“You,” I say quickly. “I was waiting for you. I saw you behind me in the reflection in the window.”
“Okkkk,” Jessie says, drawing the word out like she’s not entirely convinced I’m telling the truth.
I start walking into the building, needing to just act normally. Maybe it’s a good thing Jessie appeared when she did and forced me to make a move, or I’d probably still be standing there at lunch time.
Jessie follows me into the building and falls into step beside me as we make our way over to the elevators. “I know why you were waiting for me.” She grins. “You want the gossip don’t you?”
“You got me.” I laugh, not caring a jot who Jessie thinks is sleeping with who, but thinking it gives me a good reason for my weird loitering outside.
“Word is Mr. Connell and Brett had a big bust up yesterday,” Jessie whispers, leaning in close, her eyes sparkling like they always do when she has a particularly juicy morsel to share.
“Who told you that?” I try to keep my voice neutral and casual, but it comes out a little sharp.
Jessie frowns at me. Her frown turns into a smile as she shakes her head. “Someone’s jealous that Brett is keeping secrets. I know you’re his personal assistant, but according to what I’ve heard, it was a personal fight, so it’s not like he had to tell you or anything. And in his defense, he probably doesn’t know half of the company is talking about it.”
Personal is an understatement. God how much does she know?
“His secretary said they were yelling at each other, but she couldn’t really hear what was being said. And then you showed up and the yelling stopped. Didn’t you hear anything?”
I shake my head trying to look innocent. I have to give her something though, or she’ll know I’m trying to cover something up. “No, but there was a bit of an atmosphere when I took their refreshments in.”
“Well, Mr. Connell apparently stormed out muttering under his breath about Brett being an ungrateful little brat who can’t keep his dick in his pants. It sounds like he’s been caught fucking one of the secretaries or something doesn’t it?” Jessie asks.
The elevator arrives and we step in. I can feel my palms sweating and I know I’m blushing. I press the button for our floor, momentarily turning my back on Jessie while trying to get myself under control. “Maybe it was just an expression,” I say, facing Jessie again, hoping I look normal. “Or maybe Mr. Connell isn’t happy about Brett’s choice of girlfriend or something. It doesn’t mean she works here.”
“Oh, she so does,” Jessie says. “I bet it’s that cute little Asian girl, you know, the temp. Didn’t Brett hire her? Maybe that’s why.”
“Shh,” I say, although we’re in the elevator on our own. “Shit like that gets people fired, Jess.”
“Well yeah, if anyone hears, but I’m assuming you’re not going to go up to your office and call Mr. Connell and tell him it’s her.”
I shake my head.
Jessie grins at me, a wide grin and her eyes full of mischief. “Maybe it’s not her. Maybe it’s you. What with that glow you had yesterday and all.”
“Don’t even go there,” I say.
“I know, I know. You would never risk your career like that, and I know you wouldn’t want to be that girl that everyone’s talking about. You still haven’t told me about your mystery man though.”
“There’s nothing to tell,” I say, glad to be off the topic of who Brett might be sleeping with, even if that means we’ve moved on to who I’m sleeping with. “It was just a fling.”
The doors ping open and I’m relieved that I will soon be cocooned up in my office, hidden way from the world.
“You should have more flings. They suit you,” Jessie says as she heads towards her own work station.
I laugh and head for my office. God, that was awkward. And that’s going to be nothing compared to facing Brett. I’m debating having words with the secretary though. She should know better than to pass on gossip like that, but I decide against it. It will definitely make it look like I have something to hide, and that’s the last thing I need anyone to be thinking.
I go to my office and close the door. I take my coat off and sit down. I’m just going to keep my head down and do my work. It’s only one day of awkwardness. Brett and I will talk after work and hopefully, we can put this whole mess behind us.
Opening up my email, I start responding to messages. The third email I open is from a client and there is a financial report attached to it.
“Shit,” I mutter under my breath.
Brett has been waiting for this information and he told me the second it came, to print off the file and take it to him as a priority. I was really hoping to avoid him for as long as possible today. It’s barely nine a.m. and I already have to face him.
I debate just forwarding the email to him. He’s perfectly capable of using the printer himself, but I ask myself if I would do that to Mr. Connell and the answer is of course, a resounding no. If I do that to Brett, I will be doing exactly what we said we can’t do; taking liberties because of our relationship.
Printing the file out, I go and retrieve it. I sit back down at my desk holding it for a minute. The paper is still warm from the printer. Maybe I should just deal with the other emails and try to time it, so I can leave the file on Brett’s desk when he goes for a coffee or bathroom break.
I know I can’t do that though. Our clients have a nasty habit of making us wait for weeks for information from them,
