Chapter 2

I gave Yale an odd look. "You wouldn't spend $10 on a processing fee so we could get married, but you'll pay for dinner?"

"I'm not cheap. I just don't see the point in spending money when we don't have to."

"Fine. I'll cover everything. The license, the fees, even your ride there. You won't have to spend a cent. Will you come with me and make it official?"

Yale didn't even have to think about it. "Why are you still separating your money from mine? We're basically husband and wife already. What's yours is mine and what's mine is yours.

"Besides, what difference does a license make? We've been together all these years without one. And company policy says managers can't date their direct reports. What we have now works just fine."

I glanced around the apartment. We'd furnished the entire place according to the same rule Yale applied to me: if it wasn't on sale, we didn't need it.

"We don't even have one picture together. How is this 'just fine'? You've done more for Yvonne than you've ever done for me."

Understanding dawned on his face. "Oh, so that's what this is about. You saw me taking pictures with her, and now you're jealous."

He brushed the whole thing aside. "Her family doesn't have much money. I was just giving her a chance to experience something nice. You're seriously upset over that?"

Before I could answer, he ended the conversation himself. "Enough. Go to bed. We both have work tomorrow."

I wasn't jealous.

I just couldn't believe how much of myself I'd wasted on him.

The next day, I walked into the conference room and took my seat beside Yale. Yvonne was already there, leaning toward him and speaking quietly.

"Mr. Carter, Finance is taking forever with my reimbursements. I still haven't gotten the last one, and I pretty much spend my paycheck as soon as I get it, so I'm a little short right now. Could you ask them to speed things up?"

"How much are you waiting on? I'll transfer it to you."

"Oh, no, I couldn't take your money. It's only $500. I just need Finance to reimburse me sooner."

For someone who couldn't possibly accept his money, she'd certainly had the exact amount ready.

Right in front of me, Yale sent her $1,000.

"Take it. You need to keep some money on hand for emergencies. What if you get sick? As general manager, I have a responsibility to look after my employees."

For a moment, all I could think about was the time my fever had hit 104.

Yale hadn't taken me to the hospital. He hadn't even let me call a doctor. I'd suffered through it with nothing but the endless glasses of hot water he kept bringing me.

At that thought, a bitter laugh slipped out.

"Why bother with a hospital when you're sick? Just drink some hot water. That'll fix it."

Yale's fingers tightened around his pen, but he said nothing.

None of our coworkers knew we were together, so one of the women laughed. "Ms. Winters, that's practically the number-one line in the lousy-boyfriend handbook. It's what a guy says when he can't be bothered to actually do anything."

"Good thing you're a woman. If you were a man talking like that, you'd never get a girlfriend."

Everyone laughed as they settled into their seats, too busy joking around to notice that Yale's face had gone dark.

His pen cracked against the table.

"Is this a conference room or a food court?" he snapped. "Enough fooling around. Let's get started."

The room immediately fell silent.

One by one, everyone presented their proposals. Yale sat through the entire meeting stone-faced, and once the last presentation was over, he made an announcement.

"Zoe, Yvonne will be taking over your project. We'll be moving forward with her proposal."

A murmur swept through the room.

For a second, no one seemed sure they'd heard him correctly. My fingers went still, but I sat up straighter.

"Why? My team developed this project, and our proposal is far more complete. Yvonne's is still just an idea. You want to replace a finished proposal with one that's barely been developed?"

Yale leaned back in his chair, all business now.

"Your proposal is good. I'm not denying that. But you've been with the company for years. It's time to give someone younger a chance."