For some reason, I’ve had this gut feeling for the past couple of weeks that for most of our relationship he was cheating on me. In the beginning, everything was fine, but after about six months of me working for Vickers and Co., he became distant. I put it on the fact that he was just annoyed that I had the job he wanted and he was butt hurt, but something wasn’t sitting right with me. I’m not sure what really happened, and I don’t think I ever will. It doesn’t matter anymore, but not knowing if he was sleeping with another woman is quite hard to stomach.
For all I know, he could have stolen from me to give my belongings to his mistress and used the money to take her out on dates; a thing we rarely did toward the end of the relationship.
It’s been six months since the break-up, and while I have zero feelings left for him, I’m still really annoyed by the fact that he stole from me. When I confronted him about it, he first denied it and got mad at me for even thinking about him being able to do something like that. The next day, he got shit-faced with some of his co-workers at the bar he worked at, and he admitted to it, but he managed to twist it in a way that it was my fault. The bastard.
Needless to say, I packed my things, found myself a cute new place to live, and I’ve been so happy to be living on my own. I never thought I’d like it, but it’s been so liberating to enjoy my life however I please.
Now, the only shadow looming over my perfect life is Daniel, my new co-worker. He’s been a pain in my ass—and not the good kind—ever since he’s started working here three months ago.
We’re both managers of a marketing team, and ever since he got here, we’ve been in competition with each other. There’s nothing wrong with that, but when he steals my ideas and decides to go first when we have to present them to the clients, making me look like a fool, then we’ve got issues. He’s stolen two clients from me that way, and it has to stop. I don’t know how he manages to steal my team’s entire projects, but we’re made to look like idiots when he’s pretty much just adding two or three elements to our proposals and claiming them as his own. I can’t stand him.
“Elisa, you’re daydreaming again.” Carl’s voice brings me out of my reverie, which isn’t so bad. I was starting to get annoyed thinking about what Jeremy did, and Daniel’s smug face. I wish I could bitch-slap the both of them in one go.
“I seem to do that a lot. I’m sorry. What can I help you with, Carl?”
He’s literally the best boss anyone could ask for. When I found out about Jeremy, he gave me a week off to move out of my and Jeremy’s place and settle in my new home. It was very much appreciated. I don’t think I would have been able to settle in so quickly had I not had a week off.
“You know that Christmas is just around the corner…” If he was straight and not my boss, I’d totally hit on him. He has such an aura about him. He can do the simplest thing like sipping his coffee, leaning against the frame of my office door, and look so sexy.
“You don’t say…” Everyone in the office knows how much I don’t like Christmas. They all judge me for it too. I really don’t get where this is going.
“I know you’re anti-Christmas now, which I still don’t get, but I think it’d do you some good to decorate the office and set up the Christmas party. It’ll be very therapeutic.”
I wish I could wipe the smug grin from his face. He’s so proud of himself.
“I think it’d be more nightmare-inducing than therapeutic, if you ask me.”
“Oh, come on. Don’t be so over-dramatic.”
The judgement on his face is real. He’s as Christmas crazy as I once was. I miss those days.
“I’m not being over-dramatic. I just hate Christmas.” I shrug as if to make a point.
“I know you do, and that’s exactly why I want you to take care of the company’s party. Make it as fabulous as you are.”
He’s really laying it on thick this time. I don’t get why he’s asking me out of everyone.
“Flattery won’t get you anywhere, Carl. Besides, there’s no way I can do this on my own. There’s so much to do and so many people to deal with.” Anxiety is filling me the more I think about it.
“You can’t blame me for trying.” He chuckles. “I’m not that cruel. I’m not going to let you do this on your own. I’ve got you the perfect little helper.” His smirk is worrying me.
“What have you done, Carl?” I’m scolding my boss as if he’s a naughty kid on Santa’s shit list.
“Daniel, the new manager, is going to help you. You two seem to be on the same page as you’ve gotten some similar ideas. So, I think you’d make a great team to throw the party and Christmas the shit out of the office.” He’s way too proud of himself for this idea, and I’m fuming.
“You’re kidding me, right?” This is a nightmare.
“No. Why would I be?”
“Let’s just say that Daniel and I don’t really see eye to eye.” I have to be diplomatic instead of calling Daniel an asshole to my boss.
“Is this just a façade? Are you secretly lovers and are pretending to hate each other in public?”
He picked the wrong profession. He should have been a matchmaker. His excitement at the prospect of two of his employees being together is unsettling.
“No. We’re definitely not together and we will never be.”
“Never say never, Elisa. Besides, I think you two would make an amazing couple.”
“Can you stop, please? I’m really going to have nightmares now.”
The thought of Daniel and me together is laughable.
“Are you two talking about me?”
Talk of the devil…
Daniel casually walks into my office, not asking if it’s okay for him to come in.
“Yes. I was breaking the news to Elisa that you two are going to work on the company’s Christmas party and decorate the office.”
The last thing I want is to be spending more time with Daniel than necessary.
