Jo took the cup from her. “Thank you.”
“Do you need anything else, Ms. Jones?” Emma asked, holding eye contact.
Jo heard her father cough, but she didn’t look away from Emma.
“No, Emma,” she said. “I’m fine.”
Emma turned to go. On her way out, though, Jo’s father opened his mouth.
“Honestly, you’re going to throw your reputation away on this slut?”
He said it in Cantonese. Emma couldn’t understand him, didn’t break stride. She hadn’t given him the time of day. Perhaps if Jo could think straight, she’d be proud of Emma for ignoring him. As it was, her head was filled with television static. She couldn’t think at all. She wasfurious.
“Shut the fuck up,” she said.
That froze both Emma and Jo’s father, and they turned to stare at her, wide-eyed.
“Excuse me?” her father said.
“Shut the fuck up,” she repeated, each word its own sentence. She was standing now, leaning over her desk toward her father. “You do not get to talk about her like that.”
“You do not get to talk tomelike that,” he said. “I’m your father and—”
“And you’ve always been a complete jackass,” Jo said. “Apologize to Emma or get out.”
“You’re willing to treat your father this way over somegirl?” He said the word with such derision he might as well have been cursing.
Jo had left her door open so her father wouldn’t make a scene. She made it instead, slamming her hands against her desk.
“Thiswomanis fantastic at her job and is the only reason I survive most days,” Jo snapped. “And that’s true whether or not we’refucking, and whether or not you approve.”
“Josephine!”
“You’ll find that not only can I speak to you however I damn well please, I can also have you removed from the premises.” She picked up the phone on her desk and dialed Mason in security. “Yes, Mason, could you send someone to my office to escort my father from the building? And please make sure he is not allowed entry again without my prior, explicit approval. Great, thank you.” She faked a smile in her father’s direction. “Security will be here in a moment to make sure you can find the door with your head so far up your ass.”
Her father stared at her. She didn’t blink.
“I’ll find the way out myself, thank you,” he said, and left without sparing Emma so much as a glance.
As soon as her father was out of sight, Jo crumpled, resting on both hands on her desk, all of the breath out of her in a harsh sigh. She hung her head. She heard Emma close her office door and was grateful; she needed a moment to get herself together.
Then Jo heard movement. She looked up to find that Emma hadn’t left her alone after all. Emma had stayed on this side of the door when she closed it, and she was now hesitantly rounding Jo’s desk.
“Boss,” she said. “Are you okay?”
Jo nodded. “It’s fine.”
“Jo,” Emma said.
She caught Jo’s hand where it was clenched around the edge of her desk. Jo let Emma uncurl her fingers.
“What can I do?” Emma said.
Jo wasn’t lying when she said Emma got her through most days. She did it because of things like this, because of the way she had Jo’s back, the way she took care of her. It was her job, sure, but Emma went above and beyond on a regular basis.
Jo squeezed Emma’s hand. “Nothing,” she said. “It’s fine. The milkshake will help.”
Emma glanced at the milkshake and bag of food still on Jo’s desk, then looked back to Jo. Her hand came up to cup Jo’s cheek, and Jo didn’t think before letting her eyes slip closed, leaning into the touch.