Stranded for Christmas with my Boss (Forbidden Billionaire Boss Daddies)

27. Alyssa

Chapter twenty-seven

Alyssa

T he air in the conference room thickens as the minutes tick on, getting closer and closer to ten o’clock when Jensen and I have our meeting with Mila.

Having our small Christmas break was exactly what we needed to refresh and hit the ground running for these last few days before the update goes live. A few loose ends need to be tied up on the marketing side of things, but overall, the update is ready to go.

Everyone will get to witness and enjoy Soul Flames’ newest, greatest version ever, and our reach will go further than ever before, thanks to the exposure our contracted influencers will give us. If we can add Mila to the mix, we’ll go even further.

“She should be coming any minute now,” Jensen murmurs as he sits next to me at the conference table.

I nod, but my heart is pounding, and I’m not sure if it’s from excitement or nerves—or maybe both. This is the kind of meeting that can change everything. A deal with Mila could elevate our app’s profile to a whole new level, and with it, solidify my position in the marketing department.

And that’s where the conflict creeps in. I love this company, this job, but I’ve always been Jensen’s assistant first. Will the others see me as just that—the assistant who got promoted because she’s sleeping with the boss? I push the thought away, forcing myself to focus. I’ve earned this. I know I have.

I take a deep breath, glancing at Jensen. He gives me a reassuring smile, and I feel a little steadier. With him beside me, maybe I really can do anything.

“We can do this,” I assure him as I pass him an encouraging look. “We can do anything, remember?”

Jensen chuckles and nods, the sound evaporating in his throat the moment Mila strides into the conference room with a stylish, leather bag hanging on her shoulder. He stands at the same time as me. “Jensen Riley. Thank you for rescheduling with us.”

“That storm was crazy, right? It came out of nowhere!” Mila replies as she shakes our hands before sitting across from us. She takes out a tablet from her bag and hovers her digital pen over the screen. “Let’s get started.”

Mila’s presence fills the room. She’s everything I expected: sharp, confident, and completely in control. She exudes charisma, and I can see why her followers trust her. She flips her tablet open, but even the way she does it has a certain flair, like every movement is calculated to draw attention.

She glances at me, her eyes scanning quickly as if assessing my worth in this meeting. I straighten my back, meeting her gaze head-on. I’m not just here to observe; I’m here to prove that I belong.

Our conversation rotates around the table. Jensen states the general idea and expectations, Mila asks questions, and I get into the nitty gritty details. We keep going around and around, letting Mila jot down notes and negotiate based on what works for her and her content. Her followers trust her, so she has to come off as authentic.

There are a few hang-ups, but all of us are flexible. We want what’s best for anyone, and if we can benefit, she can benefit too. That’s the whole point of us partnering with influencers.

And I think we finally landed one of the best in the city.

“I’ve never promoted a dating app before,” Mila tells us as she starts a new page of notes on her tablet. “But new year, new me, right? It wouldn’t hurt to see what’s out there.”

“You’ll find love in the most random places,” I say, making Jensen smile a little.

“Somewhere in this big city, there better be the guy for me,” Mila laughs before putting the pen back in its slot. “I already have some ideas. Is there someone I can talk to about content?”

“You can talk to Alyssa,” Jensen speaks up. “She’s part of our marketing department.”

I raise an eyebrow at him, not expecting him to nominate me. Technically, I’m not in the marketing department, even if I do a decent amount of work with them. “Yeah, I’d be happy to help you out. I can give you my work contact information.”

“Perfect! I can work on some promo to post on the first,” Mila says with an excited smile.

“We’ll email you the contract later today. If you have any questions, reach out to either one of us,” Jensen tells her.

Mila nods and reaches across the table to shake our hands. “I’m glad we were able to meet up. It’s not as nice as the Catskills, but maybe we’ll find our way back out there eventually, right?”

Jensen and I laugh and nod. She has no idea what we went through up in the Catskills, but those are memories for just Jensen and me. Ones that we’ll treasure for the rest of our lives.

When she steps out of the office, I turn and face Jensen. “I’m part of the marketing department now?”

My words come out as a tease, but Jensen doesn’t laugh. In fact, he looks like he wants to talk about something serious.

Jensen moves his chair closer to mine and straightens up. “I want to talk to you about your position at this company.”

