Modern Girl's Guide to Office Romance

by Gina Drayer

  Two blocks away from the house, his phone rang. He hit the answer button, and afraid Kira was calling to end things, he apologized before she could say anything.

  “I’m sorry. You’re right, I don’t know what I’m talking about. You have every right to be angry.”

  “This is a first,” a familiar female voice said. “Usually, I have to yell at you for days before I get an apology.”

  “Hi, Mom,” Jason said, gripping the wheel tighter. “I thought you were someone else. Is there something you need?”

  “I figured as much,” she said with a chuckle. “I was just calling to see what day you were coming home for Thanksgiving. I need to make sure the spare bedroom is ready. It’s weird having to fix up the extra bedroom for one my kids. You kids have always lived close by. If now’s not a good time, I can call back.”

  “I’m not sure about Thanksgiving, Mom.” He wasn’t sure about anything right now. He’d been considering asking Kira and Riley to join him not more than a couple of hours ago. And now, he wasn’t sure what the hell he was going to do over the holiday.

  “But you are still coming, right?”

  “Yes, I’m just not sure when I’ll be there.”

  “Does this have something to do with the person who’s angry at you?” his mom asked.

  Over the years, Jason had suspected his mother could read his mind. Maybe it was some kind of supernatural ability granted to mothers because Kira seemed to have it, too.

  “I’ll be home. Don’t you worry.” Jason was going to leave it at that, but there was something about the sound of his mother’s voice that brought him back to when he was a kid. And right now he needed his mom’s advice. “There is someone,” he said and took a deep breath. “I was hoping to introduce you. I know you’d love her, but I’m worried that I may have messed things up tonight.”

  By the time he’d pulled into the parking garage of his apartment, he’d managed to recap the entire night, leaving out the earlier naked parts.

  “Oh, sweetheart,” she sighed, “you sound just like your father. He always had thoughts about what I should be feeling and it used to make me so mad. When it comes to a mother’s love, things aren’t always rational. I realize you were trying to help, but that wasn’t the best way to do it.”

  “Yeah, I’m kind of getting that now,” Jason said, rubbing the back of his neck. “I’m just not sure what I should have said.”

  “If she was your wife and this was your child, I’d say the best thing you could have done was back her up. Present a united front. But since this is just a woman you’re dating—”

  “I’m not just dating her. She’s my girlfriend. I’m …” Jason trailed off. He couldn’t tell his mother that he was head-over-heels in love with her before he even told Kira. “It’s a lot more serious than that.”

  “Oh. Then the best advice I can give you is to talk to her about what happened tonight when the two of you aren’t so raw. I hope things work out for you, sweetheart.”

  “Me, too.”

  They said their goodbyes and Jason slogged up to his empty apartment. He might not be happy about the way the night ended, but it did cement one thing in his mind; Kira was the woman he’d been searching for all these years. And he wouldn’t let go without a fight.

  Chapter 17

  Talk it Out

  As soon as you realize there might be something to this relationship, talk about the future. It’s not an easy conversation, but it’s one you need to have. Discuss how you’re going to handle work and home life, questions from co-workers, even office social gatherings. Talking about these situations will give you both peace of mind.

  * * *

  It was a long-ass weekend. Jason had called Saturday morning to check up on Riley, but Kira hadn’t answered. He didn’t bother to leave a message. What could he really say in a few seconds?

  Once his anger and frustration from the prior night had faded, he saw her point. Kira had been raising Riley all by her herself for years and he had no idea what it was like for her.

  He had wanted to apologize and make up—get back to how they had been before. But he couldn’t do that if she kept avoiding him. He could tell she wasn’t particularly interested in having that conversation. Yet. So he let her have the weekend to be with her daughter.

  Come Monday morning, Jason decided to take his mother’s advice. They were going to fix this before it became an issue. He came in early and waited in the break room, knowing she wouldn’t be far behind.

  Just like clockwork, Kira walked in at a quarter to eight.

  “Good morning,” he said after she turned on the lights.

  She jumped and spun around, knocking the box of pastries she’d just set down over the edge of the counter. Jason snatched it before it hit the ground.

  “Oh! You scared me,” she said on an exhale and pressed a hand against her chest. “I didn’t think anyone else was here. Why were you sitting in the dark?”

  She was beautiful this morning, dressed up for their meeting. The powder blue suit was new. It was professional while still showing off her fantastic curves, and a nice change from her usual long, conservative dresses. He wanted to compliment her, but other things needed to be said first.

  “I wanted to see you before work,” he said, putting the box down on the counter. “I thought we should talk.”

  Kira raised an eyebrow and sighed. “Is there something you need before our meeting?” She was trying to play coy, but he wouldn’t let her.

  “How’s Riley?” he asked, trying to ease into the conversation.

  “She’s fine. If that’s all”—she reached past him for the pastry box—“I should set up for the PowerSport meeting.”

  This was turning out to be harder than expected. Jason caught her arm before she could shut him down completely. “Kira, are we okay?”

  “Jason,” she said on a long sigh and pinched the bridge of her nose. “I don’t think—”

  “Don’t,” he said, stopping her. “Don’t you dare say you don’t think it’s going to work out.” He caught her chin and tilted her head up until she met his gaze. “Because I won’t let you. I don’t know what I’d do without you.”

