Bossy Neighbor

by Erika Lynn

  “Wait, you work here?”

  The woman set down her coffee. I realized that must have been how I managed to lose her earlier. She had peeled off to get a coffee. Something I should have done.

  “You really don't know who I am, do you?” She sounded as offended as she looked. Then she closed her eyes as if to calm herself down.

  I didn't have time for this. I craned my neck to see if my father was in his office. He wasn't, so I had no excuse to get out of this conversation.

  I pocketed my phone, then folded my arms across my chest. “Well?”

  She stood. “I'm Kate, Victor's senior administrative assistant. I'm the one that emailed you your flight info the other day, took care of securing you an apartment.”

  I guess I didn't realize the person who would be meeting me to show me the apartment was the same person who arranged it in the first place. I assumed she was the landlord or something. “Is your last name Kincaid?”

  She nodded.

  “That's what I remember from the email, not your first name,” I explained.

  I looked at my watch. The team meeting started in a few minutes. “I'm going to go get ready for the meeting,” I said simply, ignoring the look of confusion on her face as I left her standing at her desk.

  KATE

  The man was insufferable. How the hell did he not realize the same person who booked his trip also showed him the apartment?

  Victor might be tough but at least he was observant. He never would have snubbed me like that.

  I shook it off. It wasn't as if I had to work with the man. I just needed to secure him an apartment and now that it was done, I could move on.

  I ran my hands down my pencil skirt, ironing out the wrinkles that gathered before picking up my pen and notepad and heading into the conference room.

  Most of the senior leadership team had already assembled. The only vacant spot was next to Dante, so I took it, giving him a forced smile as I took my seat.

  He might not have known who I was before, but I'd make sure he'd remember me now.

  In came Victor and the room quieted. He looked decidedly better than he did on Friday, but I couldn't help but notice Dante tense up at his father’s entrance.

  My head swiveled back to look at Victor who clasped his hands behind his back.

  Something was going on, I knew it.

  The rush job to find housing for Dante combined with his appearance at this meeting.

  I had the sinking feeling I wasn't going to like whatever was about to happen.

  Victor cleared his throat.

  “Thank you all for being here today. As you can see my son Dante has joined us.” All the heads in the room turned in Dante's direction.

  He didn't move as several pairs of eyes landed on him.

  “I'm happy to announce that the time has come for him to fill in my shoes, as is his birthright.”

  A cough, from Joel maybe, sounded from across the room.

  Victor continued.

  “I realize this must come as a surprise to most of you, but rest assured this has been the plan all along. Dante and I will transition this week together and then beginning next Monday, he will formally step in as president and CEO of Inferno Construction.”

  I didn’t like the sound of this at all. My foot started tapping, earning me a glare from the prodigal son himself.

  If only he didn’t sit quite so close. The woodsy smell of pine and something else infiltrating my senses.

  Damn Dante to hell for smelling so good.

  “Those of you who report directly to me will start reporting directly to Dante.”

  My head whipped from Victor to Dante.

  My new boss.

  Who also happened to be my neighbor.

  Fantastic.

  Fan-fucking-tastic in fact.

  Pull it together Kincaid.

  I had figured out how to best work with Victor to make myself needed.

  Now I’d have to do it all again with the daunting Dante.

  I sank a little lower in my chair as the rest of the meeting carried on around me. I’d been so tuned out that I didn’t realize when the meeting had come to an end until the sounds of everyone shuffling out brought me back to reality.

  Looking around the room, I found several unhappy faces. Clearly, I wasn’t the only person blindsided by this development.

  Clutching my pen and notepad, I barged straight into Victor’s office.

  Okay, I didn’t barge, that wasn’t my style, but I wanted to. Instead, I knocked twice and entered when given permission to do so.

  “Mr. Inferno,” I started.

  He looked up, his bushy eyebrows drawing together. “Good, I wanted to speak to you privately.” He shut his laptop before setting down his glasses. “Close the door,” he said, so I did before taking a seat across from him. “What I’m about to tell you is confidential. Can I be assured that what is shared in this office stays between you and me?”

  His tone brokered no disagreement. Not that I would share private information anyway. It’s what’s kept me in this position. Most admins were chatty Cathy's. And while I loved to talk, I didn’t gossip in the workplace.

  I nodded. “You have my word, sir.”

  He motioned for me to take a seat. Anxiety coursing through my body, breath held, I waited for him to speak.

  “Next week I’m scheduled to begin my first round of chemotherapy treatments.”

  I gasped. “Sir?”

  Some of his stern facade faded away. “It’s true. I’m only telling you as a courtesy and because I won’t be available to you. You will need to work directly with Dante, serving as his admin lead.”

  I just stared at him. This is what I feared. This is why I came to see him, to clarify what would happen to me and my position.

  And I didn’t like it one bit. But he was ill and I refused to add to his burden.

  “I’m relying on you to help him out. Show him where things are and perform your morning briefings like you do with me.”

  I absently nodded, trying to reconcile his illness with the changes going on in the office.

