Assisting the Bosshole

by Kristin MacQueen

“Love you.” I hold my phone out to Parker, he takes it with a scowl. “Send her your address. If you’re gonna keep me here like Rapunzel then I'm having my friends over.”

  “We’re already here.” Owen peeks over the back of the couch again. He’s like an adorable man child.

  “Carrie isn’t, but she’s coming.”

  “Oh, I’d love to see Carrie come.” He wiggles his eyebrows.

  “She hates you, ya know that, right?” Lucas pipes up from beside me. We’ve both cuddled together in bed, getting comfortable, Parker scowls from a standing position next to me but doesn’t say a word.

  “She doesn’t hate me.” He rolls his eyes. “She just doesn’t wanna admit she wants me, ‘cause she does.”

  “Not everyone wants you, Big Man.”

  “That’s true, you want Parker... But she’s not you. She can't resist this bosshole.”

  Lucas groans from beside me, dropping an arm over his face. Before I know what’s happened, Parker’s kissing my cheek, waking me up.

  “BABY, CARRIE’S HERE.”

  “Did I fall asleep?”

  “Yeah, you were out cold.”

  “Damn pills,” I pout.

  When I try to sit up in bed, Parker shakes his head, handing me a remote. He presses a button and the head of the bed raises.

  “What is this fancy shit?”

  “It’s adjustable. I thought it’d make things easier for you.”

  “You’re amazing, you know that, right?”

  I hold my arms open for him; I just want to feel him wrapped around me. I want to feel wanted and loved.

  Parker shoves Lucas off the bed, climbing in next to me, snaking an arm around me.

  “Get your own fucking girl, Logan’s mine.”

  “I’m not trying to steal your girl.” Lucas rolls his eyes.

  “Told ya! He’s not into chicks.”

  Lucas grabs a can of soup off the counter and tosses it over the couch. A loud groan fills the air, followed by a string of muttered curses.

  “I’m going home, I’ll check on you later, Logan.” He stops in the open doorway, calling over his shoulder. “Parker, make sure she takes her meds like the bottle says, she’s in more pain than she’s telling you.”

  “I thought we were friends!”

  “I love you, darling. I don’t want to see you hurt, take the damn meds.” He slams the door behind him.

  31

  Parker

  CARRIE LOOKS UNCOMFORTABLE sitting in the living room. Her gaze travels around the room, taking in my condo.

  “Your home is gorgeous, Parker.”

  “Thanks. Where do you do most of your business?”

  “Most of it’s in this part of town, I specialize in high-end exclusive properties. I’ve never seen a condo quite like this. Everything’s beautiful. Did you hire a designer?”

  “Lucas did.” Owen chuckles. “He found our condos, then insisted we couldn’t live in bachelor pads and made us hire his interior decorator. Biggest waste of money ever.”

  “Do you live around here?”

  “See, Little L, she likes me! She wants to know where I live!”

  “Oh my gosh,” Carrie mumbles under her breath. Her cheeks heat, she’s avoiding Owen’s gaze. The more she pushes him away the more he’s going to want her.

  “I can show you my condo, it’s better than Parker’s. Bigger too.” He wiggles his eyebrows, making Carrie’s cheeks turn an even darker shade of red.

  “N-no, that’s ok. I came to see Logan.”

  “Fine, but the offer’s always there. You can come to my place any time you want, but there is a no shoes policy... along with a no shirt policy.”

  Carrie jumps off her seat, practically jogging over to Logan.

  “How do you deal with him all the time?” She hisses under her breath.

  “Eh, he’s not bad once you learn to ignore the flirting and pervy comments.”

  “I don’t think I could ever get used to it... Do you need anything?”

  “How about this, when I need something, I’ll ask one of you and until then we’ll assume I'm ok,” Logan snaps a little.

  “Logan...” I growl. Carrie’s going out of her comfort zone by just being here, she could be nicer. Logan squeezes her eyes shut for a few seconds before she lets out a deep breath and looks at Carrie.

