Blind Date with my Billionaire Boss (Blind Date Disasters Book 5) Page 7

  Chapter 9

  Maya

  He knew. He absolutely knew I was involved, and I was in so much trouble. How he figured it out, I had no idea, but I could see it in his eyes when he looked at me. He not only suspected my involvement, he believed it one hundred percent.

  Why did I allow myself to go along with Deanna’s plan to prank our boss? It was crazy to think we’d get away with it, and now it might affect my job.

  “He barely glanced at me,” Deanna whispered after everyone cleared out of the break room, leaving just the two of us. She ran a hand through her perfectly styled bob, the corners of her full lips turning downward.

  “But Isn’t that a good thing? Do you want him to know what you did?”

  “Yes, that was the whole point.”

  I let out a breath, annoyed with myself for not seeing this sooner. She wanted Easton to notice her. Craved his attention, actually. And she wouldn’t rest until she had it. I was the poor idiot stuck in the crossfire. Easton had pushed aside his dislike of me when he offered me the job, but I’d provoked him with that stupid prank, and who knew what he would do about it.

  “I think we should keep our heads down and pretend we don’t know anything about it.” I stood and threw my brown paper bag in the trash. “We’ll, talk about it later on. I’ve got to finish that employee manual by the end of the day.”

  Easton had said the prank was funny, but that could have been a front so we’d relax and fess-up. I couldn’t lose this job, especially over something so petty.

  I headed to the restroom down the hall and walked in, feeling frustrated with myself for caring so much. There were four stalls, and a pair of male work boots peeked out the bottom of the first one. I stopped in my tracks, my eyes widening. Was there a man in the women’s restroom? An uneasy sensation washed over me, and I turned and headed back out, the hairs on my arms standing up. I found Deanna in her office and glanced around before speaking in a low voice. “I think there’s a guy in the women’s restroom. I saw his boots under the stall.”

  Her eyes widened. “Are you sure?”

  “Yes.”

  She leaned in closer. “Did you tell George or Bruce? Make one of them go check it out.” She glanced at the sorted paperwork on her desk. “I have to finish this up or I’d go with you. It’s most likely just the janitor.”

  “You’re right. I’m overreacting.” I headed back to my office, only Bruce wasn’t there. I hated bothering George, so I decided to give it a few minutes before going back to see if the man was still there. Deanna was probably correct, and I was making a big deal out of nothing.

  Fifteen minutes later, Bruce hadn’t returned, and I couldn’t wait any longer. I headed to the bathroom and saw the same boots under the stall. “Hello?” I waited for the man to say something, but there was no response on his end. “Hello?” I said again.

  Silence.

  Okay, that was weird. What was going on?

  What if the man had passed out?

  I caught my reflection in the mirror and noticed one of my earrings was missing. When had that happened? I’d worn the same pair the last three days, and I hadn’t noticed until just now. I shook my head to clear it. That didn’t matter. I needed to get help.

  I walked out and nearly collided with Easton in the hallway.

  “Whoa. Careful.” He grinned like he enjoyed seeing me in a state.

  “There’s a man in the restroom,” I said through a breath. “He’s been in there a long time, and he’s not answering when I said hello. Someone needs to make sure he’s okay.”

  His brows lowered and concern washed over his features. “I’ll check it out.” He hurried inside, and I followed close behind.

  “Hello? Who’s in there?” he asked. When there was no response, he pushed open the stall door, revealing a pair of jeans resting on the toilet lid, the pant legs tucked into work boots.

  Of course. It was a joke. April Fools. Duh.

  “You.” I pointed a finger at him. “You’re behind the boots.”

  “Me?” He blinked, an innocent expression on his face. “I have no idea what you’re talking about.” His lips twitched as if he wanted to laugh.

  I narrowed my eyes. “Don’t pretend you aren’t responsible.”

