like you have yourself a date tonight.” Keith sits down and taps his fingers on the chair.
“What? This is not a date. We’re simply having a meeting to discuss projects that need to be done.” I’m glad, too. I don’t want him upstaging me every chance he gets. Maybe we can even come up with some ideas to present to Terrence together. Become a power team. But then we have to work together, not against one another. This can be a great opportunity if I use it correctly.
He shakes his head. “Nope.” He accentuates the P with a popping sound. “That Lucas guy is into you.”
“I highly doubt it. And even if he is, he’s way too young for me.” I’m not a cougar. I’m into guys my own age. Mature men who own their own homes and can buy a car and their own alcohol. Sure. Lucas can buy his own drinks, but barely. “Didn’t you come here to work?” I pull my lips together to avoid a smile.
“Hey, I’m only calling it like I see it. I wouldn’t be surprised if he’s the next person you talk about in our meeting.”
Whoa. This is territory he doesn’t have permission to hone in on yet. We’ve known each other all of a few weeks and he’s trying to judge me? The smile I almost cracked is now tucked far away. “Do me a favor. Let’s keep the meetings and work separate from each other. I don’t want to co-mingle the two.”
He slips the paper from my desk and rolls it back up, tucking it under his arm. “Like you don’t want to mix business with pleasure like you are tonight?”
“Please leave my office and start working.” I don’t have to sit and listen to this. He doesn’t know my work ethic or beliefs. And I don’t need to defend myself to him, either.
“Are you always this bossy?” He asks as he stands up, sliding his hands into his pockets with a big grin.
“I’m not bossy.” Sure, I may be a manager, but being a manager doesn’t automatically make me bossy.
“Oh, yes, I remember now. Women refer to that as being leaders now, right? You don’t like to be called that anymore.”
I can’t believe this guy. So not only is he sarcastic and kind of a jerk, but he’s also sexist. He’s giving me a deal on the work, but that doesn’t give him the right to talk to me that way. “Where do you get your news? Twitter?” I doubt he even knows what Twitter is with his small town attitude. “Anyway, here’s an entry card into the server room. You’ll need this to get in and out. If you walk out of my office and make a left, you can take the stairs to the basement.”
“You’re banishing me to the basement?”
“That’s where the server room is.” And good riddance. Then I don’t have to deal with his chauvinism.
He takes the key from my hand. “Okay, then. I’m sure I won’t see you down there. I don’t think you’re someone who would find her way to the basement.”
“Trust me, I’ve been down there plenty of times. I’ve spent days down there. Be here when there’s an outage of some sort.” I don’t know why I’m letting him get to me and finding it necessary to defend myself.
“Have fun on your date tonight.”
As he leaves the room, I shout, “It’s not a date!”
At least I don’t think it is.
Chapter
Fourteen
I’m out the door a few minutes before six, and Lucas is already there. He’s sitting at the bar with a drink in his hand and, surprisingly, not talking to anybody. The way he is at work I assumed he would be more sociable and chatting with at least the bartender, if not women who probably flock to him. I’ve imagined him as the frat guy always surrounded by a group of sorority sisters. He’s the life of the party, kicking butt at beer pong, the crowd shouting his name. Never did I consider he’d be the lone patron at the bar.
I tap him on the shoulder and he turns his head to me. “I actually thought that I would beat you here.”
“I didn’t have a doubt in my mind that I would be here first. I’m always on time.”
I slide
“What? This is not a date. We’re simply having a meeting to discuss projects that need to be done.” I’m glad, too. I don’t want him upstaging me every chance he gets. Maybe we can even come up with some ideas to present to Terrence together. Become a power team. But then we have to work together, not against one another. This can be a great opportunity if I use it correctly.
He shakes his head. “Nope.” He accentuates the P with a popping sound. “That Lucas guy is into you.”
“I highly doubt it. And even if he is, he’s way too young for me.” I’m not a cougar. I’m into guys my own age. Mature men who own their own homes and can buy a car and their own alcohol. Sure. Lucas can buy his own drinks, but barely. “Didn’t you come here to work?” I pull my lips together to avoid a smile.
“Hey, I’m only calling it like I see it. I wouldn’t be surprised if he’s the next person you talk about in our meeting.”
Whoa. This is territory he doesn’t have permission to hone in on yet. We’ve known each other all of a few weeks and he’s trying to judge me? The smile I almost cracked is now tucked far away. “Do me a favor. Let’s keep the meetings and work separate from each other. I don’t want to co-mingle the two.”
He slips the paper from my desk and rolls it back up, tucking it under his arm. “Like you don’t want to mix business with pleasure like you are tonight?”
“Please leave my office and start working.” I don’t have to sit and listen to this. He doesn’t know my work ethic or beliefs. And I don’t need to defend myself to him, either.
“Are you always this bossy?” He asks as he stands up, sliding his hands into his pockets with a big grin.
“I’m not bossy.” Sure, I may be a manager, but being a manager doesn’t automatically make me bossy.
“Oh, yes, I remember now. Women refer to that as being leaders now, right? You don’t like to be called that anymore.”
I can’t believe this guy. So not only is he sarcastic and kind of a jerk, but he’s also sexist. He’s giving me a deal on the work, but that doesn’t give him the right to talk to me that way. “Where do you get your news? Twitter?” I doubt he even knows what Twitter is with his small town attitude. “Anyway, here’s an entry card into the server room. You’ll need this to get in and out. If you walk out of my office and make a left, you can take the stairs to the basement.”
“You’re banishing me to the basement?”
“That’s where the server room is.” And good riddance. Then I don’t have to deal with his chauvinism.
He takes the key from my hand. “Okay, then. I’m sure I won’t see you down there. I don’t think you’re someone who would find her way to the basement.”
“Trust me, I’ve been down there plenty of times. I’ve spent days down there. Be here when there’s an outage of some sort.” I don’t know why I’m letting him get to me and finding it necessary to defend myself.
“Have fun on your date tonight.”
As he leaves the room, I shout, “It’s not a date!”
At least I don’t think it is.
Chapter
Fourteen
I’m out the door a few minutes before six, and Lucas is already there. He’s sitting at the bar with a drink in his hand and, surprisingly, not talking to anybody. The way he is at work I assumed he would be more sociable and chatting with at least the bartender, if not women who probably flock to him. I’ve imagined him as the frat guy always surrounded by a group of sorority sisters. He’s the life of the party, kicking butt at beer pong, the crowd shouting his name. Never did I consider he’d be the lone patron at the bar.
I tap him on the shoulder and he turns his head to me. “I actually thought that I would beat you here.”
“I didn’t have a doubt in my mind that I would be here first. I’m always on time.”
I slide
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