Dear Boss: A Single Dad Office Romance (Forbidden First Times Book 3)

by Sofia T Summers

  “Quentin, is everything okay?” he asked. “You sounded mighty pissed when I heard you earlier.”

  I closed the door behind me and sighed. “It’s fucking Carmen again, Peter.”

  He let out a chuckle. “Well, I’m pretty sure the entire building knows that from how you were yelling her name earlier,” he teased with a wry smile.

  My face fell into my hands and I groaned. “Ugh, don’t remind me. I can’t believe I went off like that and at work of all places. I must have sounded like an idiot,” I said with a sigh.

  “It happens, buddy,” Peter said, quick to reassure me. “I’m just teasing you. No one really cares. I’m sorry Carmen’s causing trouble again. Seems like she can’t leave well enough alone.” Peter leaned back in his chair and tossed a pen from one hand to the other. “What did she want this time? Don’t tell me she wants custody of Linc?”

  I scoffed and rolled my eyes. “As if. She’s run out of money and started demanding more from me. She said she’s going to sue me for alimony even though she’s not entitled to any since she cheated on me.”

  “That’s rough,” Peter said sympathetically and winced. “What are you gonna do?”

  I sighed. “Right now, I’m going to spend time with Linc and try to forget about this whole mess.”

  “Sounds like a good idea. If you get any calls while you’re out of the office, just send them my way, okay?”

  I grinned. “You’re the best, Peter.”

  “I know, I know.”

  With the reassurance and support I needed from my best friend, I left work for the day and headed home. Once I arrived, I sent Nanny Mandy home early with a bonus for a good job before packing up a few of Lincoln’s toys and some spare clothes into a bag.

  “Daddy, what are you doing?” Lincoln asked, tilting his head to one side in a cute display of curiosity.

  “Well, Daddy was thinking maybe we should go spend some time at the park. What do you say?”

  Lincoln’s eyes lit up and he rushed forward to hug my legs. “Oh, yes! Yes! Thank you, Daddy!” he cried happily as he began bouncing up and down in excitement. “Let’s go, let’s go, let’s go!”

  “Okay, okay,” I replied with a laugh. It felt good to be in the presence of someone so innocent and pure. There was nothing Lincoln enjoyed more than an adventure out in the wilderness and I had to agree with him. It was one of the things we shared and as soon as we stepped foot into our local nature reserve, I took a deep breath in of fresh air and felt instantly calmed.

  “Shall we go for a hike, little buddy?” I asked, pointing toward a trail that led into the woods.

  “Yes! Dino wants to go for a hike!” Lincoln replied as he held up his favorite toy.

  “Well, we can’t disappoint Dino now, can we?” With a relaxed smile on my face, I began a slow walk toward the start of the trail with Lincoln hopping along beside me. After such a terrible start to the day, I was so at peace out here in nature. It always did put a smile on my face. Well, nature and Lincoln, my wonderful, amazing kid.

  23

  Billie

  My hands rummaged through my purse until I found the small stash of make-up I kept with me every day. It was just some core essentials like mascara, concealer, and a nude lipstick, but it always did the job of brightening my spirits during a rough day. Today, I was feeling more on edge than usual because I hadn’t seen Quentin since his angry phone call two days ago. I should have felt relieved that I was getting the chance to stay away from him, but my heart ached for him.

  What happened with Carmen? Is he okay? Should I ask Peter? Is it my place to ask anything? Those questions swirled around my head all morning and it was making me sick. I tried so hard to focus on the positives as I tapped away on my keyboard a little absentmindedly. No Quentin means no sex, no sex means no complications, no complications means a better life, I reiterated to myself.

  It didn’t work, however. No matter what I did, I couldn’t stop myself from missing him. I was already in far too deep and it scared me.

  My phone rang and my heart skipped a beat. Quentin? It was the first thought that came to mind. I hurriedly grabbed my phone from my purse and shoved my make-up away. However, disappointment overwhelmed me when I saw that it wasn’t my boss. It was Carla.

  I took a deep breath and hit the ‘answer’ button. “Hey, Carla! Is everything all right?” I asked breezily, attempting not to give away how crappy I felt.