  “I'm sorry. I'm tired and today’s been a lot. I'm just having trouble.”

  “Do you want me to go?”

  “No, it’s not you. It’s just... I don’t know. I haven’t fully processed everything yet.”

  “It’s ok. Like you said, it’s a lot. You get some rest and I’ll come back tomorrow.”

  “You don’t have to leave.” Logan reaches out a hand to her.

  “No, it’s fine. Feel better.”

  I glance over at Owen; we exchange a look. Something’s going on between the two of them. I lift my chin, silently asking him to check on Carrie. He nods his head and stands.

  “I’ll text you later.” She gives us a tight smile. “Thank you for having me, Parker. Your home’s lovely... Thank you for taking care of Logan.”

  “Let me walk you out.” Owen’s voice is gentle, filled with concern. He’s really not as much of an asshole as everyone believes.

  “I'm sure I can find my way out; I found my way in all by myself.”

  “Will you just hush and let me be a gentleman? Is it really so hard?”

  “To believe you just want to be a gentleman? Yes, that’s hard for me to believe. Very hard.”

  “Wanna talk about something else that’s very hard?”

  “Oh my gosh! How does any woman want to be around you?”

  “They like my hard parts.”

  The door closes but I can still hear their muffled voices moving further away from my door.

  “Logan...”

  “I know, I know. I'm trying here, Parker. This is really hard for me, ok?”

  “Talk to me, baby. What’s going through your head?”

  “I don’t feel like myself, I feel less... like I'm no longer complete. This isn't mine.” She gestures to her chest. “It’s fake. I guess I didn’t think losing one of my breasts would be so hard. I figured by getting an implant, I’d feel the same, but I don’t. I feel like I'm not a woman anymore, I feel broken.”

  “I'm so sorry, baby. I know what I think doesn’t matter, but I don’t see you as anything less. I see a beautiful woman in front of me. One who has fought hard and is overcoming everything life throws at her. I see the strongest person I know. One who has gone through cancer twice, almost completely alone and yet you’re still fighting for another day. You amaze me, Logan. You aren’t less because you had your breast removed, not in my eyes.”

  Silent tears trickle down her cheeks, a shuddering breath shakes her body. I envelope her in my arms, holding her as tightly as I can without hurting her. There’s no reason for her to feel like anything less than she did the first day she walked into my office but I understand it. I know exactly where she’s coming from, my mom went through the same thing.

  “My mom had breast cancer. She had to have both breasts removed. I remember she felt the same way you do. You could talk to her, if you want. She’d love it. She knows all about you... not your cancer, but everything else about you. She’s been begging to meet you, but I wasn’t sure if you were ready for that... if we, our relationship, was ready for that.”

  “You want me to meet your parents?”

  “I do, baby. I wasn’t joking when I said I wasn’t letting you go. I love you; I plan to have you in my life forever.”

  32

  Parker

  “DOES ANYONE HAVE ANY questions before we leave? I won't be in the office the rest of the week, but you can reach me by phone or email. I'm not sure what Coleman and Powell plan to do.”

  “We’ll be reachable by email and phone too.” Lucas smirks from above his coffee cup.

  “Yup! So, don’t call us unless it’s important,” Owen adds wit
h a scowl.

  “Where are you going?” Mr. Anderson narrows his gaze at us.

  “We’re not going anywhere; we’ll be at home.”

  “This is the third week you’ve all be out. This is crazy. You claim to care so much about this company yet you’re never here.” Mr. Anderson starts on us once again. I roll my eyes, unable to hide my irritation any longer.

  “Why the fuck do I have to be here to care about it? I can do everything I do here, at home,” Owen growls.

  “It’s bad for morale, employees will think you don’t care... even more than they already do,” He mutters the last bit under his breath.

  “My girlfriend just had surgery. She’s in a lot of pain and I'm going to take care of her while she recovers. If you have a problem with that feel free to bitch, but it isn't going to change a thing.”

  “Fine, but why are Lucas and Owen out? Did their girlfriends have surgery too?”