  He smiled knowingly, showing teeth this time. “Why would I need to pretend about anything?” He held up my missing earring between two of his fingers, and my shoulders slumped forward in defeat. He moved towards me, and I retreated until my back hit the wall. “Look what I found in my office this morning.” His voice was husky and low, doing strange things to my insides.

  “Fine. You caught me. But it was just a joke.”

  There was a glint in his eyes as he stepped even closer, sucking up the space between us, the woodsy scent of his cologne filling my nostrils. My knees started to weaken, and I pressed my hands against the wall for support. His eyes trailed my face, landing on my lips, and I felt the warmth of his gaze all the way down to my toes. “You just said I caught you. Is that what you want, Maya? For me to chase you?”

  My lips parted, and I looked up at him, my body trembling at his proximity. We’d never been this close before, and it was slowly unraveling my composure. “What? I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

  He stared at me for a long time, and for one crazy second, I thought he might lean in and kiss me in the women’s bathroom. He reached down and took one of my hands, holding it for several seconds before turning my hand palm-side up. He placed the earring in it and then folded my fingers over it. “This belongs to you.” His voice was velvety and smooth, and I swayed a little, caught up in the moment.

  I swallowed hard. “Thank you.”

  “You’re welcome.”

  We stood there like that, staring at each other until a voice outside the restroom snapped us back to reality. Easton moved away and blinked as if coming to his senses.

  “I wasn’t the only one involved,” I said quickly, sensing our conversation was over. “It was Deanna’s idea to play a joke on you, and Charlotte came up with the cat theme. Neither of them would forgive me if I took full credit for the prank.”

  “I figured as much. You and Deanna kept looking at each other during lunch, and Charlotte still has my extra key.”

  “Are you mad?” I held my breath, waiting for him to tell me I was fired.

  “No, but I’m watching you.” He said it with a grin, so it didn’t feel too threatening.

  “Are you behind the boots?” I asked, glancing at the open stall.

  “Who me?” He smirked and crossed his arms over his chest.

  “I just admitted my involvement. Now it’s your turn.”

  “When you’re the boss, you don’t have to admit anything.” He walked to the door and glanced at me over his shoulder. “Be good, Maya. I’m always watching.”

  After he left, my knees felt as if they were about to give out. Great. What had I gotten myself into?

  ***

  A week went by, and I did everything in my power to prove my worth to the human resources team. I took my cues from Laurie and Paige since they had been there for over twenty years, and I completed training with George. I made sure I had an enthusiastic attitude every time he gave me a new task to complete.

  I avoided Easton, but that wasn’t hard because he rarely came out of his office. I got the feeling he was avoiding me as well.

  But I was determined to be a team player, so I was the first one to clean the dishes in the kitchen even if they didn’t belong to me, and I was friendly and made the effort to get to know the others during the lunch hour.

  When I’d told Deanna that Easton was on to us because of my lost earring, she was disappointed he didn’t stop by her office to mention it to her.

  “I still can’t believe he hasn’t said anything to me,” Deanna said quietly, almost pouting. We were sitting in the board room for a staff meeting, and there had to be at least twenty of us at the long conference table, everyone caught up in private c
onversations.

  I shrugged. “Then go talk to him. Be the first to start the conversation.”

  “Maybe I will.” She smiled slightly, a gleam in her eye.

  Easton walked in and the room quieted. He took a seat, his gaze locking with mine, and a few people glanced at me as if trying to figure out why he was looking at me specifically. I glanced away, my heart fluttering, an unsteady feeling washing through me at the memory of the restroom incident a week ago.

  It was Easton, and I didn’t like him. I needed to stop these ridiculous thoughts and get ahold of myself. I’d always found him attractive, but my disgust for his rude behavior overruled everything else. I absolutely couldn’t allow myself to feel any interest, especially now that he was my boss. Besides, I barely knew the man, and what I did know wasn’t good. When I glanced back, he was no longer staring at me, and I let out a relieved breath.

  “Are we ready to get started?” George asked.

