The Guy Who Became My Grumpy Boss (Curvy Girl Crew #7)

Chapter 16

-Peter-

The coffee cup almost collapsed under the assault of my grip when I saw Jessica.

It didn’t matter that cars zoomed down the road and a couple was jogging with five dogs across the street; Jessica’s presence announced itself like a fog horn in my mind. The moment the back of my neck started to tingle, I turned and found her walking toward me.

It didn’t matter what she wore, because she wore everything well. Jessica strode with confidence that I felt I had to match, so I turned and started toward her.

We met a few steps later, and for a moment, neither of us spoke. She wore the huge sunglasses that made her look like a movie star, along with a pair of maroon slacks and a black top. I’d never seen this outfit before, and I liked it.

Although, so far, my favorite look of hers was the jeans and shirt from golfing.

Jessica held out her hand, and I imagined her eyes narrowing behind the glasses.

I handed over the coffee without preamble. “I made sure it was extra hot when I picked it up.”

“My hero,” Jessica muttered as she took a test sip.

I held my breath. I was ninety-nine percent sure this was her regular order, but there was always a chance I’d remembered it wrong.

The small moan of satisfaction that came from her told me my memory had been correct. Her wine-colored lips spread into a smile. “Thank you.”

“You’re welcome.”

Jessica took another sip, and I glanced over at the shop we were going to. The owner was inside, waiting. “Shall we go in?”

“We shall.”

I stepped out of the way, and Jessica walked next to me as we moved to the door. I reached out and tugged it open. A friendly bell chimed, and a multitude of fake floral scents rolled over me.

There was a smoke shop next door, and the owner of this establishment had to counteract the competing smell.

Jessica, on the other hand, halted and made a face.

“Give it a minute and you should acclimatize to it,” I said as I put my hand out to guide her through the door.

The action had come as naturally as our conversation had the night before. First my fingers brushed her shirt and then settled on her lower back.

She shivered, and I wondered if that was because of the combined scents in the air or my touch.

I hoped it was my touch.

I didn’t bother to try to drive the thought away. I’d spent the entire evening before being distracted by Jessica, even though she was across the city. I wasn’t sure I could get her out of my head.

She kept walking, and I followed. I wanted to stay in physical contact with her but felt it would be strange, so I let my hand drop after we took a few steps inside the store.

“Whoa.” Jessica removed her glasses and looked around.

I did the same.

The relatively small space was brimming from floor to ceiling with custom stuffed animals. This place stocked many unique items and could make anything a child or an adult could imagine. I’d discovered them while at the hospital with my mother. The owner had come through with a few of her animals, giving them to patients that looked like they could use a boost.

“Peter!” Anna wore a pair of exercise pants and an off-the-shoulder shirt along with a headband that was more for looks than containing her curly black hair.

“Anna.” I moved to give her a handshake.

“I’m so glad you called me.” Anna turned her attention to my companion.

Jessica held out her hand. “I’m Jessica.”

“Anna.” Anna’s eyes flickered to me and back to Jessica. “How do you know this guy?”

I answered before Jessica could. “We work together. Jessica is helping out with our business retreat.”

“The emergency.” Anna wiggled her dark eyebrows. “How’s that going?”

“We’re here, aren’t we?” I asked.

Anna laughed and motioned us inside. “Normally, I would go on about how your order is going to be a big financial and time burden on our little company, but to be honest, we’ve had a couple of massive issues over the past few months, which is the reason I can accommodate you.”

“We appreciate it,” I said.

Jessica pointed. “Is that a pangolin?”

Anna nodded. “Sure is. We can make anything.”

“For a price,” I added.

“Duh,” Anna said.

We followed her through a door mostly hidden by a shelf of fantastical creatures and into a tiny room she must use for her office. Here the smell wasn’t nearly as potent.

Jessica and I sat in folding chairs, while Anna went around the tiny desk and settled into a creaking leather chair.

Anna got right to it. “So, your CEO has decided she wants a company mascot?”

“She got the idea from someone else,” I admitted.

“Not you.” It wasn’t a question.

“Obviously not.” Anna and I had coordinated at the hospital a few times. She reminded me of my Aunt Mei, and I was fairly comfortable with her.

Anna grabbed a few things from the floor and put them on the desk.

Before us lay a lavender colored stuffed beaver, an axolotl that had the coat of a calico cat, and a red panda that looked as if it had faded to pink in the wash. Each was the length of a football.

“I’ve got five hundred each of these; plenty for what you need. Which one would you like?”

Instead of studying the three options, I watched Jessica, who picked up the beaver and ran her fingers along its fur. She turned it over, looking at it from all angles, then set it down to grab the axolotl. She did the same to the red panda.

Her face gave away nothing, but I could see thoughts churning behind her eyes. After a minute, she looked at me. “Amelia wants a mascot?”

“It was Marissa’s idea, but Amelia loves it.”

Jessica nodded and went back to studying the samples.

“You want them embordered, right?” Anna asked.

“That is correct,” I said. “I realize this is a tight timetable.”

Anne held up a hand. “We can do it. I know enough people who will make it happen.”

She’d told me as much via text the night before, but it was good to verify it in person while she said it.

“Have you sent these to Amelia?” Jessica asked me.

I had. “She likes them all and wanted someone who wasn’t management to choose.”