  Kira sucked in a breath, a pretty blush coloring her cheeks, and shook her head. “I was just going to say that I don’t think we have enough time to talk. I don’t want things to end either,” she said, pressing her cheek into his hand. “But if we’re going to make this work, I need to know I can count on you to have my back.”

  “Of course,” he said with relief. “Always.”

  “You can’t just say the words, Jason. You have to show me with your actions. Cole always minimized my concerns, made me feel small. I don’t want that again.” He tried to argue, but Kira held up her hand. “I know you were just trying to help, but …” Kira looked up at the clock and sighed. “This is a much longer conversation than we have time for. The client is going to be here in twenty minutes. We’ll go to lunch after the meeting and talk.”

  She rose up on her toes and kissed him softly, then picked up the box of pastries and slipped out of the break room. She had a point; he couldn’t focus on their issues right now. The CEO of PowerSport was coming in for a post-campaign wrap. Kira had spent the last week putting together a killer presentation for this client. His first big client. They were going to decide if they wanted to sign a year-long contract—which was a huge deal. If they signed, it would mean that he’d done something right this time.

  He spent the rest of the morning concentrating on preparing for the PowerSport meeting, and forced Kira from his mind. Even though the CEO was making noise about signing with them, this still wasn’t completely in the bag. Everything had to be perfect.

  Of course, he shouldn’t have worried. Kira always made sure everything was in order, and today was no exception. By the time PowerSport arrived, Jason was confident that things would work out. He shook hands with the CEO, Darryl Trenton, and introduced him to his team.

  “T
hank you for coming in today,” Jason said as he was introduced to each person. “We’re really pleased that the back-to-school campaign was such a success. And we look forward to taking care of your future needs.”

  Mr. Trenton nodded and took his seat, waving Kira over. “Sweetheart, is this decaf?”

  Kira bristled at his familiar tone but, ever the professional, didn’t let him see or hear it. “I remembered from last time we met. I made sure to set out an extra pot of decaf just for you.”

  Trenton smiled and turned back to Jason, dismissing her without a word. “You run a tight ship around here. Now, let’s see what your numbers have to say.”

  He was a tall, middle-aged man with a receding hairline and a bit of a paunch. If Jason could describe the CEO with any one adjective, it would be craggy. He rather looked like he’d been carved from a mountain and then given human form.

  They went over the sales numbers and spent the rest of the meeting talking about future projects. Kira was a silent force, assisting with the handouts, providing figures when Jason drew a blank, and answering any questions on procedures that he wasn’t sure about. Jason never had to ask her to do something; she knew ahead of time what was needed. They worked like a well-oiled machine.

  And he realized this is what she’d meant. Kira had his back, no matter what.

  All in all, the meeting went well. By the end, PowerSport signed the contracts. Jason was stoked, and he couldn’t help but feel proud. Not just of what he had managed to do in a few short months, but also of the hard work the team put in. Everyone had pulled together on this one. And more importantly, he hadn’t screwed it up.

  After the meeting, Jason stood and shook hands with Mr. Trenton again.

  “We appreciate all of your hard work on this. I’ve worked with a lot of ad agencies over the years, and I’m amazed at how well you run things,” Mr. Trenton said. “I have a feeling this is going to be just the thing to get us back in gear.”

  “Thank you, and I’m very excited that you all have decided to sign on with us. You won’t regret it.”

  “I don’t doubt that,” Trenton said. “I appreciate all the information you provided.”

  “Now that things are up and running, you’ll get monthly reports,” Kira added. “And we can schedule regular meetings like this on, if you’d like.”

  Trenton handed Kira his empty coffee cup and slapped Jason’s shoulder. “I like you, boy. I can tell you’re dedicated to your work, and I knew we’d be fools not to sign on. A good leader is key to any project, I always say. You really made it easy to sign. Oh, that photographer you found? It was a big risk for a sports brand, going with a runway photographer, but it was perfect. You have a good eye.”

  “Thank you,” Jason said again. “I thought she was a good fit.”

  Kira huffed behind him and Jason turned just in time to see her leave loaded down with coffee carafes. He shook Mr. Trenton’s hand one last time and walked him to the elevator. Relief washed over him. He’d done it. With Kira’s help, he’d managed to pull off this project.

  Now that the meeting was over, he had only one thing left on his agenda: Kira.

  Sitting at her desk, Kira was so angry, she was shaking. Darryl Trenton was a piece of work. She was used to sexist pigs, but hearing Jason take credit for her work like that, right in front of her, was too much. Did he really think she wouldn’t mind? She started typing on her keyboard so hard she broke a nail. Great. Taking a deep breath, she tried to calm down.

  But really, what had he been thinking? She had just told him that his actions were more important than his words. Taking credit for her work, was that really the action he wanted her to see? Or had it been simple thoughtlessness? Kim had called him immature. Maybe she was right. Maybe Kira was expecting too much from him.

