Beck checked the time and realized that she had about fifteen minutes before she was going to have to run to her apartment, feed her cat, shower, change, and leave to meet Knox at the address that he had texted her earlier. He had afternoon meetings away from the casino and once he got her situated in her office and showed her the ropes, he took off for the rest of the day, telling her that he’d send her the information for their dinner date. She was going on a real date with Knox Heart and every time she let herself think too long about it, she felt sick. Beck needed to talk to her older sister, Rainey. She needed to get her advice on not only what she should wear, but also what she should do about the fact that her sexy as sin boss was taking her to dinner because she had no idea what to think about everything that happened today.
This morning, things were so clear. She was given a gift when Knox offered her the job at his casino as his assistant. It didn’t matter to her that it was below her skill set, she was thankful for the job. But then, Knox went and threw a monkey wrench in the works when he told her that he wanted her and then asked her on a “real date”. Her head was spinning and Rainey was always good at keeping her grounded. She’d be able to talk her down and make sure that not only was she wearing the right outfit, but she was ready for whatever Knox threw at her next.
Beck pulled her cell from her pocket and called Rainey. “Hey, Sis,” Rainey answered after the first ring. Beck could hear her nieces and nephew shouting in the background and she smiled to herself. They were always so rambunctious, just as she and Rainey were as kids.
“They seem energetic today,” Beck said as she heard her nephew shout that something wasn’t fair. Poor kid was the only boy and at seven years old, that had to suck. He had three little sisters constantly pestering him, and Beck felt bad for little Jack.
“They are devils today,” Rainey whispered into the phone. Her sister had the patients of a saint. Her husband was in the military and during his last mission, his convoy was hit with an IED. Jack,Sr. at the scene of the accident, leaving her sister a very young widow with four little kids to raise on her own. Beck tried to help out as she could, but her sister did all of the heavy lifting and Beck admired the hell out of her.
“How’s the new gig? You tell your new boss that you’re not really an assistant yet?” she asked.
“No,” Beck breathed. “Things didn’t go exactly how I planned them this morning.” That was the truth. She expected to walk into the casino, be given a list of things to do, shown the ropes, and left to do her job. Instead, she was pressed up against a glass wall in Knox’s office, properly kissed, and asked on a date by her new boss.
“How so?” Rainey asked.
“Well, for starters, I’m leaving here in a few minutes, running home to shower and change, and meeting my new boss for dinner,” Beck said.
“Wait, I thought that you already did the whole dinner thing with your boss,” Rainey said. “You’re going on a second business dinner?”
“Close,” Beck agreed. “Just take out the word ‘business’, and then you’ll be all caught up.” Her sister audibly sighed into the other end of the phone and she knew exactly what was about to happen. Rainey was going to read her the riot act about being an idiot. She had to admit—she might have to agree with her older sister in this case.
“Is now the part where I tell you that you’re an idiot?” Rainey asked as if right on cue.
“Um, I was hoping that we could skip that part this time,” Beck breathed. “But, after you’re done lecturing me, can you give me some advice on what I should wear?”
“Wait—you think that this is a good idea?” Rainey asked.
“Well, no,” Beck admitted. “Actually, it depends which part of me you’re asking that question to. My brain says that dinner with Knox is a fucking awful idea,” she admitted. “But, my girl parts, who have been sorely neglected these past few months, are fully on board for dinner and a night of debauchery with my boss.”
Rainey giggled into the phone, “No one says debauchery anymore, Sis. You need to update your thesaurus.”
Beck was used to her older sister giving her crap. She was her classes valedictorian in high school and Rainey always gave her shit about being a “brainiac”. “For someone so brilliant, you make some dumb decisions when it comes to men.”
“Well, I never said that going on a date with my boss was a bright idea, but it’s done. I’m supposed to meet him in just over an hour,” Beck admitted.
“So, you’re not calling me to ask if I think it’s a good idea or not. It’s a done deal?” Rainey asked.
“Yes,” Beck breathed. “I guess I was hoping that you’d tell me to just go for it and have some fun, but you’re right—I’m an idiot.”
“Okay, so what are my idiot sister’s choices for outfits tonight?” Rainey teased. “Let’s pick you out something to wear so you can go on this colossally horrible idea of a date with your boss.”
“Gee, thanks, Sis,” Beck grumbled. “He’s taking me to one of the new places that just opened up in town and I know that I need to wear a dress. That’s about all I’ve got so far.”
“You know that little black dress you wore to Nana’s funeral?” Rainey asked.
“The one where my boobs kept popping out and Uncle Donny made the comment about my college education going to waste because, with a body like mine, I was wasting my talents?” Beck asked.
“Yeah—and gross. Uncle Donny is such a perv. Anyway—wear that one. I’m betting you’ll have a promotion in no time,” Rainey teased.
“You’re ever so helpful, Sis,” Beck drawled. “Okay, I have to go. I’ve got just enough time to get home, feed Loki, shower, and change before I need to head to the restaurant.”
“Have fun,” Rainey said in her sing-song voice. “And Beck, don’t do anything stupid.”
“Like go on a date with my new boss?” Beck asked.
“Yeah—just like that,” Rainey said and ended the call. Beck slipped her cell phone back into her pocket and grabbed her bag and purse out of the bottom drawer of her desk. It was time for her to face the music and decide what she wanted—her job or her boss because she was pretty sure that both weren’t in the cards for her.