“I can’t wait. It’s going to be great.” His bright smile is just for Carl. As soon as Carl checks his phone, Daniel glares at me. Typical Daniel. He’ll be nice to me in front of everyone, but once it’s just him and me, he turns into this asshole.
“If you say so,” I mutter under my breath.
“It’s settled. You two are going to make this the best Christmas party we’ve had so far. I know it.” Happy with his decision, Carl leaves my office.
“So, should I just plan everything and give you my notes for you to add two lines to it and give the budget to Carl?”
Yes, I’m bitter and a bitch, but with reason. Or at least, I’d like to think I’ve got my reasons.
“We all know I’ve got the best team and the best ideas, so stop pretending that I’m stealing from you.”
One of these days I’m going to slap him so hard that his head is going to unscrew from his shoulders.
“You and I both know this isn’t true. You stole two clients and two projects from me. You didn’t even bother changing one single word from my proposal and made me look like a fool in front of the clients.”
“I have no idea what you’re talking about. I don’t need to steal ideas to make a great campaign.” He has the audacity to look hurt by my statement.
“We’ll see about that.”
“I suppose we will.” He smirks and leaves my office without closing the door. If I knew I wouldn’t get in trouble, I’d throw something at his head, but it’d end up backfiring on me.
I don’t have much patience as it is, but Daniel is making me lose the little I have. He’s extremely good-looking, which makes it harder because I’m drooling internally whenever I look at him. Yes, he’s that hot—but he’s such an ass that it makes him one ugly man. It’s really a shame. It does make me wonder what happened in his life for him to turn into such a jerk. I probably will never know the real reason, but the scenarios I’m coming up with in my head are hilarious. It goes from him having a small dick and compensating with a huge ego, to being a closeted gay
, to just being an asshole.
Chapter 2
December 8
“So, tell us everything. How is the Christmas party planning going?” Caroline asks me with a devilish grin. Last night, she listened to me rant about it for an hour. She knows the other girls are going to jump on the “pick on Elisa” bandwagon.
“Let’s not mention that, please.” The groan coming out of me could be straight out of a horror movie. I’m impressed.
“Come on, it’s Christmas! How bad can it be?” Marly is Christmas crazy, so of course she would jump on the occasion and go all out. Maybe I should ask her to fill in for me and give her a big present as a thank-you for saving my ass.
“Honestly, I’m not mad that I’m in charge of the party and the decorations. However, it’s the person I have to do it with that I can’t stand.” I think if I rolled my eyes any harder, they’d get stuck.
“What do you mean?” Marly doesn’t know yet about the co-worker from hell. She’s been so busy with work as well that we haven’t had the chance to hang out, all three of us, since June.
“I have to do it with my archnemesis.” I was so excited to tuck into my prawn cocktail, but the more I think about having to work with Daniel, the more I’m losing my appetite.
“You’re always so dramatic.” Trust Caroline, the drama queen, to call me dramatic.
“You’re one to talk. Besides, I’m not. He’s a cocky bastard who thinks his shit doesn’t stink, and that he’s better than anyone else. On top of that, he’s a client thief.”
“Someone is talking about me,” a very familiar and amused voice says from behind me.
I snap around and glare at him. “You. What are you doing here?”
“Well, hello to you too, Elisa. Much like you, I’m here to enjoy dinner in good company. However, I’m not talking shit about my co-workers, unlike you.”
His lady friend doesn’t seem impressed by his actions at all. Good. If I can cockblock him tonight, that’s even better.
“I meant every single word I said.”
“I have no doubt that you do. That’s what makes it even more funny.” He’s lost me now. And if the smirk on his face is anything to go by, he’s realised that he’s lost me too. “I predict you and I are going to be all over each other by the end of the year. And it’s going to be so sweet to make you moan my name, knowing how much you can’t stand me.” His lady friend’s face falls as he says those words.
“Who do you think you are? I’d never, ever get anywhere near being intimate with you.”
“We will see.” I’d love to wipe that grin from his face, the cocky bastard. “As nice as this chat is, we’re done with dinner. I’ll see you at the office tomorrow.” He winks at me and walks away with the less than impressed woman he was with. He stands, talking to a waiter for a minute, pointing to our table.
“How can you complain about that guy? He’s fucking hot! I’d let him do whatever he wants to me.” Daniel is a piece of meat to Marly; she’s almost drooling.
“Did you forget the part where I mentioned that he stole clients from me?”
“No, but it’s not like you can take care of every single campaign that lands on your desk. And a bit of competition is always good.”
Technically, she’s right, but it still doesn’t justify his shitty behaviour.
“Do you think it’s good to steal someone’s entire campaign, change a couple of details, and present it as your own, going before me and making me look like the one who stole from him and downgraded a few details?” This is getting me way too worked up.
“Okay, put that way, he’s an idiot.”
“I’m glad you finally agree.”
“But he’s one sexy idiot.” I don’t think she’ll ever get over how good-looking he is.
“Yeah, I can’t deny that he’s extremely good-looking, but his shitty personality cancels it out.”
