Page 64 of Forty, Flirty & Fired

Of course. That’s all this day needed. More and more plot twists.

But then again…

My collar still smells like Mac's perfume, and I can't bring myself to regret any of it.

Even if it means facing down investigative tech journalists and revolutionary developers before my second coffee.

Through the glass walls, I watch Mac dismantle Keith's protest with the kind of efficiency that makes me want to drag her back into my office and...

"Sir?" Emma appears with another stack of reports. "Amelia Zegen is holding on line one. And Keith has somehow programmed the coffee machine to play 'Do You Hear the People Sing' every time someone tries to use the premium beans."

Right. Crisis management first. Fantasies about my corporate culture consultant later.

Though possibly not much later, if the way Mac just looked back at me means what I think it means.

19

MEET THE FAMILY (OR ELSE)

MACKENZIE

The problem with being part of an Italian family in Seattle is that you can only avoid their restaurant for so long before someone (Nonna) threatens to disown you. Especially when you haven't shown up for two Sunday dinners in a row, and your sister (Lucia, the traitor) has been feeding them details about your "handsome CEO situation."

"Mackenzie Regina Gallo!" Nonna's voice through my phone could probably be heard in Portland. “Just a few weeks before Christmas and you're still avoiding family dinner? What did I do wrong in raising you? Was it the gnocchi? Did I not make enough gnocchi?"

I pace my office, watching the early evening darkness settle over Seattle. The city's holiday lights twinkle through a light snowfall, making everything look festive and magical and absolutely not helping my guilt complex.

"Nonna, I'm not avoiding?—"

"Then you'll be here tonight. Seven o'clock. No excuses." I can hear pots clanging in the background – never a good sign. "And bring your Alexander."

I freeze mid-pace. "My what?"

"Your handsome CEO. Lucia says he likes good wine. I have a 1982 Brunello that?—"

"He's notmy anything, and I have plans?—"

"Plans?" The pot-clanging intensifies. "More important than family? Than your poor Nonna who only wants to meet the man who's finally making you smile again?"

"Nonna—"

"Seven o'clock," she repeats firmly. "Or I start calling your mother every ten minutes about grandchildren."

She hangs up before I can protest. Because of course she does.

My phone buzzes immediately – Lucia:

LUCIA:So... funny story. Remember how Nonna kept asking for Alex's number for "emergency restaurant delivery planning"?

ME:Lucia. What did you do?

LUCIA:In my defense, she threatened to stop making her tiramisu. You know I'm weak when she threatens the tiramisu.

ME:Tell me you didn't.

LUCIA:On the bright side, your 7PM dinner plans with Alex now have a very specific location!

I'm going to kill her. Right after I figure out how to handle the fact that my anonymous blog post about tech industry mental health just went viral, TechCrunch is hunting my secret identity, and now Alex is about to meet my entire family.

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