  Then again, maybe he was just a jerk and she was just now realizing it. Why else would he take full credit on a project they’d both worked on—one that would have been a total disaster without her? She gritted her teeth, remembering how she’d stayed after hours to help him find a photographer, when he’d been the one who’d forgotten in the first place!

  Near tears, she wiped at her eyes and focused on the monitor in front of her. She knew what she needed to do: she had to break things off. Getting involved with Jason had been a bad idea from the beginning. Her heart was breaking, but she wasn’t going to let it ruin her job, too.

  After the PowerSport team left, Jason stepped up to her desk. “That couldn’t have gone better.” She didn’t respond. Didn’t even look up. She couldn’t, not when her heart was shattered. As if sensing the shift in her mood, he asked quietly, “You okay?”

  She pasted on a tense smile. “Fine. It was a long weekend.”

  Jason furrowed his brow. “Thanks again for all of your help during the meeting.”

  She wanted to scream at him. Ask him where his support was when Trenton was treating her like a glorified coffee-cart girl. But instead, she swallowed her disappointment and hurt, and tried to separate her boss from her boyfriend.

  “All that matters is that the client was happy, right?”

  He stared at her, brow creased, as if trying to figure something out. Kira turned her attention back to her monitor, hoping he’d get the hint. Unfortunately, he didn’t.

  “You know,” he said, sitting down in the empty chair. “I think we make a great team.”

  “Team?” Bitter laughter escaped her lips. He had to be joking, right? “I guess my part was to make you look good. That is my job, right? That’s what Matt and the others wanted? For me to keep doing all the things behind the scenes, so you could look good.” She knew she sounded resentful, but the words wouldn’t be held back.

  Jason reared back a little. “I feel like I must be missing something here. I thought you’d be thrilled that PowerSport signed for a full year. This is a big client and it was more than we’d counted on.” He looked over his shoulder at the open door. “Why don’t we go to lunch and talk—”

  “I can’t. I have a client call in ten minutes. A problem just came up. I have to handle it.” At his confused—and hurt—look, her heart felt like it was tearing open. But this is how it had to be. If she wanted to keep working her, she needed the space, the cool distance of professionalism. Not intimate lunches. She schooled her expression and added a little more gently, “Go call your brother and tell him the good news.”

  He opened his mouth to protest, but when she turned back to her computer, he finally gave up and returned to his office.

  There were only a few hours left in the day, and then she could go home and figure out what to do. A few months ago, she might have let it go, might even have felt guilty for being upset. But her mom was right; this is what would happen if she kept letting people take her for granted. This meeting just drove the point home. If she didn’t speak up, she’d never be more than a glorified secretary.

  But that didn’t stop her roiling emotions. Jason wasn’t just her boss. She didn’t want to hurt his feelings or take away from his win. And therein was her biggest problem. How could she separate the two?

  She buried her face in her hands. She’d come in this morning prepared to talk things through with Jason, but now, she was seriously considering pulling the plug.

  It would probably be better for both of them if they ended this now, before their lives got any more entangled. That thought almost made her laugh out loud like a crazy woman. She wasn’t sure how much more entangled they could get. Jason was already involved in her work, her personal life, even her kid’s life.

  By five o’clock, Kira had gathered her things and her courage. They needed to talk about this. She needed to stop being a coward. This was her career. Besides, she was beginning to worry that Kim may have been right, that Jason was immature. Too immature for where she was in her life. She’d been down that road with Cole and knew where it led.

  After the office emptied, she entered Jason’s office without knocking and closed the door behind her. He glanc
ed up from his desk, a look of relief crossing his face. Kira shoved down the guilt and pressed forward.

  “We need to talk about this weekend and this morning,” she said before he could open his mouth. She didn’t sit down. It was silly, but standing while he sat gave her a tactical advantage in this situation.

  He capped his pen and put his elbows on his desk. “Okay, shoot.”

  Her heart pounded as she stared at him, and guilt filled her. Jason wasn’t a bad guy; he’d been good to her, and kind to Riley. As much as she wanted to deny it, deep down she knew that this was never going to work out, and she had the most to lose. But she didn’t want to hurt him, either.

  “I’ve thought about it long and hard, and it’s just not going to work.” She rubbed her damp palms against her pants. Dizziness assailed her, which made her frown, because she only wanted to get this over with. Looking up, she met his confused gaze and almost changed her mind. “We need to stop seeing each other. I’m sorry.”

  He leaned back in his chair, a riot of emotions dancing across his face before he masked it. “I understand. Can I ask why?”

  His voice was cool and collected. Irritation filled her—did he not even care? She realized the hypocrisy in not wanting to hurt him and then getting upset that he didn’t seem upset. But screw rational. His reaction hurt more than yelling would have. Did he not care that she was breaking up with him?

  “You’re my boss, for one,” she replied.

  “We both already knew that when we started this,” he said, flatly. “We agreed to keep our relationship out of the office. Has that changed?”

  “We agreed not to have public displays of affection at the office, but there’s no way we can keep our relationship out of the office,” she argued. “You know that as well as I do.”

  Jason drummed his fingers on the table. It was the only sign that he was at all bothered by the conversation. “Our relationship hasn’t impacted your job. If anything, I’d say work has gone smoother since we started dating.”