  “Yes, doll! Everything is fabulous as ever!” she replied cheerily. “I was just calling to see if you wanted to have dinner with me tonight? I know you said last week you wanted me to meet your new work friend and I thought to myself: There’s no time like the present!”

  I smiled. Carla had quickly become a very good friend of mine and her constant positive attitude was always refreshing. It was surprising since Carla was actually a widow. Despite only being in her forties, her husband had died from a sudden heart attack. While she might flirt or make comments about men, she’d never dated anyone since. It was safe to say, however, that the tragedy had taught her to seize every moment in life.

  “Okay, that sounds great,” I agreed. “Where shall we go?”

  “Rumor has it a new Japanese place has opened up just outside of town,” Carla suggested.

  I screwed my face up. “Ew, no. Raw fish? Yuck!”

  Carla tutted at me. “Not all Japanese food is raw, Billie!” she corrected. “You’ve got a lot to learn about the big wide world girl.”

  “Well, can I learn about it in a nice cozy French cafe?” I teased with a laugh.

  Carla chuckled. “Okay, fine. We’ll go to that little French place around the corner from our house. Just make sure you tell Tracy to get there for seven. I’ll call them up now and let them know we’re coming.”

  “Perfect. See you later.”

  “Sayonara, Billie!” Carla called with a laugh before the phone disconnected.

  I rolled my eyes. “That woman is a menace,” I muttered to myself, but the smile on my face said everything about how much affection I felt for her. I carried on with my work for a few more minutes while I daydreamed about French onion soup when I heard a knock on the door and suddenly, Peter was peeking in.

  “Sorry to disturb you, Billie,” he began in a polite voice.

  “Oh, it’s no problem at all,” I replied with a kind smile. “What’s up?”

  “I just wanted to let you know there’s a staff meeting tomorrow morning,” Peter began with a nod. “Everyone is going to be there and its at nine o’clock sharp. Make sure you wear comfy clothes.”

  “You got it,” I responded before the last phrase caught up to me. Just as I was about to ask him what he meant by ‘comfy clothes’, Peter had already disappeared again. I shook my head and tried not to think too much about it. Instead, I opted for focusing on my work and getting the essentials out of the way so I could go downstairs and invite Tracy out.

  It only took me an hour or so to finish up my afternoon tasks. As soon as I was done, I slipped out of my office and practically tip-toed down the stairs, wanting to avoid Quentin if he was around. Once I reached the kitchen, I could see Tracy’s bright blonde hair straight away. Before I could reach her, however, I was accosted.

  “Billie!” the head chef Marco greeted affectionately. “What brings you to our neck of the woods?”

  Marco was a fairly handsome guy. From what I could gather, he was in his early thirties and divorced. He was tall, had a medium build with black hair and blue eyes. He’d let his stubble grow out a little today and it gave him a rugged sort of look. If I wasn’t so hung up on Quentin, I might’ve asked him out.

  “I’m here to see Tracy if you’ll let me take her away from you for a minute or two,” I responded, practically batting my eyelashes at him in the hopes of being able to steal my friend away.

  “Oh, how could I ever deny such a harmless request from such a beautiful lady!” Marco remarked before winking at me. “She’s all yours.”

  �
��Thanks, Marco.” I smiled at him before crossing the tiled floor toward my friend. “Tracy!” I called.

  She was chopping vegetables and looking engrossed in her work when I called her, but as soon as she heard my voice, her head snapped up. “Billie! What are you doing here?” she asked.

  “I’m here to rescue you,” I told her as I wiggled my eyebrows.

  Tracy laughed. “Have you been flirting with my boss to get me extra breaks?” she asked with a grin.

  “Trust me, I did not flirt. Marco is the flirt. You’ve seen what he’s like with all the girls,” I replied with a shrug.

  “Not all of them. Not with me,” Tracy explained and arched her eyebrow.

  I sensed the conversation was being steered in a direction I didn’t want to go down so I cleared my throat and shook my head. “Anyway, come outside for some fresh air with me and I’ll tell you why I’m here,” I told her.

  “Lead the way.”

