Chapter 12

 

The loud knocking woke me. I sat up in bed and squinted at the alarm clock. It was just after eight and I blinked in confusion when the knocking sounded again.

“Who is it?” I shouted irritably.

“Mae, it’s Russ. Let me in.”

I crawled out of bed, threw my bathrobe over my t-shirt and stumbled to the door. I yanked the door open.

“How did you get into the lobby?” I yawned as he and Steve pushed their way into my apartment.

“Oh please.” Russ rolled his eyes as he handed me a cup of a coffee in a paper cup. “The door was wide open. We just walked right in.”

They sat down at the table as I opened the lid of my coffee and took a sip. “What’s going on? Why are you two here?”

Russ gave Steve a nervous look. “Hey, uh have you happened to be on the web yet this morning?”

I shook my head. “No. I can’t afford the internet at home and you guys just woke me up.” I glanced at the clock on the wall. “Seriously, it’s Saturday morning. Why are you guys here so early?”

Steve crossed his leg over his knee and picked at the bottom of his jeans. “So Mae, don’t freak out but there’s something you should read.”

“What?” I stared at his and Russ’ solemn faces and felt anxiety nip at my insides. “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing serious.” Russ assured me. “It’s just – well, you know who Gloria Franklin is right?”

I nodded. Who didn’t know her? She was a journalist who made her living writing a salacious and juicy gossip column for our local online newspaper.

Russ glanced at Steve. “Okay, and again - I can’t stress this enough - don’t freak out, honey. She was at last night’s charity event and she, well, she sort of wrote a bit in her column about you and Mr. Knight.”

I blinked at him. “You’re kidding me.”

“I’m not.” Russ replied. Steve was pulling his phone from his pocket and scrolling across the screen.

“What did she say?” The anxiety in my stomach was growing by the minute.

“I just think you should remember that she’s a gossipy old bitch, and no one takes her columns seriously, okay?” Russ said nervously.

“Oh God.” I stared wide-eyed at him. “How bad is it?”

“It’s not great.” Steve handed his phone to me and I stared at the small screen.

Last night at the Hope for Children’s charity event, the city’s most powerful and notorious bachelor - the to-die-for Liam Knight - was obviously supporting a brand new charity. Although Mr. Knight normally prefers beautiful blondes with bodies as smoking hot as his own, last night marked a first for him. The handsome and dashing Mr. Knight was seen escorting a short, brunette, who obviously has never met a donut she didn’t like, to the event. The mystery woman was seen canoodling with Mr. Knight throughout the night, and it was obvious to all who attended that she had the sinfully sexy lawyer wrapped around her chubby little finger. Although there is the slim possibility that Mr. Knight has become a chubby chaser, one burning question remains – will this pretty but chunky woman be the one to melt his cold exterior, or was he just throwing the poor woman a pity date?

My cheeks felt like they were on fire as, with a shaking finger, I scrolled down. A groan of dismay escaped my lips. The stupid bitch had taken a picture of us. She couldn’t have taken it at a worse possible time. Liam, his body pressed against mine and his arm wrapped around my waist, was whispering into my ear. Based on the flushed and excited look on my face, it had been the exact moment he was asking me to go home with him.

“Oh, fuck me.” I handed Steve his phone and dropped my head to the kitchen table. I banged my forehead against the hard surface until Russ reached out and pushed me back.

“It’s no big deal, Mae.”

“No big deal? No big deal?” I stared at him. “She makes it sound like I’m a pathetic, fat loser on a pity date with the hottest man in the city.”

Russ shook his head as I groaned again. “Fuck – that’s exactly what it was!”

“It was not, Mae!” Russ scolded as Steve grabbed my hand and massaged it gently. “Mr. Knight asked you out on a date and you accepted. And you looked fucking hot last night.”

“Besides, it’s not all bad. It’s a really great picture of you.” He added.

“I told you last night Russ – it wasn’t a date!” I glared at him. “His actual date, probably a tall, blonde supermodel, cancelled on him. He’s paying me overtime for last night.”

“See,” Steve soothed, “you weren’t on a pity date. It was a work function.”

“Thanks, Steve.” I sighed and went back to hitting my head on the table.

“Alright, alright.” Russ slid into the chair beside me and pulled me back by my shoulders again. “I really think you’re making too much out of this, Mae. No one reads that damn gossip column anyway. Right, honey?” He stared pointedly at Steve.

“Yeah, that’s right.” Steve said hastily. “That gossipy bitch is way past her expiry date.”

I shook my head. “Oh really? If it’s no big deal and no one reads it, why the hell did you two come storming over here first thing this morning to warn me about it? Hmm?”

“Uh...” Russ looked at Steve who shrugged.

“We were in the neighbourhood? It’s like, a really great neighbourhood, Mae. We’re thinking of buying something here.”

I laughed despite my anxiety. “Yeah, sure you are.”

