Love the Boss: Billionaire Romance (Managing the Bosses Book 4) (13 page)

Alex had gotten a little rowdy about having Mark stop teasing her, but it was only one of many tiffs that was sure to come. Brothers would be brothers.

After making her way up to the office, she stopped by Gina's desk to find the woman typing. She seemed to be lost in her own world, and Jamie didn't want to interrupt her, so she waited a few minutes, but Gina never glanced up.

"Hey. Morning." Jamie smiled as Gina nearly jumped.

"Oh, you scared me! I didn’t hear you come in!” She jumped and pressed her hand to her heart. “Sorry. I was busy trying to get everything in line for Alex's meetings today. He's crazy busy. I keep telling him not to schedule himself this tightly, but you know he doesn't listen." Gina's voice was a little loud, and she spoke incredibly fast.

"Don't you schedule his calendar?" Jamie asked, not trying to be an ass, but perhaps just pointing out the obvious. His calendar was connected to hers, so she knew exactly what meeting Alex had scheduled every day. It seemed odd to see Gina in so early. She usually came in later, like at daylight times.

"Yes, but he checks it before I do anything." She shrugged and started typing again.

Jamie turned and walked to her office as a long sigh left her. Things hadn't been the same with Gina since seeing her at the restaurant with Nicholas. She was going to leave them, or Alex was going to let her go. They had been at odds for the last week, and things just weren't getting better. Jamie and Gina had gone for a happy hour in a long time. She wasn’t even sure she could remember the last time. She missed it.

Jamie snapped her fingers when she remembered the last time. It was just before the expenditure issue. She had been having a crappy day and Annette had shown up for an appointment Alex hadn’t bothered to mention. It all seemed forever ago.

Speaking of which, Alex hadn't made time to look into the additional expenditures. Jamie was pretty sure she knew why. She glanced back down the hallway to his secretary, working with her head bent down and her fingers flying over her keyboard. Part of it had to be because he really didn't want to know that Gina was cheating him out of money. It would sting too badly, cut too deep.

Her office was empty, but she wasn't surprised. Paul had moved into his own office a couple of days before, and Mark wasn't in yet. No one but Alex and Gina were.

Jamie sat down at her laptop and worked through her lists, making good progress as she plowed through various tasks. Her tummy rumbled, but she ignored it and kept going until she glanced at the clock.

"Ten? Where the hell is Mark?" She stood up to find him working at the table in front of her, his back to her, but his shoulders moving slightly. He was listening to music. She hadn't even noticed him come in.

Getting up, she walked around her desk and tapped him on the shoulder. "Hey."

He glanced up and tugged his earbud out. "Hey, you. I came in; you were hunched over your computer so I didn’t want to interrupt. You came in with Alex this morning?"

She lifted her eyebrows. "Don't get me started. It's been rough. I used to think six o’clock mornings were rough, but Alex believes the early bird catches the worm. He prefers to be in at five."

"I bet. He's on a crazy kick right now. Either you come in with him or I babysit you?" He stood and stretched. "Have you told him that this shit is not just affecting you and him, but me too? I love to go for a long run like the next guy, but not at the ass-crack of dawn. It's February in New York, Jamie. It's freezing."

"We have the gym and the pool. We can work out there.”

He gave her a look. “I’m not getting up at five-fucking in the morning to get my heart pumping at a rapid rate. It wants to be slow and steady, and my body wants sleep.”

"Yeah right." She glanced down at his wristwatch. " I forgot to eat breakfast. You have plans? Want to do brunch?"

"Food?” He grinned. “I’m always available for food.”

“You want to see if Paul's free and we'll get something from down the street?" She grabbed her jacket and slipped it on before putting her scarf around her neck. She stifled a yawn. Better not eat too much or she’d be sleeping at her desk today. The fresh air would do her good.

"He's got a date for lunch today. Some girl he met online." Mark looked around the office. "It's almost lonely without him in here."

"Awww... were you getting used to having a suitemate?" She slid her arm into the crook of his as they walked out into the hall.

"Yeah. He's a great guy." Mark shrugged and slipped his arm from Jamie's as he shifted behind her and apologized to someone. “Sorry, didn’t mean to bump you.”

Jamie turned around and almost bumped into the woman too.

Annette
.

