Page 35 of Boss of Me

I drum my fingers on my tablet. “Does anyone have anything else to add before we wrap up?”

Twenty pairs of eyes stare back at me. No one speaks.

“Good. Meeting adjourned.” I offer my most charming smile. “Have a fantastic weekend, folks.”

This draws some good-humored laughs and grumbles.

Sedonia leans over in her seat to poke me in the arm. “Was all that really necessary?”

“Absolutely,” I retort, earning another eye roll.

Sedonia and I met in freshman physics class at UT. She was beautiful and brilliant with a ruthless competitive streak that rivaled mine. We spent the next four years competing for the best grades, becoming friends somewhere along the way. When Maverick and I launched our startup, Sedonia was the first person we hired. She’s the perfect CFO. Mentored by business icons, she’s a financial wizard and a skilled strategist who reins in our worst impulses. To say she’s an integral part of the company would be an understatement.

“One of these days,” she says, rising from the table, “I’m going to walk out those doors and never look back.”

I chuckle at the toothless threat. “C’mon, Nia. We both know you’d never leave us.”

“What makes you so sure?”

“For one thing, you’d miss me too much.”

She snorts. “That’s whatyouthink.”

“It’s true and you know it,” I say, smirking. “Besides, I’d personally make it my mission to decimate any competitor that tried to poach you.”

She shakes her head at me. “Crazy ass.”

“You make that sound like a bad thing.”

“Whatever.” Full lips twitching, Sedonia flips her long braids over her shoulder and struts off, heels clicking, leaving me to grin after her.

As the room clears out, Maverick remains behind to bust my balls. “What wasthatall about?”

“What?”

He gestures around the conference table. “All that dick wagging.”

I shrug. “Friday afternoons are a lousy time for meetings.”

“I’ve been saying that for years. Glad you finally saw the light.” Maverick grins, leaning back in his chair with his arms folded behind his head. “As much as we all secretly enjoyed your smackdown of that humorless gasbag, you really shouldn’t antagonize Prentice like that. He’ll defect to a competitor and spill all our company secrets.”

“And he’d be sued into oblivion. Which he damn well knows.” My lips twist into a narrow smile. “Believe me, he’s not going anywhere.”

“Nope,” Maverick agrees with a chuckle. “For all the grumbling he does, that old curmudgeon knows he’s got it good here.”

“Exactly.” I stand and prowl restlessly to the span of windows overlooking the downtown skyline.

Shoving my hands into my pockets, I ponder the evening ahead. I’m supposed to be having dinner with some bigshot investors from out of town. The thought of schmoozing over Wagyu steaks and caviar holds zero appeal. I’d much rather go home and dine with my smart-mouthed housekeeper. I’m already missing our verbal sparring matches, and the memory of her snatching my dessert has me smiling.Pretty little thief.

“Whoa. What wasthat?”

I glance over my shoulder at Maverick. “What?”

“You sighed. A long, wistful sigh.”

“No, I didn’t.”

“You totally did.” He joins me at the window, his eyes scanning my face. “You’ve been acting weird and distracted all day. What’s up with you?”