Tonight, though, she had another distraction.
Simon and Emma were attending on behalf ofNew York Today. She had known it was a possibility and there had been no way to control who was sent when they extended the invitation.
NYDN was a major media outlet and excluding them would have been career suicide. The Duforts needed to reach the millions of followers and readers they had.
So, Murphy’s Law, they were both here. Olivia knew Simon would watch her like a hawk tonight.
Since the day she started working for Dufort, he had made snide comments about her relationship with Fletcher. At first, she’d been offended that he would accuse her of sleeping with her boss. Now, the idea wasn’t quite as preposterous after all.
Not because Fletcher was thePlayboy of Manhattan, but because they had genuine chemistry.
At least Olivia liked to think of it like that.
After Fletcher had told her how he felt on Monday she’d been unable to think clearly. It was like her hormones had taken control of her brain. Despite her efforts to keep away from him, it hadn’t dampened her feelings for him at all.
The circumstances couldn’t be worse. She had to focus and keep away from him or Simon would see what was going on and God only knew what he would do.
Her team was here with her, so she would manage from a distance. Katy had been more than eager to work closely with Fletcher during the week and gain more experience. He had been less pleased and sent Olivia a handful of grumpy emails.
He knew what she was doing, but he didn’t understand why or how serious the stakes were for her.
It wasn’tjustthe Dufort Hotel Anti-Fraternization Policy. That was part of it, but not everything. Her career was important to her, but keeping her job meant keeping her daughter.
The two things went hand in hand.
If she lost her job, it could give Simon reason to contact Child Protective Services and she would risk losing Sammy once again.
She knew he'd stop at nothing to take her daughter and gain full custody one more time. Because he told her so constantly.
Every day, she ensured she did nothing that could give him ammunition. She barely drank or socialized, worked hard, and on those days she didn’t have her daughter, she worked late.
It wasn’t much of a life, but it was better than one without Sammy.
Now, life was testing her.
This attraction between her and Fletcher had been building in intensity. Being near him was difficult. Keeping away from him was even harder.
Olivia felt Fletcher’s eyes on her.
Their eyes locked, and it was like an electrical storm. Invisible sparks flew everywhere.
Shit.
Olivia looked away and found Simon staring at her. No, he wasn’t staring; he was glaring. His jaw worked as fury poured from his eyes.
Fuck.
She frowned and turned away.
How dare he look at her like that?
Fletcher was her boss. She had every right to be watching him or talking to him while she was working.
Something snapped inside her, and Olivia decided to stop this insanity. In normal circumstances, she would be over with Fletcher, finding out what he needed and working the room.
She walked across the room to say hello.
It was insane that Simon thought something was going on. Not only was Fletcher Dufort her employer, but he was also well above her social status, so this entire thing was ridiculous.