Hating the Boss

by Kristen Granata

  I’m the responsible one.

  I’m the dependable one.

  Don’t think I don’t see the irony in this situation as I’m crawling around my apartment on my hands and knees.

  After the lawyer gave me the ring, I set the box on top of my dresser. Smack in the middle. I’ve been meaning to buy a safe or a lockbox to put it in, but things have been hectic ever since I interviewed for the new job.

  I’d forgotten about the ring. But I hadn’t touched it, so it has to be here.

  I spend the rest of my afternoon tearing the place apart. I check in the most ridiculous places, knowing damn well it wouldn’t be inside the oven or behind the toilet.

  I’d put it in my room. On my dresser. Yet it’s not here.

  My minds drifts to thoughts of Raegan. Only this time, instead of images of her smile, her eyes, or her naked body, it ends up on a grim discovery.

  Did Raegan steal the ring?

  I’ve taken plenty of girls back to my apartment over the years. Never have I been robbed. But my grandmother’s ring is gone, and coincidentally, so is Raegan. Maybe she left because she took something that didn’t belong to her. She saw an opportunity and seized it while I was asleep.

  Call me naïve, but I didn’t get that vibe from Raegan. I know she was a stranger, but she seemed like a sweet girl. Genuine.

  Turns out she’s nothing but a con artist. She didn’t even have to sleep with me to get what she wanted.

  Guess I’m a sucker for a pretty face.

  The thought settles into my mind like a planted seed.

  Raegan stole the ring.

  How am I going to explain this one to Dad?

  My hand shakes as I turn the knob to enter my parents’ house.

  The delicious scent of garlic fills my nostrils, but my stomach doesn’t growl like it normally does. I’m about to tell my father that his mother’s ring, our family heirloom, has been stolen.

  All because I couldn’t keep my dick in my pants.

  “You’re late, Golden Boy.” Josh strides toward the entryway, beer already in hand.

  I level my brother with a look. “I told you not to call me that.”

  “Which is exactly why I do.”

  I roll my eyes and shoulder past him to find Dad.

  At the end of the hallway, the door to Dad’s office is open. I knock on the doorframe and step inside.

  He glances in my direction before returning his eyes to his computer screen. “Is dinner ready? I’m almost done.”

  I close the door and lock it so Josh won’t be able to barge in. He’s the last person I want to hear the news I’m about to break to Dad.

  “I need to talk to you about something.” I take a seat in the leather chair opposing Dad’s large oak desk.

  He swivels in his chair to face me and folds his hands on the desk. “What’s wrong?”

  Releasing a shaky breath, I blurt it out before I lose my nerve. “I can’t find Nana’s ring.”

  His eyebrows pinch together. “What do you mean you can’t find it?”

  I run my fingers through my hair, pulling at the ends in frustration. “I’ve looked everywhere for it. I thought I left it on my dresser, but this morning I woke up and it’s gone.”

  His mouth hangs open for what feels like an eternity. “That’s impossible. If it was on your dresser, it couldn’t’ve gone anywhere. Did you search the room?”

  “I turned the entire apartment upside-down. It’s not there.”

  “How can that be?”

  I swallow past the boulder lodged in my throat. “I brought a girl home last night. When I woke up, she was gone.”

  “What does this have to do with …” His words trail off as his brain connects the missing pieces.

  I cover my face with both hands and a strangled groan escapes from my throat. “I’m not sure she took it, but it would explain how the ring went missing.”

  “Of course she took it.” Dad’s face reddens, and I can hear the disappointment in his voice. “You need to call the police.”

  “And say what? A girl might’ve stolen my grandmother’s ring, but I don’t know who she is or where she lives?”

  Dad sets his glasses on the desk and scrubs a hand over his face. “Can’t you call her?”

  I look down at my lap when I say, “We didn’t exchange numbers.”

  Dad sighs and rocks back in his chair. “This is something I’d expect from Josh.”

  I cringe. “I know.”

  “We can’t tell your mother about this.”

  I nod. “What should I do?”

