“Thanks.” I smile, earning a smile in return.
Neither of us talks as we devour our food. The only sound is the occasional moan we each make as we eat. It’s easy. Comfortable. It’s shocking how right it feels eating together in silence. It brings me back to our first meeting. To the Grant I met at the bar. As I take my last bite, I want to savor it. Make it last. I’m not ready for this reprieve to end. But eventually we’re done, and Mr. Lancaster looks up at me. He stares at me for a second, studying me.
Assessing me.
“You’ve been here for a few weeks now. How do you like it?”
I about choke on my burger at the directness of his question. How do I answer? If he had asked me only a few days ago, my answer would be quite different. “Well . . .” I stop, and he feigns distress.
“Don’t tell me your boss is a tyrant,” he says seriously, but his green eyes give him away as they sparkle brightly with humor.
“I wouldn’t say tyrant.”
“What would you say?”
“I’d say he’s tough but fair.”
“Tough but fair,” he repeats my words. “Sounds like a tyrant to me.” He grins.
“If I’m being honest, the verdict is still out. It’s different from what I was looking for.”
“What was that?”
“I love marketing. It’s what I really want to land a job doing. Assistant work is fine for now, but it’s not my long-term aspiration.”
“Perhaps we can incorporate some time with the marketing department while you’re here.”
“Really?” I say excitedly.
“Once we get through the opening, I’ll see what I can arrange.”
Our eyes meet, and I’m happy to find kindness in his. The animosity from before seems to be gone. I can only hope it stays that way. I could get used to working with this Grant Lancaster.
“You’re here early,” I hear from across the room. Grant is standing just inside the doorframe. His presence is overpowering in the small space, sucking the oxygen right out of the room.
I shrug. “I figured I should get an early start today.”
“Smart.” His head is inclined as he speaks. “You want coffee?”
Did Grant Lancaster just offer to make me coffee? I can’t help the smile that spreads across my face. “I’d love a coffee.”
He nods, then walks out the door. A few moments pass before he reappears. This time, he’s holding two mugs with steam curling up from them. I’m surprised when he sits in the chair that fronts my desk, looking relaxed and happy. This is the first time in the few weeks I’ve worked here that he’s come into my office for a purpose other than to stand at the threshold barking orders. A glimmer of hope spreads through me. Have we finally turned a corner? Who would have thought a burger could do this . . . although it was a pretty damn good burger. My lips spread, but I refrain from laughing at my ridiculous inner monologue. He leans forward.
“What are you working on today?”
The warmth of a crimson flush rises up my neck and colors my cheeks. I’m working on something that was never asked of me. Something that could potentially overstep the boundaries of my job. The idea of telling him has my heart racing and the trembling in my hands causes my coffee to slosh. I’ve worked hard and I’m proud of what I’ve accomplished, but what if he thinks it’s dumb?
“I’m compiling a list.”
“A list?”
“Yeah. A list of influencers.”
“What type of influencers?”
I bite my lip. Here goes nothing. “Instagram travel influencers. I’m compiling a record of Instagram profiles that revolve around travel and have over one million followers.”
He bobs his head up and down as though he’s considering what I’m saying. The corner of his lip rises as though he’s impressed. Leaning forward, he places a folder on my desk. I look up and then down at the large stack now sitting in front of me.
“For when you’re done,” he says before walking out the door.
Uh . . . That went well?
Not that I expected some huge show of gratitude for my ingenuity, but I was thinking we’d have a conversation. Something that gave me a chance to explain my idea. I guess at this point I should be glad he didn’t shoot it down.
I look down at the papers he laid in front of me. The stack is overwhelming, but once I open it, it’s really not that bad. I set to work and not even an hour passes before I’m at the end. Truth is, I’m a fast worker. Most people would have taken double the amount of time, but I’m not most. I don’t stop until I get what I want, and right now what I want is to impress Grant Lancaster.
Why?
Pride. I refuse to be seen as a mere temp. I need a glowing recommendation and to do that, I need to wow.
If I’m being honest, it’s also a little self-preservation. I don’t want to be another mistake. I want him to remember me long after I’m gone. It doesn’t matter whether it’s for the kiss or the work, as long as I’m burned into his memory.
I step into his office, standing tall in front of his desk. His eyes lock on mine. Neither one of us says a word. I came in here with the intention of impressing Grant with my work, but in these few moments, something has changed. There’s a shift in the air, and I see something brewing in his eyes. I feel naked under his gaze.
“All done.” The words come out husky. “Anything else I can do for you?”
Grant drags his teeth over his bottom lip again, grinning at something I said. I can’t even dissect what he could find funny because my attention is locked on his lips. He clears his throat, bringing my attention back up to his eyes.
“I didn’t think you’d get through it all.”
I shrug. “I’m good at my job.”
“Bridget, you’re incredible at so many things.”
His words turn my legs into jelly. All the air in my lungs whooshes out of me. This man is so good. So good at his job. So good with his words. So good at making me feel so, so good.
“Thank you,” I whisper back, wanting to reach out and touch him, but knowing better.
His phone rings and our connection is broken.
“I do have more work for you. But it’s not urgent, so take your time with these.” He motions to a stack in front of him.
I grab the new set of papers, then head back to my office. About thirty minutes pass when my phone buzzes.
“Bridget Miller.”
“Hey, Bridget.” Grant’s voice echoes through the earpiece of the phone. The sound of the rasp of his voice has little butterflies taking flight in my belly. “Can you please come to my office? I want to go over some work I’ll need done in the next few weeks before the launch.”
“Okay. I’ll grab a notebook and head your way.”
A few minutes later, I enter with my pad in hand. He furrows his brow, and for a moment I’m afraid I did something wrong. He’s just staring at me, not saying a word. Until he does.