Page 58 of The Boss

Did he know what Ashlee and I had done in the chair right next to him?

“How’s the planning for the Golden Words release party next month?”

Okay, not what I’d expected.

“I haven’t heard anything about it, so I assume that means everything is going well.” I leaned back and laced my fingers together, hoping I looked more casual than I felt.

“Are you planning to take Miss Webb as your date?”

I’d had so many people be disappointed in me over the years that Finley’s should have been expected. It’d been a long time coming.

Instead of reassuring him that I had no intention of doing the thing he’d warned me against – even though I’d already done it – I did what I always did when someone thought the worst of me.

I proved them right.

“I am.”

He sighed and rubbed his forehead as if I was giving him a headache. “Does she know this?”

My fingers tightened, but I didn’t let my tension leak into my voice. This wasmylife, not his.

“She will. I’ve got plenty of time between now and then to ask her.”

“Are you going to ask her, or are you going to ‘ask’ her?”

I could hear the air quotes, and the knife in my gut twisted a little more. How could he think I’d use my position to force someone into going to…fuck. That’s what I’d done to Ashlee the first time we’d gone out.

“I’ll make sure she knows that she can refuse my request without fear of repercussions.” My tone was flat. I didn’t want him to know how much this conversation was hurting me…no,botheringme. No one hurt me. I didn’t let them. Maybe this was just a sign that I’d let Finley too close, and I needed to put some distance between us. This was as good a time as any.

“Ashlee and I are both adults, Finley, and Manhattan Records doesn’t have a policy against co-workers dating.”

Not that Ashlee and I weredating, but that’d be way too much information to share.

“You’re not her co-worker,” he pointed out. “You’re her boss.”

“Trust me, she doesn’t have any problem making her thoughts known. If she doesn’t want to go with me to the party, she’ll say so.”

Finley stood, something almost sad passing over his face. “I just don’t want things here imploding when you end things with her. I’ve seen too many of your former relationships go toxic. Just a couple hours ago, Roma–”

“Ashlee isn’t Roma,” I cut him off. “She’s different.”

“I have no doubt she is,” Finley said. “Butyou’renot.”

I glared at his back as he left. He was wrong. And now I wanted to prove it.

Thirty-Seven

Ashlee

I managedto avoid seeing anyone for the rest of the day and slipped out of work without speaking more than two words. I still wanted to talk to Mr. Kordell and make certain that he understood I wasn’t the woman he thought I was, the woman almost everyone here thought I was, but I’d have another opportunity tomorrow.

Except when I got to work, I had several emails I needed to respond to right away. Those took an hour, and by the time I finished, I wasn’t alone at my desk anymore. Nate stood in front of me, expression unreadable. I tensed, waiting to see if I was going to be yelled at or just talked to about something work-related. I was leaning toward the latter. We were out in the open here, after all.

“What are you doing tonight?”

Dammit. That didn’t sound like anything to do with work.

“Normal Friday stuff,” I replied, keeping my tone crisp and light. “Probably much different than what you have planned.”

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