“We’ve gathered all of you in here to inform you that the company has been bought out effective immediately. We were trying to get our numbers up in the last quarter, to no avail. I’m sorry this is so sudden, and we can’t offer you more than two weeks’ pay. We understand the strain this puts on you and we tried to talk the new company into keeping some of the staff, but I think they’re going to be cleaning house. They wanted our big-name clients and now that they have them well, we are of no use it seems. Myself and John will take any questions you have at this time.”

My life is suddenly in a tailspin. I’ve just lost my job. My mouth is still hanging open when I catch Dylan’s eye. He looks solemn, but not upset. He must have some savings built up. I have none. I just managed to get all my bills sorted out, after racking them up through college. That was three years ago. I’m near tears. What the hell am I going to do? The meeting continues with some coworkers riling up and others sad and quiet. It seems like we are in the meeting for hours, when it’s only been one. We are finally dismissed to gather our things.

Cindy’s crying and I try to console her as we make our way to our desks. She has two kids and is a single mother. I really hope she has some savings. She lives in the suburbs and her home is paid for; that’s at least something she doesn’t have to worry about. We’ll keep in touch and she’ll keep me updated on her circumstances.

I moved here after graduating from the University of Alabama. That’s where I grew up. I wanted to go to Chicago and stand on my own two feet without the help of my father. Since my mom passed away when I was young, my dad focused most of his energy on work. I send him a postcard on holidays but we don’t really have a relationship. I still miss my friends from college. Since moving here three years ago, I haven’t really made any friends apart from Cindy. I live in a bustling city and yet, I’m alone.

I rent a small studio in Lake View, an easy commute by the L to, well now my previous job. It’s small but the rent is affordable. I’ve decorated it and made it my own. I have to get another job quickly, otherwise I’ll have to go crawling back to Alabama a failure. I won’t let that happen. I’m determined to come out on top in this city.

Ever since I saw the movie While You Were Sleeping, I’ve wanted to make the trip to Chicago. Sandra Bullock’s character is a single girl in the city. Her parents are absent in her life as well. She falls in love at first sight with a man she meets at her job. How romantic. Of course, she does end up falling for the brother. I’m such a romantic at heart.

Luckily, I was able to live home during college and not have to pay for a dorm. I had a job at the local pizzeria and saved enough money to make the trip out to Chicago. It was luck finding a job as a secretary before I left. I worked there for about a year before I found this position. I wanted to become a career woman and then fall in love with a mysterious stranger. It’s still a nice thought, but I’ve become a bit more jaded since I first had that dream. Right now, I’d be happy with just being able to afford my small studio.

Slowly packing my things into boxes, I think about what my next step will be. I need to update my résumé, scour the want ads, look online, and possibly hire a headhunter. This sucks. A figure looms in my doorway and it’s the last person I want to see right now. Dylan is leaning against the doorframe with his hands in his pockets. I brush my hair away from my face and continue packing.

“Before you say anything, Dylan, I’m really not in the mood for any of our witty banter right now. All I have to say to you is good luck and have a nice life.” See, I can be civil with him.

“Witty banter? Andy, that’s funny.” Never mind.

“Fuck you, you hipster brawny man. I was actually trying to be nice to you for a moment. Now, all I have to say to you is get the hell out of my office. I hope your life sucks.” I’ll be honest. I’m not used to cutting people down. So yeah, my comebacks might be a little childish, but they get the point across. I normally don’t cuss at work either, but he seems to bring out the sailor in me.

“I don’t believe I’ve ever heard you say fuck. I like it. Now, I have a few things to say to you. I have a job—”

I cut him off, “Of course, you do.” The bastard is coming here to rub it in my face. What a jerk!

“Let me finish, Andy. For Christ’s sake. I have a job for you.”

I pause and look away from my boxes for a minute. His light brown eyes are focused on me. He has a job for me? What?

“Don’t patronize me, Dylan. I’m really not in the mood. I’m sure whatever perverted position you have available for me can be taken up with the B.B.B. Now, please stop wasting my time.” I shove my ivory desk calendar in a box and it crinkles. Ugh, I’m ready to pull my hair out! I might cry.

“ANDY!” I’m jolted by his raised voice. He quickly looks around and shuts my door. Dylan bends over and sets his hands on my desk. We stare at each other, eye to eye. “I’m being serious here. I think it’s time I opened my own firm and I want you to help me start it up. You know all the legalities and the filing crap. I need someone like that.”

I drop to my chair as he towers over me. He’s offering me a job? I rephrase that in my head. He wants to continue to work with me, for him? This is insane.

“I can see the wheels turning in your head. Before you say anything you regret, it comes with medical and maybe an occasional lunch.” He smiles at me. At least, I think it’s a smile. He could be constipated. I can tell he’s nervous though. I give him the side-eye. There’s got to be a catch.

“Are you freaking crazy?” I reply. This guy is seriously out of his gourd.

“Now, Andy. I’m offering you a legit job here. Do you really want to call your new boss crazy?”

“New boss? I could never work for you. We’d kill each other. K.I.L.L.” I use a slashing motion across my neck to emphasize my point.

The bearded monster moves to sit down and notices my floral pillow. He picks up the pillow and chucks it across the room. It lands in one of my boxes. I sneer back at him.

“Boss, work for, under, whatever, it’s just semantics. I’m one hundred percent serious here, Andy.” I don’t think I’ve ever heard him say my name this much. It kinda makes me hot . . . but in an angry way. “Look, you have my cell on file. I already have some things lined up. I just need someone to handle the office details. I’m not good with . . .” He motions around my office and rests on some file folders. “The pay will be very good, more than what you’re making here.”

I cross my arms in a huff. “How do you know what I make here?”

“I’ve been here a lot longer than you have, sweetheart.”

“First, if this is for real and you’re not just jerking my chain for one last hurrah, then there will have to be some guidelines.” I’m fuming.

“Guidelines for me? Uh, no, honey. I might not call myself your boss, but I will be. I don’t need to follow shit.”

I ignore his comment and keep going. “First, you will not call me, sweetheart, honey, sugar, puddin’ pop, or anything resembling food, fruit, candy, or dessert.”

“Puddin’ pop?” He laughs.

“Second, I’ll need my own office away from you, to do my work properly.” I wait for him to say something. When he doesn’t, I move on. “Third . . . I don’t know. I’ll make this up as we go along. I’ll be your equal as a human being. I will not tolerate you talking down to me. Understand?” I talk a big game, but on the inside I’m somewhat excited about this turn of events. “How many people will be at your firm?”

He points to himself and then me. “Just you and me. I’m starting off slowly. We’ll see how it goes from there. Eventually, I see us branching out and hiring more people, which is where you come in.”

Hell, I don’t know if this will work. I have nothing to lose though. It’s a job offer, I can’t really say no. This jackass better not be wasting my time or I’ll kick him in the balls.

“Okay.” I hold out my hand to seal the deal. He takes my small hand in his and gives it a firm tug.

“Nice doing business with you, Miss Lauder.” He has that smug grin on his face. I always want to slap it off. Before he leaves my office, I have one last question for him.

“Mr. Ryder, will I have that offer in writing?”

“If you write it up, sure.” Dylan strolls out of my office without a care in the world. This morning I was cursing his name. Now, I’ll be working exclusively for him. This is seriously an alternate universe I live in.