  In my life.

  “Will you be OK?”

  He waved me off, putting his glasses back on. “I’ll be fine, nothing to worry about.”

  I wasn’t sure I believed him, but what could I do?

  “Now, let’s run through our day.” He clapped, effectively ending our conversation and moving on to business as usual.

  ***

  The week went on with meetings and things. It almost felt like nothing was about to drastically change. Except for the small reminder of Dante sitting in on each meeting, including morning briefings with Victor.

  In each meeting he sat there, hands often steepled, and listened. His eyes appeared to be constantly assessing what was going on. Rarely did he speak and when he did it normally was for clarification. He didn't offer input or suggestions. He let everyone play their role.

  It wasn't until Friday that he bothered speaking to me again, although not for lack of trying on my part. As my new boss, I needed to make things work between us.

  Between my student loans and the high cost of living in the city, I needed this job. Victor paid me well above what other admins in the city made. Sure, I earned every penny of it with my hard work and dedication, but I couldn't afford to jeopardize my position because Dante was a little standoffish.

  All week I had sent him calendar items, requesting a one-on-one meeting. All had been rejected.

  So when he came up to my desk on Friday, his focus on his phone in front of him, I was more than a little surprised when he told me he needed to meet with me.

  “Like, right now?” I asked.

  His gaze lifted from the screen. “Is that a problem?”

  Pulling up my calendar, I double checked to make sure I didn't have anything else going on at the moment. “Looks like I'm all yours.” Standing, I grabbed my notepad and pen.

  I caught another whiff of his scent. He
smelled delicious.

  Delicious? I shook my head imperceptibly, reminding myself that he's a man, not a cupcake.

  “Where to?”

  He looked around the office space. “Why don't we grab coffee?” With that he moved towards the elevator, with me hustling to keep up. My heels not exactly the best shoe choice for the near jog I had to manage to not fall behind.

  He must have finally noticed because Dante slowed his pace, his hand clenching as he did.

  We walked together in silence. Many times, I opened my mouth to speak but then thought better of it.

  “I'll take a medium Americano, black,” said Dante to me and not the barista. There were still a few people ahead of us and rather than waiting he gave me his order before taking an incoming call.

  I winced at the order, but did as he asked. Normally, I'd go out and get coffee for Victor on my own and bring it back to the office. I wouldn’t even mind ordering for Dante if he weren’t such a jerk about it.

  Sometimes it’s not about what you say, but how you say it.

  Especially considering he barked the order and forgot the magic words of please and thank you.

  While the line didn't take long, I spent the time plotting what I'd say to him. When our drinks were ready, I picked them up from the bar, straightened my shoulders and walked confidently over to the man himself.

  When I sat down, he lifted his head and put away his phone, giving me his full attention.

  I sat back in my chair, surprised by it. I don't think he'd given me his full attention since we met.

  It was a good thing I was already seated because otherwise it would have knocked me on my ass. I adjusted my red waves to help cover the blush I felt rising to my cheeks.

  For as big of a jerk as Dante seemed to be, he sure was a handsome one. His dark features mesmerized. I felt entranced looking into his eyes.

  Like I could get lost there.

  My breathing shallowed.

  I blinked hard, trying to regain focus.

  “So, here's the thing,” he started. “I tried to reassign you but my father won't let me do it.”

  My stomach dropped. Panic setting in as I processed his words.

  Then I got angry. “Excuse me?”

  He simply nodded. “My father won't let me reassign you to assist someone else, so I'm stuck with you.”

  “Stuck. With. You.” I repeated slowly, my brain trying to process.

  He sipped his coffee as if he didn't just try to sabotage my career.

  He was so fucking casual about it.

  Unbelievable.

  And also, not gonna happen.

  DANTE

  I should have known she wouldn't take it well.

  I observed her all week. She was efficient and well versed in the company. But I didn’t need an assistant. I’d done things on my own and wanted to keep it that way.

  But my father said otherwise.

  Certainly, the last thing I needed was a distraction.

  And that’s exactly what Kate was, a distraction.

  Her ass looked amazing in those tight pencil skirts she insisted on wearing every day. She’d be a hazard on a construction site, that’s for sure.

  But we weren’t on a construction site. We were in a professional environment. And yet still she was a hazard for me. A distraction I couldn’t afford.

  “And why exactly do you think I’d be stuck with you? Sure, I work for you, but it’s not like I’m some bug and you are a piece of trap paper.”

  I laughed at that. A small chuckle, but it sounded foreign to my ears.

  Had it really been that long since I’d laughed? I supposed so. Between working twenty-four seven on site to prove to my father that I was capable of managing a sizeable operation on my own, to his diagnosis and my sudden takeover of his position, there hadn’t been much to laugh about.

  Laughing pissed off the stunning redhead across from me. Her golden-brown eyes flared and the tips of her ears reddened. I know she tried hiding the evidence earlier by pulling her hair forward, but that only drew attention to her shiny, wavy hair.