Jessica bit her lip and didn’t reply.

“What are you thinking?” I asked softly.

“I like the axolotl, but it will be hard to see the logo against the dark and varied colors. However, not everyone likes pastels.”

I was one of those people.

Jessica looked at me. “Do we have to use just one animal?”

“The Olympics sometimes has more than one mascot,” Anna pointed out.

I’d had a limited time to prepare for this and hadn’t anticipated this question. The familiar rise of shame at not being prepared and panic for not having an answer rose in me. I took a breath to coax the emotions back and said, “I’m not sure.”

Jessica made a face. “Probably best to stick with one, which means I choose the axolotl.”

It took us half an hour to come up with the color schemes for everything, as well as the logo placement. In the end, we decided to put the logo on the bottom of the animal’s paw, to both minimize the impact that it was company swag, and according to the ladies, maximize the cuteness factor.

Less than an hour after we’d walked in, I took a horrible selfie among the stuffed insects for Aunt Mei, and Jessica and I walked back onto the street. I pulled my phone out to order a rideshare, but Jessica reached out and put a hand on my arm.

I hoped that this kind of casual touching would become commonplace for us. It sent warmth through my whole body, and for some reason, it made me feel safe.

“I can give you a ride.”

A ride? I stopped moving and stared at her.

“In my car.” She jerked her thumb over her shoulder and put her sunglasses on, which reminded me of a Miami cop show.

I hadn’t been planning on going with her. I wasn’t prepared for it.

My aunt’s voice came into my head. “You don’t have to prepare for everything. Sometimes good things just happen.”

“Or not.” Jessica shrugged and turned to walk away.

Sometimes good things just happen.

I reached and plucked Jessica’s hand out of the air.

She stopped and looked at me, but I couldn’t see her eyes through her glasses.

I could do this. I could change my schedule and my mindset.

For her.

“I would appreciate a ride,” I said.

“Great. I’m parked over here.” Her fingers slid from mine as she walked away, and I felt loss like I hadn’t in years.

I can do this.

After she took a few steps, I followed. It was easy to let her lead me to the alley and into the back parking lot. I hadn’t even known this was here.

Jessica headed for a blue sedan. When she got there, she patted the top and said, “She’s not much, but she’s reliable.”

I didn’t even own a car. If I absolutely needed one, I rented it.

Jessica clicked a button and unlocked the doors. I opened the one closest to me and slipped inside.

Jessica didn’t have many personal things at her desk. This was the closest to her life outside work—barring watching her Curvy Girl Crew videos—that I’d ever seen.

A quilted red and black cover ensconced her steering wheel. A pink, steel water bottle sat in one of the cup holders between us. A raindrop-shaped piece of red glass the size of a quarter hung from her rearview mirror. I noticed her suit jacket in the back seat.

She settled her coffee in the other cup holder.

I always expected people’s cars to smell bad, but Jessica must have had an air freshener hidden somewhere, because the subtle scent of apples filled the air.

“Buckle up,” she advised as she started the car.

I did as she commanded and tried to get my analytical observation mind to turn off. If left to my own devices, I’d simply look and learn, but I had a few precious moments alone with Jessica in a controlled environment. I didn’t want to waste it. So I quickly assembled a list of questions I could ask Jessica, but she beat me to it.

“Who came up with the idea of sourcing everything for the baskets from local businesses?” she asked as she turned onto the road.

“Marissa,” I said.

“Huh.” She sounded surprised.

“She likes to support locals.”

“Good for her.” There was always a tone in Jessica’s voice when she talked to or about Marissa. I knew there was animosity between the women, no doubt mostly fueled by Marissa’s insistence on pressuring Jessica whenever they worked together, but I suspected there was something more that I wasn’t catching.

“Do you have anything else to look at before we go to the office?” Jessica asked.

“No, Amelia picked everything else, although the timelines are going to be tight for a few items.”

“Meaning?” Jessica slowed for a red light.

I took a deep breath. “Meaning I might have to ask the committee to come in and put the baskets together on Saturday.”

“People will be willing to help,” Jessica said.

I wasn’t so sure but didn’t say so.

The combination of the unfamiliar car, Jessica’s proximity, and the stress of the retreat began to push in on me from every direction.

“No other stops?” Jessica glanced over at me before the light turned green.

“None.” I shook my head.

Jessica must have noticed my tone, or my expression, or both, because she didn’t say anything else as she drove to the office.

Even though I was starting to feel suffocated, a warmth inside of me, provided by knowing Jessica in some way understood me and was willing to let me be me, fought back.

To pass the time, I sent the selfie to Aunt Mei.

She responded a moment later.

Auntie: Who’s the girl?

My picture came back to me, with an arrow drawn to where Jessica stood in the background.

I silently cursed myself for not looking closer and deflected.

Peter: I’m in the middle of a stuffed animal store and that’s your question?

Auntie: That’s the second time that girl has been in your picture.

I bit my lip and scrolled back through our conversation. Sure enough, I’d caught Jessica in a photo I’d taken at the office. I had an answer for this.

Peter: That’s Jessica. We’re working together on the retreat disaster.

Aunt Mei sent back a row of thinking emojis.

I put my phone away, but I couldn’t put away the thought that I’d been around Jessica so much in the past week, and I wasn’t ready to run from her.

On the contrary, quite the opposite was true.