My first instinct is to laugh because he hasn’t spoken to me like this in a while, but the sound gets caught in my chest. “Oh, okay. Did I…do something wrong?”

Jensen reaches up and adjusts his tie. “You went out of the scope of your original job responsibilities. You engaged in very intimate actions with your superior.”

I cock an eyebrow at him, trying to figure out if he’s joking or not.

“I can only see one appropriate course of action,” Jensen tells me as his eyes meet mine.

“To fire me?” I ask in a quiet voice, my heart pounding.

A smile crosses Jensen’s face, catching me off guard. “To promote you.”

My eyes widen as I lean forward. “Wait, what?”

Jensen chuckles and nods. “I’ve been having some discussions with some people in marketing. As you know, Maya is leaving at the beginning of the year, and her position as brand specialist will be open. According to everyone in the marketing department, you would be an appropriate fit.”

I stare at him in stunned silence, still trying to process his words. “I…brand specialist? Seriously?”

“What do you think?”

I blink, taken aback. Part of me is thrilled—this is what I’ve been working for. But another part feels a twist of anxiety in my stomach. Does this mean I’ll be cut off from Jensen during work hours? Will people think I’m being passed around to different departments just because I’m dating him?

I take a moment to steady my thoughts. No, this is what I wanted. A chance to prove myself beyond just being his assistant. A chance to show that I can shine on my own.

I eagerly nod, excitement pumping through me like sheer adrenaline. I’m going to miss Maya to death, but I’m going to do her position justice. I’m going to rock this. “I can’t believe this! So, I won’t be your assistant any longer?”

Jensen shakes his head and takes my hand. “I called a meeting with all of my department heads and told them about us and how I want you to still work at the company but under someone else’s direct authority. Josh was more than happy to have you work under him.”

I blink in shock, processing everything. He’ll be my boss’ boss now, and I won’t directly report to him anymore. “That…makes sense.”

Jensen nods. “This prevents any sort of claims of abuse of power or anything like that. Not that I would ever take advantage of your position, but it’s always good to have these safeguards in place. I don’t want anyone to think negatively of your hard work because of your involvement with me.”

My heart stirs, warmth blooming throughout my chest. In every decision, he thinks about me. He makes sure that I’m taken care of, too. Just like he did at Christmas.

“Thank you,” I tell him as I squeeze his hand. “This means the world to me.”

“Your career is important to you, and I’m not promoting you because you’re my girlfriend. In fact, I didn’t even bring up your name when I was asking people in the marketing department who would do well in Maya’s position. They just thought you were the best because of the work you put in.”

A sense of awe floats over me as I think about all of the friends that I’ve made in the marketing department. We worked really hard this month, and I can’t wait to start the new year in an even higher position than my current one. All of my hard work paid off at last, and that bump in my paycheck is more than welcome.

My parents are going to be over the moon!

Through my happiness, a bittersweet feeling breaks through, making my smile wilt a little.

“What’s wrong?” Jensen frowns, immediately noticing the switch in my mood. He strokes my knuckles with his thumb in an encouraging manner.

A slight sting burns my eyes as a pitiful laugh breaks from me. I shake my head at myself and blink my eyes, trying not to tear up over something that’s really good news. “I’ll just miss being your assistant. I mean, I definitely want the brand specialist position more, but…we had a lot of good times. That’s how we met.”

Jensen smiles and leans forward, resting his forehead against mine. “I’m going to miss it too, but you deserve so much more. You’re going to do amazing things as a brand specialist.”

He’s right, but there will always be part of me that looks back on these days with a smile on my face. We went through a lot together in a short amount of time, and I loved the work that I did, even when we butted heads.

This company is where I was meant to end up. Not only did I finally find a workplace that I could thrive in, but I also found the man I love in the same building. Talk about a gracious two-for-one special.

“Thank you,” I tell him, unable to thank him enough.

“You did this, Alyssa. This is all you,” Jensen says as he cups my cheek, our eyes meeting. “I can’t wait to see all the great things you do.”

I can’t wait for next year. Next year is going to be a whirlwind. I feel it in my bones. But I’m ready. Ready to take on whatever comes my way, to prove to myself and to everyone else that I deserve to be where I am. I’m not just Jensen’s girlfriend, not just the former assistant. I’m Alyssa—brand specialist, force to be reckoned with, and a woman in love.

And with Jensen by my side, I feel like I can conquer the world.

December is only just a taste of what’s to come.