Page 30 of Mated To My Boss

The email icon pops up, and I click on it to see if I've missed anything. Surprisingly, the first email I see is from Cora.

“That's odd.” I open it and read through it, seeing that Madeline has been officially transferred to me as my new intern. “Huh?”

Madeline's scent hits me like it was shot from a cannon. I suddenly feel comfortable, as if a missing piece of me has just been restored. It doesn't take a genius to figure out she's behind my door.

“Come in,” I say, before she even knocks.

The door handle twists and my mate walks in with an uncharacteristically sad look on her face. She tries to mask it, but it still seeps through the cracks.

“Good morning,” she says stoically.

“Um … good morning. What's this about you being my new intern?”

She doesn't move from her spot near the door. “Aunt Cora is in the hospital. I'm not sure how long she will be out of commission.”

“Oh … I'm sorry,” I murmur. “What happened to her?”

“She'll be fine,” Madeline says curtly. “She wants you to manage my internship, but only if you agree to it. If you don't want to do it, I'll be okay interning under someone else.”

The thought of her having to answer to some guy in the office briefly flashes through my mind and that alone is enough to force my answer. “Definitely not. You'll be my intern.”

“Are you sure?” she inquires. There's no hint of the playful, flirtatious girl I usually see. Instead, Madeline looks determined, like an employee on her first day of work.

“Yes. If Cora isn't here, then I'm the man for the job. I don't usually like working with interns as you know, but I'm willing to make an exception to help out a friend.” My reason is something Madeline looks unsure about, but she says nothing about it.

“I have a few rules though,” I add. “We have to remain professional during this time. If you think this will be difficult for you, just let—”

“I'll be fine,” she replies. “I can be professional, Mr. Barlow.”

I cringe at the mention of my last time. “Okay, maybe that's a little too professional. It seems unnatural for you to call me that.”

“Sorry, Nate.”

I nod. “That's better. I guess we can start immediately if you're down for it.”

“Of course. What do you need me to do?”

“Go to Olivia and ask her to move my meeting to tomorrow because we need to meet a potential client for lunch.”

“Road trip. That sounds nice.”

“Yeah, but I'm afraid it'll just be him and I having lunch. I'd like you to be present, but you'll probably have to sit at a different table. I know this client. He’ll clam up if someone else is at the table. Yet, if you’re close enough, you can listen in and take notes on any important details. Are you down for that?”

“Definitely,” she says.

We head out for lunch and drive to one of the best restaurants in town. The aroma of delicious food fills our senses before we even step into the main dining area.

I scan for my client, who isn't here yet. I look at Madeline. “We'll get our tables and wait. I'm sure he won't be long,” I say.

Madeline replies with a nod.

As I predicted, the client arrives shortly, beginning the meeting with apologies. “I'm so sorry. I got stuck in traffic.”

I'm a little annoyed by the blatant lie, but I keep my feelings in check, aware that I could land a major client for the IronFangs law firm.

Madeline sits at the next table, and I can see her from where I am, even though her back is turned. She's close enough to hear everything the client says, and I trust her to remember everything.

As the food arrives, I’m distracted when some guy walks up to Madeline's table with a huge grin. He introduces himself and sits down near her.

---