"Finally! I've been waiting at the front for like three minutes. I think I'm going to have to talk to Alex about what customer service should look like." The bitchy redhead put her hands on her hips and turned her attention to Mark. "Oh, you're cute. You must be Alex's brother. I'm Annette, Alex’s old lover."

Mark's eyes widened a little, but he extended his hand and shook hers. "That's good to know. Do you introduce yourself like that all the time? Must get awkward when people don’t know who Alex is. Or does it bother you when you have to refer to yourself as old? Damn, must suck to be switched over for a newer, younger model. What do other clients say when you say that? Do they pipe in with who they used to fuck too?"

Annette stared open-mouthed, too shocked to reply to Mark’s ramblings.

If she hadn’t been so tired, Jamie would have laughed. She managed a smile. "She's not a client either." She shrugged. "I'm not sure who you're waiting for, but Alex's calendar is filled.” She tapped a finger against the counter. “And I can't imagine your name being on it."

"Well, it is. I'm his lunch date." Annette straightened and stared down at Jamie with narrowed eyes. "Too bad you keep thinking that you've got him… because you don't."

"You don't know shit." Jamie moved toward the bitch, tired of her showing up and causing havoc. "Get out, or I'll have you thrown out."

Annette reached out, but Jamie jerked back, missing the crazy woman’s hand as it moved toward Jamie's cheek.

She didn't think for a second about retaliating. Instinct simply took over. The slapping sound of her hand hitting Annette's cheek filled the air.

Annette yelped and jumped back, her eyes wide as her perfectly manicured fingers tried to cover the red print already showing on her face.

Alex walked out of his office, his eyes wide, his face concerned and surprised. "What the hell's going on out here?"

Annette jabbed a finger in Jamie’s direction. “Your hired help just slapped me!” She spun around, her hands on her hips as she glared at Alex. “I demand she be thrown out!”

Mark stepped forward and snorted loudly. "Your ex-lover just tried to slap Jamie for some reason. She came after Ms. Connors, who simply defended herself." Mark moved up beside Jamie and put an arm around her shoulders. "I'm pretty sure it’s this woman who needs to be removed from the building."

"Have you lost your fucking mind?" Annette moved to get up into Jamie's face, but Alex stepped in the way.

"You need to go. Our business is long over, and I'm not interested in your funds or anything else. I'm going to dig into the scandal you forced into my personal life last year. I think that might shut you down pretty fast, and if the threat alone doesn't, my finding out what you were up to will." He took a step toward her, his shoulders square, his voice impossibly deep.

"Alex. It's me. Really?" Annette's tone changed completely. All sweet butter and icing.

Jamie flinched at the sound of it, but was glad to see that Alex wasn't putting up with any of it.

"Good for you. Now get the hell out, and if you threaten Jamie again, I'll bring a lawsuit against you and your whole family so fast it'll make your head spin. You’re toxic, Annette. Get out of my face, out of my office, and out of my life."

She huffed loudly and turned. "Fine, but you'll regret this. I'm the best fucking thing that ever happened to you. Just because you found a fixer-upper and made her what you want her to be doesn't mean she's perfect. It means she's a pliable dummy."

"Get out!" Alex moved toward her as the door to the elevator shut.

Jamie's eyes filled with tears as Alex turned, his hands clenched into fists. "How in the world did this woman get in the building? Gina? Where’s Gina? She needs to contact security downstairs and have the little lying sack of shit escorted out and then banned from re-entering." He glanced at Jamie and his angry features instantly softened. “Jamie, baby, please don’t cry.”

Mark released her as she moved toward Alex and slid into his arms. She let out a soft sob as he wrapped her up tightly and kissed the side of her face. “I’m sorry. I know I shouldn’t be upset. It’s all crazy. She’s crazy. But… but…”

"You're my beautiful girl, and I didn't make you that way. I believed in you, just like I always will. You know that, right?"

She pulled back and nodded. "I'm not crying because of her words, but because of yours. You were brilliant."

He grinned and leaned down to kiss her. "I am, but it's because of you. I didn't change you, Jamie. You changed me, and I love you for it. Every day you make me want to be better."