  “File a report with the police. Notify any pawn shops in the area. If that girl stole your ring, she’s looking for money. As for your mother and Josh,” he says, pushing out of his chair. “You tell them nothing.”

  I hate lying. Despise it. I’d been on the receiving end of a huge, dirty lie once, and I’ve vowed never to make anyone feel like that. Now I have to lie to the most important people in my life.

  Anger, pain, regret, and guilt swell, creating the perfect storm inside my gut.

  I make a new promise to myself: If I ever lay eyes on Raegan again, I’m going to make her pay.

  Days Left Until School Starts: 2

  Raegan

  “I can’t believe we’re back. It feels like summer just started.”

  Andrea groans. “It always goes by too quickly. Two months is not enough of a break for all the hard work we put in during the other ten months.”

  “I wonder who our new principal is going to be.” I click my pen as I look around the faculty room. “Everyone in here is chomping at the bit.”

  “Hey, Rae.” Chris, the school’s physical education teacher, waves from the next table. “How was your summer?”

  “It was good. How was yours?”

  “Not bad. Went by too fast, of course. You look great.”

  I smile as my cheeks redden. “Thanks. Lost some weight.”

  Several teachers turn around to survey me. I sit up a little straighter in my chair. Between meal prepping, running, and kickboxing, I’d worked my ass off this summer. Lost fifteen pounds.

  Take that, Andrew.

  Not that I did it for him. I did it for me. I don’t want to die early from unhealthy eating.

  Take that, diabetes.

  Susan Faye, one of the veteran teachers at our school, offers me a sad smile. “I heard about your divorce. Welcome to the club.”

  I cringe inwardly. “Thanks, Sue.”

  “You gonna ditch us for the divorcee’s club?” Kerry whispers.

  I roll my eyes. Before I can answer, the door swings open and our new principal strides into the room.

  Mary and Andrea fist-bump under the table. “Finally, a male principal,” Andrea whispers.

  Tall, lean frame. Perfectly-fitting dark grey suit with a pastel pink shirt underneath. I love when men wear pink. My eyes drag up his body until they reach his flawless, tan—wait, I recognize that face.

  And all the air leaves my lungs.

  Holyshitmotherfuckingcocksuckerasscrack.

  I must be dreaming.

  This has to be a dream.

  There is no way my one-and-only-one-in-my-whole-life-night stand is my new boss.

  They say to pinch yourself if you’re dreaming, right?

  Ouch. Nope. Jaxon is still standing at that podium.

  “Is she breathing?” Kerry whispers.

  “I don’t know,” Andrea says. “Beck, hold a mirror under her nose.”

  Becca leans in. “You okay, Rae?”

  My eyes remain locked on him. “What is he doing here?”

  “Looks like he’s our new principal.”

  I tear my eyes away and cover my face with my hands. This cannot be happening. “I’ll have to dye my hair. Maybe just shave it all off. I can wear a disguise all year, right?”

  “My cousin can make you a sick hunchback.” Kerry nods, completely serious. “It’ll look real, I swear.”

  “You’d look ho
t as a redhead,” Mary chimes in.

  I use the back of my pen to scratch my thigh. I always break out in hives whenever I get anxious. Maybe I won’t need the disguise after all. I’ll be so red and blotchy, Jaxon won’t be able to recognize me.

  I steal another glance in his direction. He’s spotted me, and the way he’s staring at me confirms that he does recognize me.

  Shit, shit, shit, shit, shit, shit, shit.

  “Maybe he won’t remember you,” Kerry whispers.

  Mary shakes her head. “He definitely remembers her. Look at that smirk.”

  Becca points to my lap. “Rae, your leg!”

  The pen I was scratching myself with—the one I thought I’d clicked closed—was open. As if this moment couldn’t get any more humiliating for me, there are now black zigzags drawn all over my knee.

  Mary snatches the pen from my grip while Sammi digs a tissue out of her purse and dips it into her water bottle.

  I scrub my leg, but the ink only smears. “What is this, permanent ink?”

