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“That’s not the point.” She sighed, and I could tell she was hurt, and deeply disappointed.
“It isn’t the point?” I frowned. “Come on, that’s like jumping out a window to get the key to a locked door, then jumping back in the same window and using it to get out.”
“It is not.” Her glare intensified, and I realized that once again my big mouth had only succeeded in throwing gasoline on the fire.
“Look,” she said, trying to get her tone under control. “I know what you’re getting at, but it does matter. Chandler has software installed to immediately notify him when someone moves funds around with the approval of the project manager or a treasury officer. I interrupted the email before it went on its way to him, but it looks bad, Stan. It makes it look like you’re not respecting my authority.”
“But everyone thinks you’re my girlfriend. They’ll just, you know, probably assume we talked about it outside of work.”
“You’re assuming that people will assume you’d talked to me about it—which you didn’t—because we’re fake dating?” She shook her head, dark clouds gathering in her dark-eyed gaze. “I wouldn’t date a man who went over my head like that. The man I would date would have enough decency to go through the proper channels even though it’s a pain in the ass, to help support me.”
I felt anger bristling inside of me, and struggled to keep it in check.
“Hold on, this isn’t a real relationship. Why do you care if I actually asked you or not?”
“It might not be a real relationship, but the disrespect you just showed me is real enough.” Her nostrils flared as she fumed with anger. “I’m not backing down on this, Stan. I’ll walk away from our deal, from the money, all of it, before I let you do this to me.”
“Don’t you think you’re being a little bit hyperbolic here? It really seems like you’re making a mountain out of a molehill.”
“Mountain out of a molehill? You’re going to try and minimize my concerns with belittling—”
The door swung open, and Jonathon’s silhouette appeared. If he saw us standing there like two angry cats, it might disrupt the entire plan.
Fortunately, Ivy was a faster thinker than I was. She reached out and put her hands on either side of my face, and drew me in for a kiss. When Jonathon fully entered the room, all he saw was the two of us in a lip lock.
I was confused as hell. On one hand, we had been fighting a second before. On the other hand, I wanted to bend her over the desk right then and there. And yet on another, I started to feel foolish, because I knew Ivy was right. I should have gone through the proper channels and hadn’t done so because it was awkward.
“Jonathon,” I said, breaking off the kiss. She had the good grace to give him a sheepish smile.
“Don’t mind me. This can actually wait.”
“No, it’s fine.” I looked at the paper he wanted me to read without really seeing it, and then signed at the bottom.
“Thanks. You know, you two are really cute together.”
As soon as the door closed behind him, she turned back on her icy demeanor. I knew I had to try and fix things
“I’m sorry. I should have gone through the proper channels. That was stupid and I won’t do it again.”
“Thank you,” she said, relaxing just a bit. Not a whole lot, though. “This whole fake relationship notwithstanding, this interim position is like a job interview for me. I have to do a good job, and that means dotting all the Is, and crossing all the Ts. You understand? I can’t afford to make mistakes, no matter how tiny.”
“I’m sorry I put you in that position. I need to remember that even though I’m paying you to be my fake girlfriend, you’re a very real project manager at work. It won’t happen again.”
“Thank you.”
I knew that I had managed to recover things, more than a little, but I’d done some lasting damage that only time would be able to heal.
At least, I hoped it would be able to heal. I was too annoyed with myself to even question why I had such strong, real emotions over a fake relationship.
Chapter Twelve
Ivy
I was really feeling the push and pull between myself and Stan. His apology soothed my wounded pride, somewhat, but the fact remains that at his first opportunity he tried to circumvent the authority with which I’d been entrusted.
I was looking forward to spending some time with my friends. They didn’t associate with anyone from the office, so I wouldn’t have to pretend I was dating Stan.
Although it did occur to me I would have to avoid naming him if I wanted to dish. I kept that in mind as I prepared to go out.