Chapter 14

After things calmed down, Mark went out and picked up lunch and brought it up to Alex’s office, where the three of them ate in a slightly muted silence. Alex spent most of lunch behind his computer and jotting things down that he needed Jamie to take care of. Mark sat staring out the window, either caught in the view or lost in thought somewhere.

Before long, Alex’s next appointment arrived. No one was out in the foyer to greet him and when he popped his head into Alex’s office, everyone scrambled to clean up and get organized. At least the older gentleman accepted a slice of pizza and sat down happily to munch on it.

Paul met Mark and Jamie in the hallway. “Where’s Gina?” he asked.

“No idea. Maybe she took a long, late lunch.” Jamie shrugged. “How about we head into my office to review the final analysis for the tax and audit packets? Then it’s done and sorted.”

They headed down, and, shortly after, Gina returned and stepped into Jamie’s office to drop off the revised letter Alex had asked her to bring to Jamie. She barely said anything, and hurried back out of the room.

Jamie happened to pass Gina on the way to the copy room and couldn't help confronting her. After the Annette incident, she was tired of all the bullshit. "So, are you going to keep ignoring me, or tell me what the hell's going on?" Jamie pressed her hands to the desk between them, and tried to keep her expression neutral.

"Nothing. Lots, I guess." Gina let out a long sigh. "I don't know. I've been here forever, and it feels like home, but I want so much more for my life than to be someone's secretary while he climbs higher."

"Have you talked to Alex about that? He has other positions in the company, Gina. He cares about you."

"Does he?" Her eyebrow lifted sharply.

"Yes. I know he does." Jamie moved back a little. "Talk to him. Okay?"

"Yeah. I will. I'm sorry." She turned away, and Jamie took that as her cue to leave.

After making a few copies of their tax documents, Jamie went back her to office and sat down between the guys.

Paul glanced up and shook his head. "I know we closed this down, but Jamie, something isn't right with this. There's a charge on the main dining account from that odd ID that we discovered a while back, for over a hundred dollars to La Grigila. It's on the same day that we went. Do you think the restaurant billed you twice, except on Alex’s other account? Does he keep his accounts on file there?"

“No. I paid with my business credit card.” She picked up the report and studied it. "This isn't our charge. We spent around sixty dollars, and I know I put that on my card.”

"Then whose is this? Did Alex take someone that same day?" Mark leaned back in his seat, his brows furrowed. "Or is this Gina's charge?"

"How could it be Gina's? They would have to have fed six people to get the bill that high, and there's no way in hell that Alex would have approved her spending any money if Nicholas was involved." Jamie set the report down, her stomach turning. "Unless she used this code to hide it, but still... the amount doesn't pan out."

"Sure it does. One bottle of really great wine would make the bill over a hundred dollars. They had a bottle on their table. I remember, because it was what made me question her being sick. Going to lunch with one of our shareholders is reasonable, but drinking too? No way. Not being ill." Paul cut in and tapped the table. "We need to talk to Alex. Now."

"You're right." Jamie got up and walked to her desk, dialing his direct number and circumventing going through Gina.

"Hey. What's up?" Alex asked. “Perfect timing, Liam just left and I’ve got about ten minutes before my next meeting.”

"Can you come to my office for a quick pow-pow? Like five minutes tops."

"What kind of pow-wow?” he chuckled seductively. “Wait. Are we on speakerphone?”

She laughed. “No speaker, but Mark and Paul are in the room with me.”

“Okay. I have five minutes. I need to glance over my next client’s financials to make sure I'm ready for the questions he's going to hit me with. I'm running to the restroom and then I'll be there."

"Alright. Thanks." She hung up and glanced up at the guys. "He's coming, but we have to be really quick."

"You wanna do the talking?" Paul asked.

"No. You do it. I brought up Gina last week, and he wasn't really too receptive to talking about it. Mark's his brother, so he'll blow him and me off without a second thought. You do it. He'll have to listen." Jamie took her seat and lifted her thumb to her mouth, needing to nibble on something. She turned to Mark, remembering the dinner date. "Oh shit. I meant to ask if you had plans for dinner. Alex and I are taking that Kristin girl out tonight, and I'm not playing third wheel. I need you to go with us."

He shrugged. "Sure, as long as you guys aren't trying to set me up. She was in love with Alex for far too long for me to really consider even trying with her. If she liked him, she's not going to like me."