Page 5 of Hitched to my Boss

I study him, taking in the way he holds himself. "Jason, can I be direct with you?"

"I'd prefer it."

"You're not antisocial. You're selectively social. There's a difference, and it's one we can work with."

His eyebrows rise slightly. "Meaning?"

"Meaning truly antisocial people don't make eye contact, don't offer coffee to strangers, and don't arrange their living space to be welcoming." I gesture around his cabin, taking in the comfortable furniture, the warm lighting, and the way everything is clean and organized without being sterile. "This place tells me you're capable of hospitality. You just choose to limit who receives it."

"And that's a problem because?"

"It's not a problem. It's a feature we need to learn how to market." I pull up a fresh screen on my tablet. "Tell me about Marcus Hartwell. What specifically does he need from you?"

Jason's posture shifts slightly, becoming more confident. This is safer territory for him. "He's got a pack of wolves that have been taking livestock. Fish and Wildlife won't relocate them because they're not technically in violation of any regulations, but the losses are significant enough that Hartwell's considering lethal control."

"And you can offer a better solution?"

"I can trap and relocate them to an area where they won't conflict with ranching operations. It's more expensive than shooting them, but it's sustainable long-term and maintains the ecological balance."

The passion in his voice when he talks about his work is unmistakable. This isn't just a job for him; it's a calling. And that passion transforms him completely. His shoulders relax, his voice becomes animated, and for the first time since I arrived, he makes sustained eye contact.

The change is striking. When Jason talks about wildlife management, he becomes magnetic. Confident, articulate,completely in his element. It's like watching someone shed a disguise.

"That's what we're going to lead with," I tell him. "Not your technical credentials, though those are impressive. Your passion for finding solutions that work for everyone."

"Hartwell doesn't care about passion. He cares about results."

"He cares about both, or he wouldn't have specified that he needs professional representation." I lean forward, catching his attention. "Think about it. He could hire someone cheaper who'd just come in and eliminate the problem. But he's looking for someone with your specific expertise and approach. The issue isn't your competence. It's your presentation."

Jason considers this, his fingers drumming silently against his coffee mug. I find myself watching the movement, noting the strength in his hands, the careful precision of every gesture.

"So, what do you propose?"

"First, we need to understand exactly what makes you uncomfortable in professional situations. Then we build strategies to manage those challenges while highlighting your strengths."

"You mean what triggers my discomfort?"

"Poor choice of words," I acknowledge quickly. "I mean the situations where you feel most out of your element. Large groups, formal presentations, and networking events. The stuff that feels artificial."

"All of it feels artificial."

"Even this conversation?" I ask, a bit too quickly.

He pauses, seeming genuinely surprised by the question. "No. This feels... different."

"Because?"

"Because you're being direct. You're not trying to sell me something or manipulate me into being someone I'm not." Hiseyes meet mine again, and I feel a little jolt of awareness that has nothing to do with professional interest. "You're treating this like a problem to solve rather than a personality flaw to fix."

Heat creeps up my neck. This is exactly why I have a strict rule about not getting personally involved with clients. Jason Wallace is the kind of man who could make me forget all my professional boundaries if I'm not careful.

"That's because it is a problem to solve," I say, keeping my voice steady. "And you're not flawed. You're specialized."

The corner of his mouth twitches in what might be the beginning of a smile. "Specialized."

"Absolutely. Think of it like wildlife management. You wouldn't use the same approach for relocating wolves that you'd use for dealing with problem bears, right?"

"Right."

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