Page 181 of One Bad Idea

It paidverywell. Even from the beginning, it had seemed too good to be true. Now, looking back, I realized there was a very good chance that the salary had been inflated as a favor to Cassidy from Jax.

But then, like some clueless interloper, I'd stepped in and claimed that favor for myself. I hadn't meant to, but the end result was the same either way.

It was a sobering realization.

Still, as best I could, I tried to reassure Cassidy that the whole thing was nothing to get upset over. I told her that Jax was simply looking out for her, and that she was wrong to feel like some kind of loser for not paying her own way.

Probably, I should'vealsogiven that lecture to myself, because when it came down to it, Cassidy and I were in a very similar boat.

We both worked for the guys we loved. And both of us were receiving more financial support than we'd ever realized.

But in my case, it was even more egregious because I worked directly for Jaden rather than through a series of middle-managers. Plus, we mixed business with pleasure all the time.

Unless Cassidy and Jax were doing it on the restaurant prep table, they were miles ahead of us as far as behaving themselves on the job.

I almost sighed out loud. If anyone should feel awkward, it was me, not Cassidy, and I couldn’t help but wonder if I was making a huge mistake, at least where my job was concerned.

All of this was too confusing for words, which is probably why early the next morning, when I encountered Jaden's brother, I blurted out something that I'd been mulling all night.

"Maybe I should quit."

Chapter 68

The office was empty except for me and Jax. I'd come in early in hopes of clearing my head. But all I'd found were memories of Jaden everywhere I looked, along with the appearance of his brother, who sauntered in mere moments after my own arrival.

As Jax passed my office, he greeted me with a basic good morning, only to stop in mid-step when I blurted out those four surprising words.

He turned and stopped in my open doorway. "What?"

It was too late for me to take it back, and besides, I was desperate for some insight. I cleared my throat. "Isaid, 'Maybe I should quit.'"

His eyebrows furrowed. "Why?"

It was such a simple question, but the answer was beyond complicated. The only upside was thathe'dbeen the one to hire me, so he knew exactly where all of this had started.

"For one thing," I said, "I think I'm overpaid."

"And that's a problem?"

"So I am?" I looked away and muttered, "I should've known."

"I didn't say you were," he clarified. "But Iamsaying, why complain?"

I chewed on my bottom lip. "Well…"

"What, you want a pay cut?"

If only it were that simple. "That's not what I mean."

His lips twitched at the corners. "So youdon'twant a pay cut?"

"Honestly, I don't know what I want." I tried to smile. "I bet you're wishing you'd just listened to my old boss, huh?"

"What do you mean?"

"Well, I know he gave me a horrible reference."

"Yeah. And it backfired."