He raised an eyebrow and laughed uproariously, winking at Charlie. Charlie’s eyes widened as she watched him turn away and out of the Research Department. She loved immersing herself completely in a manuscript. It helped her get a feel of the reasons behind why an author used a specific reference. She knew she probably overstepped her bounds with her new boss. He wasn’t anything like his brother. She would have to curb her enthusiasm for getting into the manuscripts so deeply.

Charlie found it difficult to concentrate on the current manuscript on her desktop as she replayed her first run-in with her new boss. He would be the perfect man if only he kept his mouth shut. She rifled through the back of her desk, certain she had some duct tape stashed there that she could put to good use. Anticipating the fallout from her skirmish with Mr. Tall, Dark, and Domineering would be grave, but she was shocked to discover an email from him awaiting her.

It taunted her as she toyed with the roll of duct tape. She swallowed hard, dreading the inevitable. Certain she had put the last nail in the coffin of her brief career in publishing, she muttered, “Oh God, what have I done?”

Clicking the email open, she discovered not a chastisement, but directions on what he wished her to work on next. She had to read it twice to make sure it wasn’t a joke.

Ms. Flynn:

Since you are so industrious and seem eager to prove yourself, I am going against my better judgment and following Kellan’s advice where you are concerned. I would like to see the full research reports for the Clarke, Jacobsen, and O’Hare manuscripts on my desk by five today.

I also want you to prepare a detailed presentation for me on the inconsistencies in Ms. Ainsworth’s research that I can show the acquisitions department. I expect you in the conference room at 8 AM Wednesday morning ready to present it.

If you want take on more responsibility, you need to prove to me you can handle the workload.

Pearse

***

As everyone filtered out for lunch, Charlie remained chained to her desk. A second cup of coffee and a few leftover fortune cookies she swiped from her pantry this morning would have to suffice. Normally, she would heat up leftovers or go out with a few other Research Department people to grab a quick bite, but time wasn’t on her side today. She glanced briefly at her watch, noting she only had five hours to complete her tasks.

Her cell phone danced across her desk as she broke open the last of the cookies. It was Mikki.

“Hey, Sis, so are you ready for tonight?” she asked.

“Ready for tonight? No, I think I am going to have to cancel. This is the day from hell,” Charlie apologized.

Mikki quizzed her. “Day from hell or boss from hell? Aaron mentioned that your new boss man might be a tad bit demanding.”

“Oh, my God, Mikki, you’ve no idea. I am under a tight deadline, and if I hope to get out of this research dungeon, I need to prove myself. I’ll be pushing it to get out of here on time, but I’ll try. After today, a night to unwind might be just the thing I need,” Charlie explained.

“It will be great, Charlie. He will be great. I pinky promise.”

Fidgeting in her chair, the phone slipped from her hands. She bent down to pick it up and noticed a run in her stockings. “And on top of everything else, I’ve managed to snag my new stockings. Now I will have to go back home and change before I endure episode two of ‘“Yes, this is your pathetic love life.” There was no response from the phone. “Hello? Mikki, are you there?”

Charlie glanced up to find Mr. Pearse standing at the entrance to her cubicle. Her cheeks flushed, and she pulled her skirt down to hide the offending run.

“I’m sorry, Mr. Pearse, I was—”

“Ms. Flynn, since you have plenty of free time to carry on a conversation with yourself about problematic lingerie, in addition to putting the Ainsworth presentation together, I need you to head down to the Copy Edit Department and see what is taking them so long with the Curry woman’s galley.” Pearse straightened his tie. “Do you think you can manage to do that?”

Do I look like an office assistant? Charlie looked up to meet Pearse’s gaze. “I’ll be happy to ask Natalie if she —”

He cut her off. “Ms. Flynn, I wasn’t making a suggestion. I would like you to pick them up. I will see you this evening.” He held her gaze for a moment, jaw clenched, before turning on his heel and storming off.

***

Six hours later, Charlie made her way to Pearse’s office, manuscripts in hand. His secretary was nowhere in sight, so she knocked on his office door. No answer. She slid the reports through the mail slot and hoped they scattered across the floor so he would have to pick them up and sort through them himself. It would serve him right. Her presentation on Daughters of Rome was mostly in order, and she found herself laughing hysterically at how fantastically dreadful her day had been.

Chapter Two

Peeling off her clothes, she left a trail to the shower. Under the scalding spray found herself plotting a drawn out and bloody end for the intern in the copy edit room. It was a simple job. All he had to do was make a copy of the Curry galley and bind it. What should have taken minutes took well over an hour. Now she had little time to get ready for her date. Despite her attempts to wriggle out of the arranged dinner, her sister had sweet-talked her into going out with one of Aaron’s friends.

Aaron was Mikki’s latest conquest. She usually had dates with more men than Charlie had pairs of shoes, but she seemed to settle into a pattern with Aaron, and they had recently announced their engagement and fast approaching wedding. Aaron worked at Pearse in the Acquisitions Department. Charlie had introduced Mikki to him at the last fundraising event.

Since she played matchmaker for her older sister so successfully, Mikki was hell bent on helping, more like pushing, her sister to find her soul mate. Although she couldn’t confirm it yet, Charlie had been suspicious of the good fortune the cookie foretold the other night. She grew more so when Denny conveniently rammed into her at the store. Bachelor Number Two would confirm her suspicions if she could only find out his name. Mikki refused to tell her, insisting that knowing every little thing about the man before she met him ruined the point of a blind date. Charlie bristled at the possibility of another dud like Denny.

Still, she had promised, and now she was making a half-hearted attempt at looking drop dead gorgeous. Just as she was rifling through her pitiful excuse of a wardrobe, she sent a quick text to Mikki.

Charlie: Mikki can I borrow a dress? XO Charlie.

Moments later, her phone beeped back.

Mikki: Sure thing Sis. You have a date with destiny tonight.:) XO M.

Charlie raised an eyebrow and responded.

Charlie: Oh Mikki what on earth have you done!?

Her phone beeped.

Mikki: DUH! YES! Remember your cookie reading the other night? This guy is perfect, and his name just happens to start with ‘D’. It never hurts to get the fates aligned in your favor, even if you have to give them a little shove.

Charlie laughed off the message, now realizing the whole cookie thing was a set up and quickly sifted through her sister’s extensive clothing collection. Needing a boost in the confidence department after the disaster of a workday, she spotted a low cut, charcoal knit dress that would hug all her curves in just the right places. She held it against her body. Glancing at her reflection in the mirror, Charlie decided to escape her predictable self. She yanked the still-attached price tag off the beautiful dress with her teeth. But her secret confidence weapon was her pretty little things. Charlie had always had a thing for expensive lingerie. Wearing something sexy underneath her clothing was empowering, and the pair she had donned tonight was no exception. She slipped the dress on over her lacy lingerie and paired it with a pair of killer black boots. Tousling her wavy caramel hair, she let it fall naturally past her shoulders, and applied some light makeup. Catching a glimpse of herself in the hallway mirror as she headed out, she dared anyone to mistake her for a nameless research drone tonight.