  “First off, it’s Mr. Coleman and Mr. Powell to you. You’re not their superiors or even equals, it’d behoove you to remember that.” I fold my arms over my chest, daring him to argue my point.

  “Second, Mr. Colman and I don’t have girlfriends. That’s just crazy talk.”

  “Third, Parker’s girlfriend is family and we take care of family.”

  “So, who’s in charge while you’re all playing nurse?”

  “Mr. Anderson, that’s very rude and insensitive,” Doris speaks up with a scowl. “These men haven’t done a thing to make you think they aren’t putting this company first. They’ve worked their butts off since they took over for their fathers. I for one am happy to hear Parker has found someone he loves enough to put before work. I hope Lucas and Owen do the same.”

  “Doris! Doris is in charge!” Owen jumps from his chair, startling Anderson. “Let’s go fuckers, our girl’s been left alone for too long.”

  “You can't leave Doris in charge, she’s head of HR. She doesn’t know anything about the business side of things.”

  “Fine. I’ll facetime you the entire day so you can ask me each and every little question and I’ll be in charge.” Owen leans down, mock whispering in Anderson’s ear. “You might wanna throw a towel over your computer after lunch time. That’s my lotion time if you catch my drift, wouldn’t wanna make work awkward after I come back. Definitely don’t want you trying to catch a peek of my goods in the bathroom either.”

  “How the hell did you ever become the boss? They should’ve made you a silent partner.”

  “Because people trust me a hell of a lot more than your sleezy ass,” Owen growls before stepping away. He clamps a hand on my shoulder. “Let’s go get your girl.”

  “Where’s Logan?” Anderson raises a brow. “She’s your second in command, right? She’s been MIA too.”

  “Who the hell do you think his girlfriend is? No one else can put up with his grumpy ass.”

  “You can't date your assistant!”

  “Why the fuck not?” I narrow my eyes at him. “Who made you the fucking boss?”

  “It’s against policy. You can't date a subordinate.”

  “Doris? What’s your opinion on this matter?”

  “Well, considering Miss. Johnson is technically in charge of all the assistants, she answers to Lucas, Owen and Parker. Therefore, Parker isn't her only boss and I'm ok with it. They both came to me and signed a consensual relationship agreement before they started dating. I have no problem with them being a couple, they’re stronger employees together than they ever were apart.”

  “He should have to have a new assistant!”

  “Mr. Anderson, if you would like the daunting task of finding an assistant for Parker who won't quit within a week or run away crying before the end of their first day, then feel free. He’s gone through fifteen assistants in the last six months. Agencies won't send me anyone new for him. Logan’s a unicorn; we’re never going to find another person who can handle him like she does.”

  “She’s great at handling him too. I've seen the results of her doing so.” Owen wiggles his eye brows, making Anderson’s cheeks burn a bright red.

  “She knows exactly what he likes and how he likes it,” Lucas adds with a shit-eating grin.

  Normally he isn't one to encourage Owen, but we’re all sick of dealing with Anderson thinking he knows what’s best for this company and our own lives.

  “Now, if there’s nothing else, I'm going to get back to my girl.”

  Owen and Lucas pin Anderson with a glare, daring him to open his mouth. When no one else speaks up, I turn and walk out of the boardroom. I don’t go to my office or to check on anything. I head straight to my car and get home to my girl.

  33

  Logan

  THE DOOR SWINGS OPEN, my man struts in with a big smile on his face. He looks sexy as hell. A dark gray tailored suit, black dress shirt and turquoise tie. His hair is slicked back the same way he had it on my first day. If I thought the scowling broody man I met that day was attractive, he’s got nothing on this version of Parker.

  “Hey, baby.” He kneels in front of me, hugging my waist.

  “Hey, sexy.” I peer up at him, a beautiful smirk spreads over his plump lips. They’re just begging to be kissed. “How was the meeting?”

  The door flings open again, Owen and Lucas filter in, plopping down on our couch.

  “Anderson needs to be fired,” Owen grumbles.

