Page 7 of Love vs The Ooze Monster!
Boyd leaned back in his seat, feeling betrayed. “If you were me, andyourbusiness was at stake, what would you do, right now, Miss Harrison?”
She was quiet for a moment, still studying his face. “I would probably fire me, Mr. Cassiday.”
He spread is hands in a “Well there you have it” gesture.
Mabel blinked. “You’re firing me? Really? After all we’ve built together?”
He stayed silent, waiting for her to show some hint of remorse.
After a long moment, Mabel glanced away. “How odd.” She finally murmured. “I was almost convinced that Lew was right.”
Boyd’s brows slammed down.
She got to her feet, not quite meeting his eyes. “I did enjoy working here.” She extended her palm to him. “I hope there are no hard feelings.”
The sight of her preparing to go jolted him. For whatever reason, Boyd hadn’t really grasped the finality of everything, until that second. He’d just been running on righteous anger and devastation. Now, his fury faded under a wave of dread.
She was going to just walk out?
No screaming and crying and ranting? No elaborate explanations for her deception? No sorrow about crushing his heart? Just a passionless handshake and “no hard feelings”?
Boyd swallowed, trying to brazen through the sudden panic. “So that’s it?” He grasped her extended palm, marveling at how soft it was. He’d never touched her skin before.
And now he never would, again.
No.
Mabel shrugged, a strange look on her face. “I knew you were too handsome. I told him so.”
What the hell didthatmean? “You don’t have anything else to say?” He prompted, tension growing in his shoulders, because she wasn’t sitting back down.
“What elsecanI say?” Mabel mused quietly. “I just… didn’t expect all this to end.” She made a small face. “Well, maybe I did. But, there were moments…” She cleared her throat. “I truly meant you no harm. I hope you believe that much, at least.”
He did believe that. He looked into her eyes and believed everything. A strange urgency was churning in his gut, because thiscouldn’tbe it. What was happening?
“Good-bye, Mr. Cassiday.” She finally released his hand and it felt like a blow.
No.
Hang on. None of this was right. Boyd hunted for something else to say, but his roiling emotions made it hard to think. What would stall her exit, until he figured out his next step?
“You can’t go.” That was as far as he got with the plan, before the words were out of his mouth.
She frowned a bit. “You just fired me.”
“No.” He actually said the word out loud, this time. “We’re not finished.”
“We’re not? Oh!” Something seemed to occur to her. “Well, I wouldn’t feel right about taking any severance pay, at this stage.” She decided, apparently thinking that was what he’d meant. “Not when you have no faith in why I was even here.”
Severance pay? Fine. Yes, that would work. He grasped hold of the idea. “I insist!” He was abruptly willing to give her a goddamn ruby if she sat back down. “We’ll have some coffee and I’ll cut you a check, sometime after lunch.” Or maybe sometime next July.
“It’s not necessary.” Mabel edged for the door, fidgety now. “I’m sure I’ll find other employment fairly quickly.” She adjusted her glasses. “Would you mind terribly if I listed you as a reference? Ididdo good work here.”
Boyd’s stomach dropped even farther. She was going to get another job? Spend every day with a new guy? Sit at some other desk and chew on pencil erasers, while she played with someone else’s numbers?
What had heexpectedwould happen?
Boyd didn’t know exactly. He wasn’t used to his feelings being so chaotic, because only Mabel had ever affected him so deeply. The hurt and sense of betrayal had driven him to this confrontation, but he hadn’t considered all the possible outcomes.