  The two of us walked the familiar route to the back door of the kitchen which led out near the fields. The fresh air around us was fruity scented and I inhaled deeply. The sun was still high in the sky and shining down on us, warming my exposed skin. I turned to Tracy with a smile.

  “Dinner tonight? My friend Carla wants to meet you finally,” I explained.

  Tracy gave me a sunny smile. “That sounds wonderful,” she agreed. “I don’t have any plans so I’m happy to come.”

  “Great! I’ll text you the address. Carla wants us to get there for seven, okay?”

  Tracy nodded. “Is that all you wanted me for?” she asked.

  “Yeah, any excuse to get away from my office for a little bit,” I said with a laugh. “I feel so cooped up in there sometimes.”

  “At least you don’t work in a kitchen full of men with four stoves on full,” Tracy remarked.

  We both laughed. “Yeah, that’s true,” I replied, still chuckling. “But hey, while I’ve got you here, do you know anything about tomorrow?”

  “Tomorrow?” Tracy repeated with an arched eyebrow.

  “Yeah, Peter told me there’s a staff meeting, but he told me to wear ‘comfy clothes’,” I explained with a wrinkled nose. “What on Earth am I in for?”

  Tracy laughed and reached out to pat my shoulder. “Oh, that. Don’t worry. It’s just a little tradition here at this time of year. Quentin orders food from outside the vineyard to give the kitchen staff a break and we all show up in pajamas or loungewear for this one time ‘casual Friday,” she explained. “It’s mostly like a regular Friday staff meeting, but the focus is on socializing rather than business. Everyone talks about the vineyard and their departments and then Quentin basically gives us all the day off. People usually hang around just eating and drinking and chatting the day away.”

  Hearing about it made my heart race. I couldn’t believe I was going to spend such a casual day at the office tomorrow with Quentin. What would he be wearing? I pondered. For that matter, what should I wear? There’s nothing sexy about my pajamas… I shook my head and told myself off. I didn’t need to look sexy. That was a dangerous thought.

  “I can’t wait! You’ll have to make sure you come to see me,” I said and elbowed Tracy teasingly.

  “Of course, I wouldn’t miss it.”

  With that settled, Tracy and I both headed back to work to finish up our shifts for the day. I had a lot to look forward to and it put me in much better spirits. In the end, I managed to finish work without giving Quentin another thought.

  When I arrived home, Carla was waiting for me outside already dressed and ready to go out. “Good day at work?” she asked with a smile.

  “It was fine,” I answered with a shrug. “Let me just change into some comfier clothes and I’ll be right out.”

  Carla nodded. “No rush, I was just enjoying the sun.”

  Inside, I hurried to feed Lucky her dinner before quickly showering and shoving on a linen dress with some thin stockings. Once I was back outside, I was brimming with excitement about the evening ahead.

  “My car or yours?” I asked Carla.

  “I was thinking we could walk,” she replied. “It’s not far and that way we can drink whatever we want.”

  I rolled my eyes. “I do still have work tomorrow, Carla.”

  “Come on, girl. Live a little,” she said with a big toothy grin before grabbing my arm. “One drink won’t kill you.”

  We took a nice leisurely stroll toward the French place as we both enjoyed the California sunshine and the sounds of the town around us. Carla told me about a new business venture she was planning on setting up as we walked and I listened happily, my mind completing forgetting about my boss and all the problems I’d been having.

  “Billie!” Tracy shouted from outside the restaurant as we approached. She was wearing a pair of comfy gray yoga pants and a loose-fitted peasant blouse. She looked great and I was happy to see her again.

  “Tracy, hey!” I called back. We crossed the street and caught up with her.

  “And you must be Carla,” Tracy greeted. “I’ve heard a lot about you.”

  “All of it good, I hope,” Carla retorted with a smile.

  “I can’t promise that,” Tracy joked.

  “I like her!” Carla declared.

  All three of us headed inside together to the faint aroma of vanilla candles and some soft acoustic music. It was the perfect setting to relax. The hostess soon took us to our small little table by the window and I took my seat happily.

  “Drinks girls?” Carla asked with a wiggle of her eyebrows.

  “Sure,” Tracy agreed.

  “Great. I was thinking margaritas…” Carla commented.

