Page 15 of My Demon Assistant

Six

Jerry

Thenextweekwashectic, exhausting, and so very worth it.

I wouldn't have survived it without Eshim's support, and I was going to include a bonus in his paycheck because he deserved it. He'd kept my schedule straight, dealt with the minor issues that cropped up in the other teams' projects, and diverted everything non-urgent to a later date so I could put my focus into the project.

We'd submitted the final campaign to the client yesterday, and the wait until we heard back from them was excruciating. Kat was sure they'd take the weekend to make a decision, and she'd warned me not to waste mine worrying about it, but how couldn't I? This was a big deal.

The project wasn't the only thing on my mind, though.

There was also a certain blond-haired, blue-eyed assistant I couldn't put out of my mind. Eshim was...well, he checked all my boxes, and that was a problem.

Despite what Martin had said to him, I would never try to start something inappropriate with an employee, much less someone I worked as closely with as I did Eshim.

Yes, he was handsome, and competent, and just the right amount of adorable. He made great cookies, and I found his mashed-up phrases and idioms adorable. I liked how he couldn't quite seem to figure out what the right amount of eye contact was, or how he always awkwardly lingered for a few seconds when I called him into my office.

But I knew how to be professional. Eshim was my assistant, and there was no way I would ever initiate something between us. Not unless...

I shook my head. No way. Even if he were to ask me out, I couldn't say yes. Iwouldn'tsay yes. He was my employee, and it would be wrong no matter who initiated it.

Fuck, I needed to get out of my house before I drove myself crazy with my spiraling thoughts.

Picking up my phone, I dialed the first number on my speed dial.

"Hey, ex-husband," Kat greeted, and I grinned, running my fingers through Tom's soft fur as I lounged back into the couch.

"Hey, ex-wife. What are you up to?"

"You want the honest answer or the PG-13 one?"

"Never mind," I said with a laugh. While before I might've asked for an honest answer—there wasn't much Kat and I didn't share with each other—Fressia scared me a little. She was a nice woman, and I could tell she worshipped the ground Kat walked on, but she was intimidating as fuck, and that only dialed up when she turned her attention on me.

She didn't hate me or anything, but I was pretty sure she hated the fact that Kat and I were married at one point.

"Are we just shooting the shit, or did you want to talk about something? No work talk, though. You know the rule."

When Kat, Archer, and I started a business together, we'd set some ground rules, one of which was 'No work talk during the weekends unless it's an absolute emergency.'

"It's not about work, but it might be work-adjacent?" I said, frowning at the ceiling as Tom climbed up onto my chest and started licking my chin, apparently enjoying the texture of my stubble.

"Hmmm..."

"It's about someone at work," I explained, and the change in her was instant.

"Oh! The handsome new assistant, perhaps?" I stayed silent, and she let out a squeal. "Wait, really? I mean I was hoping, but..."

"Why were you hoping I'd want to talk about Eshim?"

"Not that, dick. I was hoping you would like him."

I sputtered. "Who said anything about like?"

"I've been your ex-wife, your wife, and your best friend. You don't think I know when you like someone?"

"Kat..."

"Come over for dinner."

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