
“Miss Nolan. Fill me in on what you’re working on.”
I want to ask why she’s my new boss and where the hell Darryl went. I suppose that’s something Warren covered in the meeting, but the second I saw Todd at the top of my Secret Santa draw, my attention bowed the hell out.
I draw in a deep breath and dive into the subject matter I’m passionate about. “I’m at different stages on several projects. My forte is branding and social media, and I often work hand-in-hand with others in the office who provide other facets of publicity to a project. Today, for example, I’m researching the ideal client for Arcadia Architecture, and I’ll pass my findings off to Paul, who will create a pitch. He’ll run that by me, and together we’ll come up with a narrative by which we’ll enhance and build the company’s reputation based on their goals.” I try to hit all the buzzwords as I go into more detail about some of my other projects, and at least she has stopped looking at me like I’m an annoying nuisance by the time I’m done going through everything.
“Impressive, Miss Nolan. I’ll be sending out some questions regarding your personal goals and how you can work to achieve them. Give it some thought, but I’d like your responses by tomorrow morning.” She stands and pushes in the chair as she turns to leave.
Goals and how I’m going to achieve them by morning. Excellent. I’ll just drop everything so I can get that for her. “I’ll have it to you tonight,” I say instead. I add one last thing. “So great meeting you. I’m excited to work together to reach those goals.”
She purses her lips and raises a brow, and then she leaves while meanwhile I’m left to decode what that final look was supposed to mean.
I don’t get much time to ponder it, though, because Todd’s hot, lean frame fills my doorway just as I turn to my computer to resume my research.
I mean, honestly, it’s a wonder I get anything done around here with all these distractions.
“Hey, Ellie,” he says, and I memorize the cadence of his deep voice as it wraps around my name so I can replay it tonight when I’m home alone in my quiet apartment.
“Hey, Todd,” I say. “Come on in.”
“Did you meet the new boss yet?” he asks.
We’ve become friendly with one another over the last year or so since he started working here. We share the occasional flirty conversation, but mostly we’ve kept it professional. Mostly. Sometimes those fun group happy hours turn into raunchy territory when we’ve all had enough to drink, but he’s never made a move.
I want him to make a move.
I want him.
I nod. “She just left my office about three minutes ago. What happened to Darryl?”
He laughs as he steps into my office, filling it with a brightness that wasn’t there before. Or maybe some heat. Definitely some heat. “Don’t you ever pay attention in meetings?”
I refrain from pointing out that it’s actually his fault I wasn’t paying attention.
“Sometimes,” I mutter. “But honestly, what happened in that meeting that we couldn’t have done over email?”
He slides into the same chair Belinda occupied moments ago. “Well, introducing the new boss while explaining what happened to the old one, for one thing.”
I laugh. “And? Survey says?”
“Sounds like Darryl was in line for a promotion for months. This has all been happening behind the scenes and Belinda left a competitor to come work with us.” He swings his head just a little so his hair re-aligns into that perfect coif. God, he’s hot. “But I didn’t come here to talk about Darryl and Belinda.”
“You didn’t?” I ask, and I know there’s way more hope in my tone than there should be, but I can’t freaking help it.
This is it.
I cross my fingers that rest in my lap,