  “Try this.” Becca squirts hand sanitizer on my thigh.

  I rub the clear gel into my skin and an intense heat creeps up my leg. “This fucking burns, Becca.”

  “I’m sorry!”

  Andrea dabs lotion onto my leg. “This might help the burning.”

  I swat her hand away. “Okay, can we stop mixing random shit on my body, please?”

  Our heads jerk up when we hear the sound of chairs scraping against the floor. Everyone is standing and heading towards the door. The meeting must be over.

  I shoot up out of my seat. “I have to get out of here before he—”

  “Raegan?”

  His deep voice sends a shiver down my spine. There’s no escape. It’s time to face the music.

  I spin on my heels and force a smile. “Jaxon. I mean, Mr. Waters. Or is it Dr. Waters? Are you a doctor? You look too young to have your doctorate. Then again, I look too young to be divorced and here I am. But you knew that already. Unless you don’t remember. I don’t remember much from that night, to be honest. That’ll be the last time I drink like that. I haven’t had a drink since actually. Wow. I guess this was the job you were celebrating.” I laugh, trying to seem nonchalant but a strange, high-pitched sound escapes my throat—something like a cross between a bird and a hyena.

  “Someone find her off switch,” Kerry whispers.

  Jaxon grins. His hair is perfectly quaffed, lips smooth as butter. He oozes power and control. The man is gorgeous.

  And here I am with blotches all over my skin and ink scribbled onto my leg like a damn toddler.

  “It’s Mr. Waters. No doctorate yet. But you can call me Jax.” He turns to the girls. “Nice to see you again, ladies.”

  “Hi, Jax.” Mary nudges Becca. “Let’s leave these two to talk. We have a lot of work to do in our rooms.”

  My friends scurry out of the room despite my pleading eyes.

  “Didn’t think I’d ever see you again,” Jaxon says.

  “Trust me, neither did I.”

  “Almost thought I’d dreamed it.” He chuckles and rubs the back of his neck. “I woke up and you were gone.”

  My cheeks flame. “I figured it would be easier if I left. Didn’t want things to be awkward.”

  “Why would it be awkward?”

  “I know this might sound cliché but I’ve never done anything like that before.”

  “Like that?” he echoes.

  “Sex with a stranger. I thought it’d be weird in the morning. I was pretty mortified when I woke up.”

  His eyebrow arches. “You really don’t remember what happened?”

  “Sorry. I know that must not feel great for your ego.”

  “We didn’t have sex, Raegan.”

  My mouth pops open. “But we went back to your apartment. I woke up completely naked in your bed.”

  He chuckles. “I was going down on you but you ran to the bathroom and threw up. You were in there for half the night before I carried you to bed.”

  My hand flies up to cover my mouth and my eyes squeeze shut. Unbelievable. The universe sends me the sexiest man alive, and I puke and pass out. “I am so sorry.”

  He shakes his head. “Don’t worry about it.”

  I offer him a sheepish smile. “Thanks for not taking advantage of me in my drunken state.”

  “Of course. What kind of lowlife person would I be if I took advantage of a girl while she was drunk?” He edges closer and trails his fingers down my arm. “But I guess someone like you would expect that sort of thing.”

  My spine stiffens as my eyes flick up to his. “What?”

  His fingers wrap around my wrist and tighten. “You know all about taking advantage of someone, don’t you, Raegan?”

  Jaxon

  I’d practiced my first speech as principal for a month straight. I wrote it on index cards and recited the lines in the mirror. When I walked into the faculty room today, I felt prepared.

  What I hadn’t been prepared for was seeing Raegan sitting amongst the faculty.

  It’s not the long, blond hair that slaps me with recognition. Not the luscious lips, or the perfect pair of tits stretching against the straps of her tank top.

  No. It’s the wide green eyes blinking at me in shock.

  The ones filled with fear and guilt.

  They’re the eyes of a thief who’s been caught.

  I tried to play it cool when I approached her, but I couldn’t stop myself from reaching out and seizing her arm.

  “You know all about taking advantage of someone, don’t you, Raegan?”