  “Yep,” Easton said, leaning in his chair, arms crossed at his chest. “Why don’t you take the lead this time?”

  “Sure.” George straightened and glanced around the table. “Before we move on to work-related issues, we have a special opportunity to volunteer at an event for Children’s Commission, the private foster care agency we’ve helped out in the past. It will take place this Saturday from eight until noon. The volunteers will assist with the games at a picnic. Who can be there?”

  There was silence as he glanced around the table, and a few people cleared their throats uncomfortably. It was a good cause, and I wanted to participate, but I was going to Charlotte’s birthday party that evening and needed the morning to do errands. They should have given us more notice.

  “I would go,” Laurie said, “but it’s my parents’ anniversary and we’re all celebrating at an expensive restaurant.”

  Several others chimed in with their excuses and George grimaced. “I was supposed to send out a memo at the beginning of the week, but I forgot. Surely, one of you can help me with this.”

  Poor George. I didn’t want him to have to deal with this on his own. I could probably push my errands to Sunday and help out Saturday morning, especially because it was for a good cause. I raised a hand. “Count me in.”

  He smiled and nodded his thanks. “Excellent.”

  Bruce pressed his lips together. “Well, since Maya will be there, I guess I can make the time.”

  George forced a smile, appearing slightly annoyed at Bruce’s lack of enthusiasm. “Thank you.” He glanced around the table. “Anyone else?”

  I discretely nudged Deanna, hoping she’d go with me. She leaned in and whispered, “Can’t. My brother is in town, and I’ll be with family all weekend.”

  “Anyone else?” George repeated. When no one jumped in to volunteer, he sighed. “I guess it’ll just be the four of us then.” He turned to Easton. “Will that be enough?”

  “It will have to be.” He sounded grumpy and put out.

  George had said there’d be four of us. Did that mean Easton was planning on coming as well? I was trying to stay away from the man, not spend four hours with him at an event. Ugh. This was terrible.

  Deanna let out a sigh and nudged me with her elbow. She brought her lips to my ear and spoke in a whisper. “Of all weekends, why did my brother have to pick this one to visit? You’re so lucky.”

  But I didn’t feel lucky.

  Not at all.

  I would just have to stay out of Easton’s way.

  Later that evening, I sat on my couch with a hot cup of herbal tea, my phone on speaker as I talked with my mom. We had a complicated relationship. It was only the two of us since my dad died in a car accident before I was born. Mom and I were close, but she stressed me out whenever she brought up health issues. But then again, she only bugged me because she cared.

  She’d just asked if I liked my new job, and I attempted to piece together a few of the details I could share without embarrassment. I planned on leaving out the April Fools pranks.

  “It’s been good so far. George has been training me, and I’m learning the ins and outs.”

  “When do your medical benefits kick in?”

  “They’re already in effect. I just need to set up an appointment with a doctor.”

  “Impressive. Easton sounds like he’s a good boss.”

  “He’s…fine. I report to George, though, and he’s been great.”

  “Please make an appointment with a physician soon, honey. I’m not trying to be bossy, but you need to be checked out. You know what Dr. Hansen said.”

  He was the doctor who’d told me I would one day have to get a kidney transplant, but that was nine years ago, and I’d managed to come this far without needing medical intervention. I secretly hoped he was wrong and none of that would be necessary. A part of me had thought that if I ignored it, maybe it would go away. That was poor reasoning, but it didn’t stop me from hoping. “I will, Mom. Stop worrying.”

  “I can’t help but worry. You’re my only daughter, and I want to make sure you stay healthy.” Her voice broke. “I don’t want to lose you.”

  Hearing the fear in her tone made my stomach clench, and it was an unwelcome reminder that life was fragile. Mom had always been extra vigilant when it came to medical issues because her sister and mother had died of breast cancer. She meant well, but sometimes her obsessive attention to health made me more anxious than I needed to be.

  “I’ll make an appointment. Can we pick a new topic?”