  She seemed to steel herself. “Well, it seems as if you don’t have a choice.” Her eyebrows raised up. “And this is my job you are talking about so cavalierly. I’d appreciate it if you respected that.”

  I lifted an eyebrow.

  I couldn't get rid of her but I could keep a good distance. As much as my father would allow. I didn’t fully trust her not to go running off to him if I didn’t agree with his terms.

  I ran my hand through my scruff. I managed a whole team of people back in Cleveland but they'd all been men and seasoned workers in the construction field. This whole corporate setting would be a bit of a readjustment. I hadn't worked in the main office since college when my father forced me to shadow him, to learn the ropes.

  And dealing with this woman was not high on my priority list. I had too many other things to worry about.

  “Fine,” I waved my hand. “You're right.”

  Her shoulders relaxed ever so slightly.

  “You will remain my assistant, but I need to do things differently from my father.”

  She nodded eagerly, her relief evident. “We can come up with our way of working together. That's fine by me.” Kate agreed easily. “In fact, I have a few ideas I want to bounce off you.”

  I groaned.

  I shook my head once. “That won't be necessary.”

  A look of half defeat and half condemnation crossed her face.

  Kate cleared her throat and leaned forward. “I get that you don't know me well yet and that I have to earn your trust, or whatever.” She pointed at me, then placed her hand on her chest, drawing my attention there. As soon as I caught myself, I looked away. I discreetly tried adjusting myself under the table. “But I really am a great worker. I could be helpful to you.”

  I had to give it to her, when she spoke of her job, she spoke with a confidence I admired. I knew she was good at her job but that wasn't the point.

  “The morning briefings stay. Other than that, I will let you know when I need you. Is that clear?” I stood up, needing to end this conversation as much as I needed to get back to the office.

  I couldn't stand the way she was looking at me. Like a puppy kicked by its owner. I could see her jaw clenching and her eyes reddening.

  Oh God, I almost made her cry. Time to get out of here.

  I needed to stay focused and get my work done, prove to my father and the board that I could handle running Inferno Construction.

  Heading for the door, I didn't bother looking back. I could hear Kate's ridiculously high heels trailing behind me.

  We walked back this way. Me slightly in front of her until we reached the elevator in the Inferno building. As the doors opened, I placed my hand on the small of her back, guiding her in.

  The heat of the touch burned me.

  I pulled back my hand, not sure what possessed me to do it in the first place.

  KATE

  Heat soared through my body at his touch. I launched myself to the opposite end of the elevator, determined to keep my distance.

  It had taken all the strength I had in me not to lean into his large, warm hand. To not give into his touch.

  That and his smell. Like a forest after the rain. His smell and his touch did things to me I didn’t know were possible.

  It had been so long since I dated anyone. But I knew for damn sure nobody had ever made my body react quite like that.

  But the man was impossible. I still couldn’t believe it when he said he wanted to reassign me. Shock and frustration coursed through me. But anger had taken root as well. I tamped it down along with the lust. I needed the job and didn’t want to risk anything by screaming profanities at my hot new boss.

  Why did he have to be a jerk? And a hot jerk at that.

  I needed to call Quinn. Get her take on things. I helped her out with her own neighbor issues.

  Oh God, I’d have to see Dante in our building.
r />   Cherry? Meet top of cake.

  ***

  My smart watch buzzed as the new hour arrived, declaring it time for our meeting to start.

  Another glance at the door showed nobody coming.

  Dante was late to a meeting with a key foreman on a new project.

  This was big.

  Big enough that I knew for sure his father had a meeting with him on this specific topic last week. I’d scheduled it after all. But still, no Dante.

  Joel sat across from me, his sandy blonde hair cut close to his head and his brown eyes shining in amusement. Next to him stood Sam Mendelson, the foreman in charge of the new downtown project, pouring a glass of water for himself. He’d led many big projects for Inferno Construction and was kind of a big deal.

  But still no Dante.

  Dante needed to be here.

  I didn’t trust the glint in Joel’s eyes.

  And this was one of the first big meetings Dante needed to lead given his new role.

  Decision made, I stood up, two pairs of eyes following the movement. “If you’ll excuse me, I’ll be right back.”

  Dante had made it very clear that he didn’t want me interfering in his work unless given concrete instructions. But he couldn’t have foreseen this.

  I hustled up two flights of stairs, figuring it would be faster than waiting for the elevator. My heels carried me quickly through the long hallway that lead to the senior leadership team’s offices, Dante’s included.

  Halting in front of his door, I took only a second to straighten my hair before knocking. “Mr. Inferno?”

  I opened the door without getting his permission, crossing my fingers that he wouldn’t get mad.

  His head popped up from the document in front of him. He appeared to be studying it thoroughly. “Kate, I’m prepping for the Mendelson meeting, you need to leave.”

  I kept my hand on the knob, not fully entering the space. “But, sir-”

  “Dante,” he sighed. “Call me Dante.”

  I swallowed. “Of course, Dante. But now isn’t the time to figure that out, sir. Mendelson is here. The meeting is happening now.”