  “What are you talking about?” Raegan pulls her arm back, but I only tighten my grip.

  I can’t believe what a good actress she is. She must get away with this shit all the time. “Drop the act. We both know what you did. What you took.”

  “Please let go of me, Jaxon. I don’t know what you think I took but I can assure you, I don’t have anything that belongs to you.”

  I bark out a laugh. “You sound believable, you really do. You sure as shit had me fooled. How many other guys have you done this to? How much have you made from this little game?”

  Her eyebrows pinch together and her jaw clenches. “I don’t know what you’re talking about, but if you don’t let go of me, I’m going to scream.”

  What am I doing? This isn’t me. I don’t put my hands on women. Even if she is a cunning little thief. I drop her wrist and take a step back.

  Raegan bolts to the door and disappears into the hallway before I can say another word. She could go straight to Human Resources and I’d lose my job in a heartbeat. I need to be smart about this. I have no proof that she stole anything from me. It’s her word against mine.

  But the universe practically put Raegan in my lap. I have a chance to get that ring back. Just need to figure out how to get her to confess that she stole it.

  She thought she could get away with her little disappearing act. But this is my school. I’m her boss, and she’s going to have to play by my rules.

  Raegan

  “What the hell am I going to do?”

  The girls are just as shocked as I am, watching me pace the floor in Becca’s classroom.

  “Do you have any bruising?” Kerry asks.

  I turn my wrist over and shake my head. “No. He didn’t squeeze me that hard.”

  She shrugs. “We can help you with that.”

  “What are you suggesting?” Mary asks.

  “I’m just saying, the guy’s obviously a psychopath. If Rae shows up at the admin building with bruises on her arm, Jaxon will be fired so fast it’ll make his head spin.”

  “It could also ruin his life.” Sammi turns to me. “What does he think you stole?”

  I spread my arms out wide. “I have no idea! This is insane. How am I supposed to work with a guy that’s convinced I took something from him after our night of almost-sex together?”

  Silence again.

  Andrea stands. “Why don�
��t we go confront him together? We’ll be your witnesses. Maybe you two can have a civil conversation and clear up this obvious misunderstanding.” She pushes her knuckles against her palms until they crack. “And if he tries anything, we’ll kick his ass.”

  “Simmer down, Black Widow.” Kerry nudges her with her elbow. “We need to be smart about this. He’s our principal now. He can make our lives miserable for the next one-hundred and eighty days.”

  I groan, sinking into a kid-sized chair. “This school year is off to a horrible start and it hasn’t even begun.”

  “This is the last thing you need to worry about.” Becca runs her fingers through her hair, and I can see the wheels spinning in her mind. “In two days, over 120 five-year olds are going to storm through those doors and our awesome summer lives will be over. I say you go in your room, pretend like this never happened, and prepare for the school year. You told Jax you didn’t steal anything. Maybe he’ll drop it.”

  I chew my bottom lip. “I don’t know. He seemed pretty angry.”

  “It’s your word against his. He has no proof. He has no solid leg to stand on. If he lost something, that’s on him.”

  “She’s right, Rae.” Kerry stands and pushes in her chair. “Let’s go set up our rooms and forget about him. We’ve got work to do.”

  “Keep your doors open, ladies,” Andrea says. “If Principal Fuckwad comes down this hallway, we’ll hear him.”

  I walk next door to my classroom in a daze. There’s so much to do to set up for the upcoming school year, but I can’t concentrate on anything.

  Here I thought all I’d have to worry about was explaining my maiden name to my co-workers. But my divorce pales in comparison to this.

  My boss thinks I stole something from his apartment.

  My boss who saw me naked.

  My boss who went down on me.

  Things just went from bad to worse.

  Principal Fuckwad stayed away from me for the remainder of the day.

  I set up half of my classroom, but the rest will have to wait until tomorrow. I’m exhausted and just want to go home.

  The girls and I are about to leave when we pass the main office, and my conscience tugs me back. “I think I’m going to try to talk to Jaxon one more time.”