Page 34 of Handsome Devil
“It’s seriously serious,” I assured her. “Do not go back to sleep.”
Katie yawned. “Okay…? Sorry, I was up early with Madsen. He just crashed out again and I needed a little nap.”
“Shit.I’msorry. Should I call back later?”
“No. Tell me what’s wrong.”
“Okay.”What’s wrong?Hmm. Where to start. “You know when you can’t get over being pissed at someone because they screwed you over so badly?”
“Uh… sure. That’s pretty much how I felt about Josh…” She lowered her voice. I heard Jesse mumble something as she shifted around. “You know, after he proposed to me then left me at the altar. Is that what you mean?”
“Yeah. Except this person didn’t ask me to marry them.”
“Is this about Janelle again?” she asked sympathetically.
“Fuck, yes, it’s about Janelle. And also, my new employer.”
“Oh, shit. Satan in a suit?”
“Yeah. Him.”
Unfortunately, Katie hadn’t been able to get together in person since the shit hit the fan yesterday. Hopefully we’d remedy that tonight. But I couldn’t wait that long. Last night, I’d filled her in over the phone, while I drank the red wine, about the whole scene at the restaurant yesterday. She was entirely up to speed on the situation.
Except for one small detail.
I hadn’t told anyone, even Katie, that I went to school with the man who now owned my agency. It was too fucking embarrassing. I couldn’t bring myself to say the words. Especially when I didn’t know what his game was and if this whole thing was somehow about me, or not. I didn’t have such a ginormous ego that I just assumed it was about me.
But I did wonder. For me, this all felt very personal.
This agency was my first love.
“What’s he done now?” she asked.
“Well, he’s here at the office right now. Possibly plotting my death.”
“What?”
“We got into it a bit. Well, I got into it. He was cold as ice. And get this. He fired Janelle.”
“What?!”
“Seriously. Apparently it happened last night, but we all just found out this morning. When I asked him about it he saidIt was a business decision.” I put on his deep, cold, dickish voice, and Katie made anurghsound, like I’d given her shivers on the spot. “He’s made of solid, frigid stone. I have no idea what he wants with us.”
“But you said he’s in town for some snooty gala on the weekend, right?”
“Yeah. Apparently. I’m hoping he’ll vacate his ass out of here right after that.”
“Crazy. I can’t believe Janelle’s gone. Are you happy?”
“I don’t know. Sort of? It’s like, one step forward, five steps back? I’m not even sure yet.”
“Ugh. Are you getting a new manager?”
“I guess so. No idea who or when. I couldn’t bring myself to ask him any more questions. He was so dismissive. He advised me to think about how I conduct myself. I guess I came across as insubordinate?”
Katie laughed. “Who, you? I can’t imagine it.”
“Not helping.”