  “Of course.” There was silence on the other line for too long, and I was about to say something when she jumped in. “What’s Easton like these days? I always thought he was a handsome young man.”

  Butterflies danced in my stomach at the mention of his name. “I don’t know. I stay out of his personal affairs.”

  “Does he have a significant other?”

  I rolled my eyes and then stared up at the ceiling. “No idea.”

  “Charlotte hasn’t mentioned a girlfriend?”

  “Charlotte knows I don’t want to talk about Easton.”

  “Honey, you’ve held a grudge against him for too long. That business with the prom took place a long time ago and look how far he’s come. He’s heading up a billionaire empire now. I’m sure he’s a completely different man from the one who upset you in high school.”

  He wasn’t all that different, but I bit my tongue. “I don’t care about his billions, Mom, and he’s not my type, so forget about anything happening with him.”

  “I just want you to be happy, whether it’s with Easton or some other nice young man.”

  “I plan to concentrate on my career. Dating isn’t a priority at the moment.”

  Mom sighed, and it was sad and a little heavy. “That’s probably for the best considering your health issues. Not many men would be willing to take on medical baggage, but after the transplant maybe...”

  Okay, that did it. Her outlook was bringing me down, and I didn’t need that right now. “I have to go, Mom, but I’ll call you in a few days. Love you.”

  “Love you too, honey. Take care of yourself.”

  After we hung up, I let out a breath. Mom meant well, but she had a way of making me worry about things I didn’t need to dwell on. After that conversation, I could add one more fear to the list. No man in his right mind would want to get involved with someone who had “medical baggage.”

  That night as I sat on my bed, I opened my Bible to Colossians 3:2, one of my favorite verses. Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth.

  As I meditated on that command, the reminder to fix my hope on heaven eased some of my fear. God might shorten my life, but heaven was for eternity, and I could stand on that truth.

  Chapter 10

  Easton

  On Saturday, I drank my coffee and watched the early morning news before the day got started. My phone dinged with a text from Charlotte. You’re still coming tonight, right?

  As if I would forget. It was
her birthday, and I was the one throwing the party. She’d told me exactly what she wanted, and I’d agreed to pay for everything. I typed out a quick reply. Unless something better comes up. I added an emoticon with its tongue sticking out to let her know I was joking.

  Her: Ha ha.

  Me: I thought it was funny.

  Her: You’d better show up, buster.

  Me: Just teasing. You know I’ll be there.

  Her: Your new employee is coming.

  Me: I’m aware

  Maya had volunteered to help at the event, so I’d see her this morning and this evening. I wasn’t opposed to the idea. Then again, it wasn’t great for my mental health. Catching glimpses of her all week without actually being able to talk to her had messed with my head a little, but I knew it would never work out between us. Maya was the marrying type, and I wasn’t. End of story.

  Plus, she was my sister’s best friend, and I didn’t want to start something that would end badly and cause a problem for Charlotte. I cared about Charlotte too much to do that to her.

  Her: I bet you’re aware.

  Me: Stop being a bratty little sister and let it go.

  Her: I can’t help it. I think the two of you make sense together.

  Me: Not happening.

  Her: I’ll just have to pray about it then.

  Me: Please don’t.

  She was silent for several minutes after that, but then another text came through.

  Her: I’m proud of you for following through with Dad’s charity. Matthew 20:28 just came to mind. The Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.

  Me: Your point?

  Her: Follow in the footsteps of Christ. He came to serve, and that’s what you’re doing today.

  Guilt washed through me. I wanted to help the foster youth, but they deserved much better than me.

  I set my phone down and took the last gulp of coffee. I wasn’t in the correct frame of mind to serve as Christ had. He’d laid down His life, but I’d never had to sacrifice anything. Sure, I’d given large sums of money to good causes on occasion, but I hadn’t given an amount that would put me at a disadvantage. I wished for the umpteenth time that I could go back and change everything before Dad died.