Caroline laughs. “Just enjoy life, Elisa. You’ve got your dream job, you make good money, you’ve got incredibly talented, smart, and caring friends, and you’ve got your dream place. You’re thriving, so stop being so butt hurt because you missed two campaigns. You’ve got campaigns I’m sure he wanted to work on, and they turned out amazing.” Caroline always tries to make me see reason, and while she’s right, I’m still hurt.
“Maybe you’re right.” I sigh.
“You forgot incredibly beautiful friends, Car. How dare you!” Marly tries to keep a straight face, but we all fail miserably and laugh. We’ve known each other since high school and I’m so grateful to still have them in my life as my best friends. Well, we’re more like sisters.
“I just didn’t think it was necessary to state the obvious, you know.” She shrugs, laughing.
“So, going back to the handsome jerk you work with…”
“What about him?” I groan.
“Are we allowed to get it on with him?” Marly doesn’t miss a beat. The cheeky bitch.
“I mean, you’ve seen what he said to me in front of the girl he was with. If you want to get your heart broken, go for it.” I would hate to see one of my friends get hurt by this jerk, but I can’t stop them from trying if they want to.
“It can’t be that bad.”
“He doesn’t seem to be the type of guy who’d settle in a serious relationship.”
“Who talked about a serious relationship? I wouldn’t be opposed to spending a couple of hours in bed with him.” Marly doesn’t do relationships. I should have guessed that she’d only want him for a short time.
“Imagine if he’s a one-minute man…” Caroline says as seriously as she possibly can, causing me to lose my shit and Marly to look desperate.
“Yeah, that’d be just my luck!”
We finish dinner, laughing and talking about our Christmas plans. While I’m not doing anything for Christmas, they are both going back home to their families to celebrate the holidays with them. They’ve both offered for me to go with them, and while I’m close to their families, I don’t want to invade their special time.
“Can we get the bill, please?” Marly asks the waiter as we’re ready to pay and go home. All three of us are working tomorrow morning, and it’s getting late.
“It’s already been taken care of.”
Well, that’s new. Not that I’m complaining, but this has never happened to us before.
“What? By who?” Marly’s confusion mirrors Caroline’s and mine.
“By Mister Landon.”
“Who is that?” Caroline and Marly look at each other, confused.
“The jerk.” Of course, he had to do that, probably to prove a point that he’s the bigger man.
“No way.” Marly’s excitement matches Caroline’s, which is worrying for me. I’m afraid of what they might try to do.
“He’s totally got the hots for you. I’m sure of it.”
I knew it. I called it that these two were going to jump to that conclusion.
“Please, don’t say that. You’re going to jinx me!” The last thing I need is for Daniel to actually be interested in me.
“After all, he said he wanted to make you moan his name.” Caroline is lucky that she’s one of my best friends or I’d wipe the smirk from her face.
“So what? That is never going to happen. He can buy dinner every night until the day I die, nothing will ever happen between him and me.”
“You’re saying that now, but admit it, it’s hot, and really nice of him to pay for our table. Had I known, I’d have gone crazy with the wine and food.”
I have no doubt that Marly would have picked the most expensive of everything on the menu.
“It is, but why does he have to do things like this and then be an asshole when we’re at work?” This is confusing me more than it should. The answer is simple. He is a jerk, end of.
“Men are a complicated breed. They keep saying they need a manual for women, but we are the ones who need one for them. Ours would be like two pages, theirs would be twenty freaking volumes of a t
housand pages each.” Caroline isn’t wrong, sadly. Men are so complicated.
Chapter 3
December 9
I’ve been setting up the final touches at the office on my own as Daniel is nowhere to be seen, as usual. He’s always leaving me to do everything and then takes the credit for the hard work put into it.
“I’m so sorry I’m late, Elisa. There was an incident on the tube and it took forever.”
Well, this is new. This is the first time he’s apologised for anything and he actually sounds sincere.
“What? Do I have something on my face?”
“No, this is just the first time you’ve said sorry for something. I was taking in it. I don’t think that’ll ever happen again in this century, that’s all.” I place the star on the top of the Christmas tree, proud of my work.
“Haha. Very funny.”
“You know as well as I do that I’m right.” I’ve got him cornered, and I look at him, daring him to say something.
When he doesn’t speak, I say, “Thank you for dinner last night. You didn’t have to do that.” It pains me to have to thank him for something he did, but I don’t want to be that much of a bitch, especially not with someone I have to see on a daily basis. The bickering is fun, but I don’t want to get to the point where we actually argue. It’d make working together unbearable.
“I wanted to. Did you enjoy your night after I left?”
What is he thinking? That I was sad he didn’t stick around?
“Yes, it was so peaceful and quiet, and we talked a load of shit about you.” A small laugh escapes my lips.
“You wound me, Elisa.”
“You’re a big boy. You’ll get over it.” To add to my comment, I tap his shoulder twice and nearly hurt my hand. He’s made of steel under that suit. I never imagined him to be this built.
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