Between Drinks and Deadlines

TER

le

limsy curtains of my bedroom. For once, I wasn't dragging myself out of bed with a groan or frown. Tod

d. Instantly, my mood deflated. *How did he even know about the job?* I wondered, a dull ache settling in my chest. For a moment, I debated whether I should open it or just del

ised for everything she did. Me? I was the afterthought, the one that never measured up. It had been like this for as long as I could remember, and every time they

form fitting black skirt that hugged me just right, paired with a sleek, silky blouse that tucked in neatl

veryone had received the memo about the unspoken dress code, and I had missed it. The women strolled in tailored designer outfits, effortlessly stylish but not too f

pristine, almost intimidating view of the entire city. The whole atmosphere screamed money, pow

es glued to their ears, dressed like they had stepped straight out of a luxury magazine. My outfit, which I had been s

ense smile. She briefed me on the basics-my salary (not as high as I'd hoped but definitely more than I'd been making in the past two years),

ording to the HR lady, came with significant responsibilities. "You'll need to be sharp," she had sa

n in question-tall, blonde, and dressed like she was cosplaying as a sultry librarian-looked me

Her last name rang with an air of formality, like someone who came from a family that belonged in places like this. "Just so we're clear, the boss is mine. I handle all his n

s? Did people actually talk like that in real life? Before I could say anything, she had

office, a massive, intimidating corner office with glass walls, the windows were darkened. They were those high-tech privacy windows that could be frosted at the pu

orders, make sure I knew exactly who was in charge, and took every opportunity to remind me that I was at the bottom of the pecking order. Hon

way she talked about him, how she practically worshiped the ground he walked on-or the floors of his office, anyway-was nauseating. I was pretty sure if he told her to jump out of the 25-foot-high building, she'd do it without a second thought. The loyalty was unnerving. I don

rectly with him. I'd barely had time to get a feel for the office before Becca had loaded me with filing and scheduling

We gathered around the massive, oval table, all of us fresh-faced and eager, though I wasn't exactly sure what to expect. The HR team walked us through company poli

resence I remembered from that night at the club, was him. The mysterious stranger. The one-night stand I thought I'd never see again. The one I'd convinced myself was just a fleetin

standing to introduce him. "Everyone, I'd

opped. No,

n from that unforgett