Break the Rules (The Flanagan Sisters Book 1)

by Claire Boston

  Her work ethic was admirable. She worked more hours than she had to, went beyond the call of duty, and had the best interests of the plant at heart. It made Jack respect her even more. To continue with that level of passion, despite the lack of management support, showed real dedication.

  Which reminded him – he’d read through the fatigue management procedure and found Bridget was working too many hours. He wanted to give her the time off in lieu of all the extra work she did. It was the least he could do. He checked her hours on the security log and confirmed with Anthony that he could give her the time off. He caught up with her a couple of hours later.

  “Bridget, can I have a word?” he asked.

  “Sure.” She turned from her computer.

  He leaned against her desk, crossed his ankles, and tried to look as unthreatening as possible. He wasn’t entirely sure how Bridget would take the order to have a couple of days off. Most people would jump at the chance, but Bridget wasn’t most people.

  “I’ve checked the hours you’ve been working,” he began.

  She shifted in her chair, sat straighter, bracing herself for defense.

  “You’ve been working too many hours and, as I’m sure you’re aware, fatigue can begin to creep in without you noticing.”

  She opened her mouth to say something but he held up his hand.

  “You need to take two days off this month. You can choose which days.”

  She was already shaking her head. “Jack, I can’t afford to right now. The work for the project has already been delayed for too long.”

  He’d prepared his counter argument. “You don’t need to do everything, Bridget. Tell me what needs to be done on your days off, and I’ll make sure it happens.”

  “There’s too much to explain. It will be easier if I take time off after it’s completed.”

  “Fatigue doesn’t work like that. Do you want to be so tired that you make a mistake?” He hated to say it, but he needed to convince her.

  She reared back as if he’d hit her. “You think I’d put the plant at risk?”

  He held up a conciliatory hand. “Not on purpose. You’re too focused to think of some of the potential consequences.” He continued before she could say anything else. “Let me know by Monday which days you’ll take. It might be a good opportunity for you to do the dive training you’ve been talking about.”

  She glared at him but he simply smiled and walked out of the office. She was too busy taking care of everyone else. Someone had to take care of her.

  * * *

  It had long since grown dark by the time Bridget arrived home. She’d been so annoyed by Jack’s insistence she take time off that she’d stayed past her normal working hours to get more of her project completed. At that time of the evening there was little chance of interruption.

  He couldn’t stop her from doing what needed to be done. The gall of him, to even suggest she might put the plant at risk, that she might make a mistake. She knew her limits and she was far from them.

  “Bridget, is that you?” Tanya called from the back of the house.

  She frowned. Tanya had barely been home since she’d met Hal, and Bridget hadn’t expected her to be there.

  “Yeah.” She wandered down the hall to the kitchen. She hadn’t eaten since lunch and her stomach was telling her it was way past time to be fed.

  As she walked into the living area she found Tanya and Hal sitting side by side on the couch.

  “You’re later than usual,” Tanya said.

  “I had some work I needed to finish. It’s easier to get it done when there’s no one in the administration building.”

  “You’re working too hard,” Tanya admonished. “They don’t deserve your loyalty.”

  Bridget glanced at Hal and back at Tanya. “They gave me a chance,” she said and turned to rummage in the freezer. There had to be some sort of frozen meal in there.

  She hated to remember the time when her world had crumbled around her, when her boyfriend had betrayed her and she’d lost all the credibility she’d worked so hard to gain. She was lucky Jeremy had convinced the safety manager at Dionysus that she was worth hiring.

  She found a frozen lasagna and put it in the microwave to heat. It was the weekend, but she’d brought her laptop home to do a bit more work on the project. She could spend Saturday on it and then it was her turn to drive to her mother’s for lunch on Sunday.

  “You need to chill out. Why don’t you come to the movies with Hal and me tomorrow?” Tanya suggested. “We’re going to have lunch beforehand.”

  There was no way she was going to be a third wheel in their cozy party. She shook her head. “I’ve got some work to do.”

  “That’s ridiculous, Bridge,” Tanya stood up and walked into the kitchen. “If you don’t take a break, I’ll tell Jack. I’m sure there’s something he can do.”

  Bridget groaned. It was not a good thing that her best friend knew her boss. “He’s already told me I have to take two days off this month. Time in lieu.”

  “Good. When are you going to take them? We can have a girls’ day.”

  Bridget shrugged. She should have kept her mouth shut. Now she’d have both Tanya and Jack hassling her. “I’m not sure. Jack suggested I look up diving courses.”

  The suggestion appealed to her. The idea had been simmering in her mind since she’d first discussed it with Jack at the bar and she’d checked out prices only the other day. But she couldn’t just take time off. Not with all the work that needed to be done.

  Jack had said he would make sure it got done.

  Could she rely on him to follow through on the promise? In the past the only person she could rely on at work was Jeremy. Should she take the chance?

  Jack’s comment about her being fatigued niggled at her. She didn’t think she was, but she wasn’t necessarily the best judge – she was too focused on what had to be done. She would hate to put the plant at risk.

  Now might be the perfect opportunity to do the course.

  “That’s a great idea!” Tanya said.