I stared at my steaming cup of coffee. “Well, what’s done is done right? I’m sure by Monday it’ll have all blown over. Besides, no one at work reads that gossip shit anyway. Right?”

“Yeah, right. I mean, probably.” Russ said without much conviction.

“Oh God.” I groaned again and buried my face in my hands. “I am so screwed.”

Russ brightened. “See, I knew that underwear would get you laid!”

I slapped him lightly on the arm. “I did not fuck Liam last night, Russ.”

“What? You mean nothing happened at all? I figured when he asked me to put the glass up that you two were getting down and dirty.”

“Nothing happened!” I lied hotly.

Russ looked at me carefully, and then grinned at Steve. “See what I mean when I said she was a terrible liar.”

Steve nodded as I glared at the two of them. “Fine, we might have made out a little.”

“Nice. Give us the details.” Russ replied.

“No. He’s my boss and I shouldn’t have done anything with him!” I snapped. “Although, after that goddamn article, I’ll be lucky if I still have my job Monday morning.”

I glanced around my apartment. “I’m going to miss this rathole when I’m homeless and sleeping in a box in an alley.”

“It’ll be fine, Mae. Don’t worry.” Russ soothed. “Now,” he eyed my smeared makeup and my ratty bathrobe, “go and have a shower, Cinderella. You’ve got two Prince Charming’s ready to take you out for breakfast.”

* * *

 

“Good morning, Christine.” I smiled cheerfully at the woman as I walked past her desk towards my office.

“Oh, uh hey Mae.” She said nervously. “How uh, was your weekend?”

I stopped and gave her a cautious look. “Just fine, thanks. How was yours?”

“Fine, fine.” She wouldn’t meet my eyes as Roxie sidled up to the desk.

“Hi Mae.”

“Hello Roxie.”

“Ida’s looking for you.”

My stomach dropped to my ankles. Based on the way Christine and Roxie were looking at me, or rather not looking at me, the article about Liam and I had already spread like wildfire through the office. I glanced at my watch. It was just after eight on Monday morning.

“Okay thanks. I’ll stop in and see her.” I forced myself to smile at them and walked away. There was soft whispering and I knew they were talking about me. I straightened my back and headed towards Ida’s office.

I knocked on her open door and stuck my head in her office. “Hey, Ida. You were looking for me?”

Her face grave, she nodded. “Yes, come in and shut the door, Mae.”

My knees shaking and my stomach rolling with nausea, I shut the door and crossed the room to sit in the chair across from her desk.

She stared silently at me for a moment, and I crossed my arms nervously across my torso.

“Mae, did you attend a charity event with Liam on Friday night?”

I nodded. “Yes. His date cancelled and he asked me to fill in.”

She raised her eyebrows and I added hastily. “It was a work thing. He said he would pay me overtime.”

She picked up a pen from her gleaming desk and tapped the end of it against her teeth. “Are you aware of the article written by Gloria Franklin?”

I nodded. “Yeah, I saw it.”

“Are you sleeping with Liam?” She asked abruptly.

I shook my head. “No, I’m not.”

“Are you aware that we have very strict rules about inter-office dating?”

“I read the employee manual when I was hired.” I replied softly.

“Mae, I don’t think I have to tell you that the picture accompanying that horrid woman’s article has the potential to be very damaging to your future here at Knight and Associates.” Ida said.

I didn’t reply and she sighed lightly. “I like you, Mae. You know I do. I think you’re smart and I believe you have a bright future here. But if I find out that you’re dating Liam, I’ll have no choice but to fire you. Do you understand?”

I nodded. “Yes. I’m not dating him, Ida. I swear.”

“I believe you. Still, I think it would be a good idea if I do a shuffle of the PA’s again. Effective immediately, you’re no longer Mr. Knight’s PA.”

My heart sank but I forced myself to smile at her. “That’s fine.”

“I’m going to assign you back to Kevin. He’s been grumbling for the past month about how much he misses you anyway.”

I took a deep breath. “Thanks, Ida.”

“You’re welcome. Move your stuff out of the office and back to the desk outside of Kevin’s office this morning okay?”

“I will.” I stood and hesitated. “Should I uh, let Mr. Knight know?”

She shook her head. “No, I’ll inform him. He’s not in yet but I’ll send him a text and ask him to come see me as soon as he gets to the office.”

* * *

 

“Mae, you have no idea how glad I am that you’re back.” Kevin smiled at me as I plugged in my laptop.

“I’m glad too, Kevin. I’ve missed you.” I returned his smile and sank into the chair. “What do you need me to do first?”

Kevin laughed. “Yeah, I’ve definitely missed you. Can you pull the Jackson file and go through their personal account information? I need you to circle all the purchases made from the 17^th to the 25^th.

“You bet.” I said cheerfully. Kevin disappeared into his office and I stared miserably at my desk for a moment. I liked Kevin but I was already missing the sound of Liam’s deep voice.