Page 63 of Forty, Flirty & Fired

"Mac—"

"Not that I'm concerned about anonymous bloggers," she adds quickly. "Just... you know. Generally. As a concept."

I lean back in my chair, studying her. In the gray morning light, with snow falling outside and her professional maskslightly cracked, she looks simultaneously powerful and vulnerable.

"We could always give her a different story," I say carefully.

"What?"

"Instead of hunting anonymous bloggers, she could cover Drake Enterprises' actual changes. The programs that are working. The improvements that?—"

A commotion outside interrupts me. Through the glass, we watch Keith lead what appears to be a protest march to the coffee station. Their signs are decorated with tinsel and coffee bean illustrations.

"CAFFEINE FOR ALL!" he chants. "NO TAXATION WITHOUT PROPER HYDRATION!"

"I'll handle it," Mac sighs, then pauses at the door. "Alex..."

"Yes?"

"Last night..."

"Was exactly what both of us needed." I stand, moving around my desk. "And possibly overdue."

"It was unprofessional."

"So is organizing revolutionary choirs, but that hasn't stopped Keith."

"I'm serious." But she's fighting a smile. "We need to?—"

"THE PEOPLE DEMAND FRENCH ROAST FREEDOM!" Keith's voice carries through the walls.

"We need to discuss this," she finishes. "Everything. The blog, the changes, the... us."

"Dinner?" I step closer, enjoying how her breath catches. "Tonight? Somewhere without glass walls or revolutionary developers?"

"I—"

My office door bursts open, revealing a panicked Brad clutching his wellness journal.

"Emergency!" he gasps. "Keith's trying to hack the coffee machine again but this time he's using holiday music as coverand—" he stops, eyes widening at our proximity. "Oh! Oh no. Am I interrupting another strategic planning session? The wellness journal has three chapters about those already and?—"

"Brad." Mac's voice could freeze Seattle solid. "What did we say about documenting personal observations?"

"That it perpetuates unhealthy corporate gossip culture and undermines professional boundaries?" He hugs his journal protectively. "But the statistical correlation between leadership proximity and improved corporate morale metrics suggests?—"

"Handle Keith," I tell Mac, because if I don't stop looking at her I might do something that really gives Brad's journal material. "I'll deal with TechCrunch."

She nods, all business except for the slight darkening of her eyes when I step closer to open the door for her.

"Tonight," I say quietly as she passes. "No excuses."

"Is that an order, Mr. Drake?"

"Would you follow it if it was?"

Her laugh follows her out, mixing with Keith's revolutionary caroling and Brad's muttered observations about "fascinating leadership dynamics."

I check my phone – three missed calls from Amelia Zegen, two texts from Connor asking about "office romance rumors", and an email from Gerald demanding an emergency board meeting about "concerning social media developments."

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