  Hal nodded. “Jack always raves about his dives.”

  Bridget took her meal out of the microwave and placed it on the table. She grabbed Tanya’s tablet and searched for diving courses in Houston. She found a place that offered a three-day open water course and there was one coming up next weekend, starting on the Friday.

  What did she have scheduled for Friday? Quickly she fired up her laptop and opened the project schedule. It was contractor work. They needed someone to show them what to do and a number to call if they had any trouble. If she explained everything to Jack, or one of the chemical engineers, they could easily fill in.

  She cross checked the diving course information and her chart. Could she actually do it? The price was within her budget, but was it a little bit decadent to spend so much on herself?

  She shook her head. If she wasn’t going to spend her money on herself, who else would she spend it on?

  Acknowledging the little voice in the back of her head yelling, Do it! Do it! she clicked the “book now” button and signed up for the course.

  Bridget sat back. It was a little terrifying now she’d booked it. She hoped Jack would give her the Friday off. She probably should have checked with him first. This was why she didn’t do spontaneous very well. It always ended badly.

  Knowing it would niggle at her over the whole weekend, she called his cell phone.

  “Hi Bridget. Everything all right?” His voice warmed her body and made her smile. She was glad he couldn’t see her.

  “I’ve booked a diving course and realized I should have checked with you first. It’s next Friday.”

  “That’s great news! No problem on my end. Why don’t you take the Monday off as well and make it a four-day weekend?”

  She glanced over at Tanya. She always had Mondays off, and by the time Bridget had done the course she might need a day of pampering. She wasn’t sure how physical it would be.

  “All
right. That would be great. I’ll update the project plan this weekend to make sure we’re on track and will give you the details on Monday.”

  “No. You’re not going to work on the weekend. We’ll sort it out next week.” His voice was stern.

  “Sure,” she lied. “I’ll see you then.” She hung up.

  “So when’s the course?” Tanya asked.

  “Next Friday. Do you want to do the girls’ day the following Monday?”

  Tanya’s face lit up. “Absolutely! Let me organize everything. We should go shopping and then get a massage. It’s time you had something more than high-vis in your wardrobe.”

  Bridget smothered a groan. She wasn’t much of a shopper, and never had the time for hair and makeup. Her only weakness was painting her toenails, and she had a myriad of colors already. But Tanya was right. Most of the clothes in her wardrobe were at least two years old and it would be nice to have something new for a change.

  “All right.” Finishing her meal, she tidied up and grabbed her laptop from the table.

  “I’ll leave you love birds to it,” she said. She wanted to give them some privacy and she wasn’t comfortable sitting out there while they got all lovey-dovey on the sofa.

  Besides, she had work to do.

  Chapter 7

  One of Bridget’s favorite things about the weekend was being able to wake up without her alarm going off. She could sleep as late as she wanted to – a complete indulgence for her.

  So when Tanya pounded on Bridget’s bedroom door on Saturday morning, waking her up, Bridget swore. “What’s the emergency?” she called, clearing her eyes of sleep as she reached for her cell phone to check the time. It was seven o’clock. Way too early for the weekend. Tanya was never out of bed this early. What had got into her?

  “We’re going on a road trip and you’re coming with us.”

  Bridget frowned, trying to get her brain functioning. A road trip? “What happened to lunch and a movie?” She flung the covers back, knowing Tanya wouldn’t give up until Bridget had at least shown her face. She got up and opened her bedroom door.

  “We decided a road trip would be more fun. We’re heading to Brenham – wine, food, and antiquing. What could be better?”

  Brenham was one of Bridget’s favorite places. She loved the atmosphere and the fact it was far enough from Houston and the plant for her to be able to relax. If anything happened, someone else would have to deal with it.

  Down the hall she could hear someone making coffee. The smell wafted tantalizingly toward her. “Tanya, you don’t want me tagging along. Besides, I’ve got work to do.”

  “No you don’t. We called Jack and he said you shouldn’t be working. He’s going to come too, so you’ll make sure he doesn’t feel like the third wheel. Now, get ready. We leave in thirty minutes.” Tanya whirled around and headed to the kitchen.

  Bridget watched her go, her brain still processing what was going on. Tanya was awake and chirpy at seven o’clock on a Saturday morning. Hal must have some kind of secret potion. Then she focused on one point. Tanya had called Jack and he was coming too.

  That should be enough to make her refuse, but the idea of spending a whole day with him away from the plant held significant appeal.

  Which meant she couldn’t possibly go.

  But she’d think of a reason to give Tanya while she had a shower. She wasn’t going to get back to sleep now.

  As Bridget showered she thought about the last time she’d been in Brenham and the little winery they’d discovered with the most amazing wine she’d ever tasted. It also had a cute little café attached to it with the best apple pie.

  Tanya wasn’t playing fair. It was way too tempting.

  As she turned off the shower she reminded herself she had work to do. If she was going to have a four-day weekend next weekend, she needed to get a few things sorted. She didn’t have time to go gallivanting across the country, no matter how much the idea appealed.

  She took her time deciding what to wear. It was a warm fall day, but everything in her wardrobe was old and tired. It was just as well she was going shopping with Tanya next week.