  “We can't fire him just because we don’t like him. We need proof he’s done something worth termination.” Lucas is definitely the glue that holds this company together. Without him, Parker and Owen would be firing people left and right. He’s their voice of reason.

  “Can we fire him for being an asshole?”

  “Nope. Not good enough. If I could fire people for being assholes, I’d fire your ass in a second.”

  “I hate you sometimes.”

  “Why? Because I protect you and make sure you aren’t sued?”

  “Why can't you just be a bosshole like Parker and I?”

  “Logan... I hate you so much for calling him a bosshole, it’s his new favorite word.”

  “Sorry.” I wince. “You know, Anderson gave you Smyth’s company and it would have been a complete loss. Maybe he’s trying to screw you guys over because he doesn’t want you there. He might think if you make enough bad decisions, your dads will take the company over again.”

  Three sets of eyes snap to me. They don’t say a word, just stare at me like I have five heads.

  “He wouldn’t... would he?” Lucas whispers.

  “Anderson? That fucker would do almost anything to get rid of us, he’s made that painfully clear,” Parker growls.

  “Little L, do you have something you’re not telling us? Do you know about more companies he’s dealt with that aren’t worth what they're trying to claim they are?”

  “What? No! If I knew anything, I’d tell you guys. You know that.”

  “If I give you a list of the companies he’s been dealing with, could you look into it when you come back to work?” Owen’s all business now.

  Everyone thinks he doesn’t take his job seriously, but he does. He just enjoys harassing people and making them uncomfortable. It’s why he loves when Carrie’s over. He can make her turn redder than a tomato.

  “Give me the list, I’ll start looking into things right away.”

  “You need to rest.” Parker scowls at me.

  “Babe, I can sit in bed and use a computer at the same time. I'm not running around. Plus, the doctor said I could probably return to work soon.”

  “You don’t need to be doing this right now, it’s not important.”

  “Just sent you the list!” Owen smirks when Parker turns his scowl on him. “What? She’s gotta be bored, your place sucks... can you go swimming yet?”

  “I don’t think so. Maybe another two weeks.”

  He nods his head, scrolling through his phone.

  “There! In two and a half weeks we have a date, darling.”

&
nbsp; “You’re not taking my girlfriend on a date!” Parker scrubs a hand over his face.

  “Can I?” Lucas perks up.

  “Fuck no! You’re the nice one, she’s more likely to enjoy a date with you.”

  “He thinks you love me.” Lucas’s face splits into a huge grin.

  “She loves me the most, right Little L?”

  “I love all three of you, Big Man.”

  “Get the fuck outta my apartment.” Parker yanks the door open, gesturing for Owen and Lucas to leave.

  “He’s jealous, he knows you think I'm sexier than he is. I'm harder in all the right places, just ask Carrie.”

  “Will you leave that poor girl alone? You’re gonna give her a heart attack with half the shit that flies outta your mouth.” Lucas shakes his head, dragging Owen out the door.

  “You know I love you the most.” I tilt my head back to peek up at Parker with a cheeky grin.

  “You better, you’re mine.”

  “Mmmm, I love being yours.”

  “Good, because I'm not letting you go.”

  “Can you drive me to my place? There’s a few things I need.”

  “Just tell me, I’ll send Owen to get it. He’s been bitching that you never ask him for anything anyway.”

  “Because I feel bad! You guys have been out of work since my surgery and I hate taking advantage of you.”

  “Baby, we want you to rely on us. We want to help in any way we can.”

  “Fine. Give me a piece of paper and a pen. I’ll make a list for him.”

  34

  Owen

  PUSHING OPEN THE DOOR to Logan’s apartment, a grimace appears on my face. This place is a piece of shit, I don’t know how we didn’t notice when we came over before her surgery. She keeps her place neat and tidy, but it’s a crappy apartment. The walls are yellowed from water damage, the carpet is stained and there’s a crack the entire length of one of her windows.

  I pull back the curtain to see what kind of view she has, scowling when I find a brick wall a foot away from her window.