Page 45 of Sweet Heat at Bayside
“Does it include Chocolate Orgasms?”
“Yes. I had one on the way home, in fact. But I neededmorereinforcements.” She aimed the phone down at a half-empty pizza box, and then tipped it up toward her again. “My plan is to gain at least a hundred pounds, stop washing my face so I get acne, and I might stop showering every day. Maybe that will make it so I’m not the face of KHB they shove in front of annoying clients. It should be easy to gain the weight without Emery’s yoga classes or evening activities with you guys. But you might want to start thinking about looking for a different girlfriend if you want one that looks good in a string bikini and doesn’t smell bad.”
He laughed. “Man, I miss you. I love your sense of humor. But, uh, what’s up with the attitude? You think I’m not manly enough to handle a hundred more pounds of hot woman? I’ve got news for you. I’d still want you just as much as I want you right now no matter what you looked like. If you smelled, I’d haul your hot sexy butt into the shower, but you know I’d be all over you in there, too.”
“Really?” She lay back in the chair. Moonlight shimmered in her eyes, making him miss her even more.
“I wish I was there right now, holding you.”
“You’re not upset that I’m not exactly in a sex-chat mood?” she asked carefully.
“Not at all, sweetheart. Sometimes you just need to cuddle up in your—my—sweatshirt with your man. And don’t worry too much about today. This is all new for you, and I’m sure you’ll have clients you love and clients you don’t, like with any job. But if anyone can make a difference, it’s you. So just give it your all and see where you land in a few months. Have you talked to Chloe and the girls about this yet?”
“Only Chloe, when I was stuffing my face with the doughnut. I have meetings set up next week with more clients, and Friday I’m going with Gavin to the Boston Design Center. That should be fun.”
“Gavin, or the design center?”
Her brows furrowed. “Is my guy jealous again?”
“Should I be?”
“No. Although he is cute, clean-cut, and knows how to dress, like all the guys at my office.”
“You’re not winning any bonus points, Supergirl. Maybe Idoneed to drive to Boston.”
She giggled. “He’s funny, too, but he has one glaring flaw.”
He sighed, knowing she was just pulling his leg. Or at least hoping so.
“It doesn’t matter how far apart we are,” she said. “No man could ever beyou.”
Chapter Thirteen
“GIVING UP THE legwork makes me feel like I’ll walk out of here half dressed,” Serena said semi-jokingly to Laura and Spencer Friday morning. She’d gotten to know them over the last few days, and her earlier impression was right: They were eager and easy to work with.
“That could be interesting,” Spencer said with a snicker. He leaned back in his chair, one arm hanging down beside him as he drummed a beat on the edge of his chair with his other hand.
Laura rolled her eyes. “He’s trying to get fired for sexual harassment.”
“Is that true?” Serena couldn’t hide her shock. “Youwantto be fired?”
“No. I’m just a line crosser, and Laura’s not, so she likes to point it out.”
“You probably do have to be careful in big companies like this. We joked around all the time at my last job, but we knew each other really well.”And now I’m sleeping with my previous boss, so there’s that.
“You know I didn’t mean it that way, right?” Spencer leaned forward, picked up a pen, and began doodling. “Seriously, though. You don’t trust our abilities?” His eyes flicked up to hers. “The previous two senior designers tossed work on our desks and never looked back.”
“Oh, no. It’s not like that at all,” Serena assured him. “I’ve looked through your portfolios, and you do great work. I’m just used to doing jobs from start to finish. If it seems like I’m micromanaging as we get moving on our projects, I’m really not. You can tell me to back off if it gets annoying. The client counts on us to get this right the first time. How can we do that if we’re not all involved?”
Laura had a wary look in her eyes. “You mean, you actuallycare.”
“Of course I care. Didn’t the last person who had this job?” Serena asked.
Spencer scoffed. “They loved their lunch hours and client dinners. But like the long line of people who held the position before you, it was a stepping-stone to other opportunities or they got burnt out.”
“You’re in the hot seat,” Laura explained. “As a senior designer, you get all the luxuries of corporate life, and you get to take credit for your team’s work. But did the previous designers care about the work?” She shrugged. “They seemed too busy to care about much beyond their next opportunity.”
“Well, that’s their loss. Or maybe their clients’ loss.” Serena had known plenty of people like that. She straightened her spine, looking directly at the two of them, so they would know she had nothing to hide, and said, “I can assure you, I will give credit where credit is due, and if anything, you’ll see me in the trenches with you,notlooking down at you.”