  She’d been staring at her wardrobe for five minutes when she realized she’d made the decision to go with them. Why else would she be agonizing over what to wear?

  With a sigh, she threw on a pair of black capri pants, some sandals and a blue top. She grabbed her purse and opened her bedroom door to find Hal and Tanya waiting for her with a travel mug.

  “Here,” Tanya said, handing her the coffee. “We’re late picking up Jack.”

  “We should invite Trish and Sally,” Bridget said, a little desperately. “They love Brenham.” At least with a couple more friends, she wouldn’t have to focus on Jack.

  “Too late.” Tanya bustled Bridget out of the house and into Hal’s bright red four-door sedan.

  Damn it. What had she got herself in to? She shouldn’t be sitting in the back seat of Hal’s car, sipping coffee and heading for a day out with the boss she was trying her hardest to pretend was just a colleague.

  No other colleague made her body hum like he did.

  Still if Tanya and Hal were going to stay together, it was inevitable they would socialize with each other outside of work. They needed to be able to be cordial and to work past the attraction. Today was a prime opportunity.

  She’d never been so pleased her friend had found someone.

  She rolled her eyes. She was being ridiculous. She had her rules for a reason – a Lionel-sized reason – and so her attraction to Jack didn’t matter.

  She would be polite, friendly even, but she wouldn’t respond to the feelings he evoked inside. She was an adult. She could ignore her baser instincts. Plus she wasn’t going to let Jack scare her away from a chance to go to Brenham.

  Hal pulled up in front of a house that had a seventies look and honked his horn. Jack was out of the front door before the noise faded. He wore black shorts and a striped shirt that clung to his chest, defining every muscle. It was a shame the usual high-vis work clothes did little to accentuate anyone’s figure. Because Jack had a figure worth accentuating.

  He gave a casual salute and climbed into the backseat next to her.

  She had to stop staring.

  “Morning,” he said.

  “Morning!” Tanya sing-songed back.

  Bridget’s mouth had gone dry so she merely nodded. She had to get a grip. This was her boss she was checking out. The whole day suddenly seemed like a really bad idea.

  “So where are we going?” Jack asked as Hal pulled out of the driveway.

  “Brenham.” Tanya told him. “We can tour a couple of wineries, have brunch, check out some antique shops, and maybe do the tour of the ice-creamery.”

  “Sounds like a plan.” He turned to Bridget. “I’m glad Tanya convinced you to come. It’s too gorgeous a day to be inside.”

  He was right. The sky was clear and pale blue, the sun was warm, and the forecast was for the first cooler day since summer – which meant it might actually be pleasant.

  “I didn’t have much choice in the matter,” Bridget said, wincing at the sarcasm in her tone. She sounded bitter and she wasn’t. A day out in Brenham would normally be top of her list of things to do. She just didn’t want to spend the day fighting her body’s response to Jack.

  “Don’t be like that, Bridge,” Tanya said. “You’ll have a great time.”

  Bridget sighed. “I know.”

  “Plus you’re under boss’s orders not to work,” Jack said with a smile.

  She couldn’t resist smiling back at him. It was too hard not to. “He does seem to be taking an inordinate amount of interest in the hours I put in.”

  “Just making sure my staff are looking after themselves,” he replied.

  It was nice. He noticed the hours she was working, plus he was taking on some of her work so she could have the time off she deserved. Not many people would do that.

  But would others view it as favoritism?
Was he checking the hours for the rest of his department, or was it just her? Her shoulders went stiff. This was one of the reasons why dating the boss was a bad idea. She was constantly second-guessing herself.

  As they drove through the city, doing their best to avoid traffic snarls, they chatted about their favorite Brenham location. Their first stop when they arrived was to get food. After a brief argument they settled on a café that served breakfast. Bridget slid into a booth that had windows facing the street. The town was already buzzing with people – some striding purposefully to their destination, others just wandering, pointing out places of interest. Bridget breathed deeply, inhaling the coffee fragrance mixed with cooked bacon coming from the kitchen.

  Jack slid in next to her. “Something smells good.”

  “Sure does.” She wasn’t referring to the food. Jack was sitting so close his leg brushed hers and his masculine aftershave teased her senses.

  She resisted the urge to lean closer and sniff him. Shuffling a little further away she grabbed a menu. “I don’t know what I want.” She buried her face in it, hoping to get herself under control.

  “It’s a no-brainer,” Hal declared. “The works every time.”

  “I’m going with pancakes,” Tanya decided.

  Everything on the menu sounded delicious, but Bridget couldn’t go past the pancakes either. “Me too.”

  Jack agreed with his brother and after they’d ordered he turned to Bridget. “Which dive school are you going with?”

  She named the school. “They do a three-day course, which suits me.”

  “Do you need any gear? My stuff arrived from Australia this week, so you can borrow it if you want, though the fins might be too big.”

  The idea of using his equipment was a little too intimate for Bridget. “It’s all included in the price.”

  “Where will you dive?”

  “I’m not sure. The website said there will be lake dives on Saturday and open water dives on Sunday.” She hadn’t considered lakes a source of diving, but when she’d researched it further, there were a few places around Texas.