  I scoffed. “Do they even make margaritas at a French place like this?”

  “They will for me!” Carla declared, much to my amusement.

  The rest of the night passed in a blur of laughter, too many drinks, and a lot of dirty jokes from Carla. The whole experience really refreshed me and I was beginning to see how I could fit in within this town. It was something I didn’t want to ruin. For that reason, I still hadn’t told Tracy about my little fling with Quentin and I didn’t plan to. After all, the past could stay there for all I cared. I was moving on. Quentin was bad for me and I had no other choice.

  Tracy raised her third margarita in the air and grinned over at Carla and me. “To us wonderful ladies!” she toasted.

  I raised my glass. “To us.”

  24

  Quentin

  When Friday morning arrived, all thoughts of Carmen had been banished from my mind. I was focused on Lincoln and having an enjoyable time at the office that day. Once I parked up the car in the parking lot, I helped Lincoln out of his car seat and straightened out his dinosaur onesie that he’d insisted on wearing today. I opted for my old college sweatshirt and a pair of well-loved sweatpants. I was comfortable, but not totally underdressed. After all, even if it was a casual day, I was still the CEO.

  “Daddy, is Billie here today?” Lincoln asked as we walked toward the entrance. “I want to see Billie!”

  I tried my best to keep the smile on my face, but I was starting to regret bringing Lincoln with me today. He was a wonderful child and I loved his company, but there was just something about Billie that had charmed him. Well, I guess that makes two of us, I admitted glumly.

  “Um, she should be, buddy, but I--”

  “Yay! I can’t wait to see her!” Lincoln enthused and I couldn’t bring myself to crush his spirit. After all, I didn’t want my own feelings to dampen my son’s day. That was just cruel.

  Instead, however, I ruffled his hair and tapped his back. “Come on, let’s hurry inside,” I said before picking up the pace. The meeting was being held in the staff room - the only place that could fit the entire staff - and I grabbed Lincoln to guide him through the building.

  “I’m tired,” Lincoln complained about halfway up the stairs. “These stairs are too big!”

  I chuckled. “Come here, buddy. I’ll help you.” I
lifted him up and hoisted him onto my shoulders for the rest of the climb. “Is that better?”

  Lincoln didn’t answer me, however. He was much more excited about something else. “Daddy, I’m so big now! I’m taller than Daddy!” he declared loudly.

  “Shush,” I said with a laugh. “You don’t want everyone to know we’re coming, do you? I thought this was a secret mission.”

  Lincoln’s eyes grew wide and he grinned. “Yes, secret mission!” he repeated with glee. “Time to find Billie!”

  I had to resist the urge to roll my eyes. I supposed it was normal kid behavior. Lots of kids became attached to friends, aunts or uncles, and even nannies. It was just a phase. Lincoln would get over it… I hoped.

  As soon as we entered the lounge area, I was delightfully surprised that all the preparation had been taken care of already. There were balloons hanging up on the walls with streamers and lots of buffet food was already laid out on the tables alongside coffee pots and jugs of juice and water. With a crinkle of my eyebrows, I looked around before finally my eyes settled on Peter.

  My best friend stood in the corner nursing a cup of coffee. As soon as our eyes met, he smiled and lifted the cup toward me. It was clear he’d come in early to do everything for me and I was grateful. My week had been so stressful with Carmen and Billie that it was just one less thing to do.

  Other people began streaming in behind Lincoln and I which caused the five-year-old to start wriggling impatiently. “Down, Daddy! Let me down!” he demanded.

  “Okay, okay,” I muttered as I shook my head. Children were terribly impatient and Lincoln felt like the most impatient of them all at times. I crouched down and lowered him to the floor. It only took a moment to realize what had caused his fuss.

  When I straightened back up, I watched Lincoln run eagerly across the room. He bounded along, dodging between legs of so many people, on his way. His journey didn’t last long. Soon, he was approaching the person he was most excited to see. I watched Lincoln practically throw himself at Billie. She smiled brightly as he approached and managed to catch him mid-air. My heart ached as she swung him around with ease and bounced him up and down playfully. They were too far away for me to hear their conversation and I wasn’t sure whether that was a good or a bad thing.