Chapter Two
Jay
I stare at my emails, willing Mr. Stein to respond. It’s been two days and I haven’t heard a peep from him on the Lannister reports he was supposed to turn in Monday. I’m starting to wonder what’s really going on. This shouldn’t be taking this long. I know my boss, Miles Osbourne, will ask me about the project soon, and not having a response isn’t an option. This was supposed to be cleared up before he even left on his honeymoon. I hate not knowing an answer when asked a question. Picking up the phone, I call Mr. Stein’s number for the third time this morning. This time it goes straight to voice mail, and I know he turned his phone off. I grit my teeth, placing the phone back down.
Normally I would go down to Mr. Stein’s office and stand outside his door until I got what I needed. But he’s been working from home for the last two weeks. It never fails that when I need something, there’s no one to be found, but when people want Mr. Osbourne’s attention, they’re banging down the door. I wonder if there’s a way to get his home address, but I change my mind thinking I can’t just show up at his house. Can I? That might be a little too pushy, even for me.
Leaning back in my chair, I look at the clock and know my boss will be in any moment. I pull up his schedule and look at the seemingly endless list of things that need to be done. Mr. Osbourne has been out of the office for weeks on his honeymoon. I scan his agenda and debate what to go over with him first. I have a feeling it’s going to be hard to get through the list. He didn’t respond to any of my emails while he was gone. I wanted to keep him up to date on things, but I guess he took his honeymoon seriously.
I pull out my notebook and open it to where I’d left off. I want to enjoy the last few free moments I’ll likely have today. I like coming in early and writing at my desk while it’s quiet. It beats sitting at home in my tiny apartment, where my only window faces a brick wall.
My phone dings, and I see a text from Jim, one of the security guards who monitors the front entrance to the building.
Jim: Incoming.
Hopping up from my chair, I make my way to the break room on our floor and hit the start button on the coffee machine in case Mr. or Mrs. Osbourne would like something to drink. I’m guessing Mallory may not, since she’s pregnant. Mr. Osborne hasn’t come out and told me she’s expecting, but with some of the purchases I’ve been making for him, she has to be.
The office has been different now that he’s married. He’s slowed down a lot. Things are shifting to a snail’s pace, and I’m not sure how I really feel about that. Too much free time is starting to make me think about how pathetic my social life is. Or maybe it’s watching my boss fall madly in love that’s doing that to me. I thought men only fell head over heels like that in books.
Something is missing in my life, and I don’t mean the Stein report. Stomping my foot, I head back to my desk just as Miles and Mallory exit the elevator.
“Sir,” I say in greeting. “Coffee?” I ask. Mr. Osbourne reluctantly pulls his eyes away from his wife. Both of whom look like they spent most of their honeymoon in the sun. Their skin is sun-kissed, and they look pleasantly relaxed. He smiles at me, something he’s been doing more and more since Mallory came around. Smiles had always been a rare thing on his face before her.
It looks good on him. The man who was always known to be ice-cold isn’t so much anymore. I’m happy for him. I’ve been working at his side for years, and while others have thought of him as unfriendly, I knew otherwise.
“Morning, Jay, and no, thank you.” He pulls his wife to him. “Maybe we should look into getting decaf,” he says, making Mallory roll her eyes.
“I’m not drinking decaf. One cup of coffee in the morning isn’t going to kill me.”
“She’s correct, Mr. Osbourne. One ten-ounce cup of coffee is permitted,” I add. Mallory smiles in response.
“How do you know this shit?” he teases me.
“That’s my job, sir,” I remind him. Okay, maybe knowing these tidbits wasn’t in my job description, but when he asked me to pick up a copy of What to Expect When You’re Expecting a few months ago, I might have read it. I didn’t know anything about babies except that they’re cute and squishy and my boss was about to have one. I like to live by the motto that it’s always best to be prepared.
“Can we stop with the ‘sir’ thing? You’re making me feel old. We’ve been working together for over two years. Maybe you can call me Miles now?” He says it as a question, but it’s not really one. Or maybe it is. He’s my boss, so of course I’ll call him whatever he asks me to. Though I know this isn’t something he would have said months ago. I also stop myself from informing him I’ve been working for him for two years and nine days.
“Of course, Miles.”
“I have to get to my desk. I’m sure I have a pile of things to get to, and Skyler has been blowing up my phone with ideas. I think she put us down to attend a few charity dinners,” Mallory tells Miles as she tries to pull away from him. But he only holds her tighter. I make a mental note to email Skyler and get dates for any events so I can make sure there are no conflicts. Skyler and Mallory head Osbourne Corp.’s charities and share the floor with Miles and me.
“Lunch?” Miles says, pulling Mallory even closer. “I’ll order from the Greek place you love.”
I open my desk drawer and shuffle through the menus, looking for the right one. I grab it and set it on top of my folders. Glancing at my computer screen, I see that I’m going to have to cancel his lunch plans with the mayor. I skim my finger over my touch pad and delete the event, replacing it with a Miles-Mallory lunch. I inwardly smile at that one.
The mayor gives me the freaking creeps and doesn’t know how to take no for an answer. He’s pushy, and something feels off with him. I just can’t seem to put my finger on what it is yet. It also means I’ll be free for lunch now as I won’t have to take notes during their meeting. My mind drifts to Jordan, and I wonder if he’d like to have lunch with me. I find my mind drifting there a lot.
I don’t even know if he likes eating with me. He barely says three words when we have lunch together. But I like how he lets me talk. A lot of people around here don’t like me. Being the boss’s right hand has its perks, but it also comes with a ton of disadvantages. A lot of people don’t think I’ve heard the whispers about me. The women always joke that I’m sleeping with the boss, and the men just say I’m a bitch. I do my best to ignore it all. I’ve worked hard to get this job and even harder to make sure I keep it.
Making friends at work hasn’t been easy, but with Jordan, it’s been really nice. Though sometimes I think they’re pity lunches. He’ll see me sitting alone and come sit down with me. Or I’ll see him walk into the cafeteria and wave him down. What choice does he really have then? I’ve tried to flirt with him, but I think I’m doing it wrong. Or maybe he’s just not into me like that. I’ll take him as a friend if that’s all I can have. I try to be honest with myself. The hot guy who can probably snap a woman in half with his muscles isn’t going to go for the plain nerdy girl who should definitely lay off the bagels.
“Jay.” I jump a little at Miles saying my name, realizing I got lost in my own thoughts about Jordan. Again.
“Sorry, sir. I mean, Miles,” I rush to correct.
He cocks an eyebrow at me, and it’s then I see Mallory is gone, and I wonder how long I was running off with my own thoughts. I pick up my folders.
“We have a million things,” I tell him, getting myself together, trying to push from my mind thoughts about a man who probably never thinks about me. My stomach does a little dip at that.
“I also have some things I need to get together as well.”
“I made a folder on your computer about the best baby products,” I tell him, anticipating what he was going to say.
“Am I that bad?” he asks as I follow him into his office. He is that bad, but it’s sweet and endearing. It’s making me wish for things I’d never thought of before. Not even in the silly little books I write when I can find the time.
“Yes, you’re that bad. But I think all soon-to-be fathers are.”