Nodding, I shrugged. "Yeah, something like that. So what can I do for you today, Steve?"
Happily, he seemed willing to let my odd expression when he came in fade into history as he launched into an idea he had for his business. It was ludicrous, like most of the harebrained ideas he had every year when he came to see me. Our company handled all his websites for his restaurants, and his new plan to offer people the ability to instantly generate a review that could be posted on every popular site around simply wasn't doable.
And even if it was, it broke at least half a dozen rules each review site had about posting.
I spent the next hour explaining that to him and trying to dissuade him from attempting it himself like the last time he decided he could handle his sites on his own. Josh had to sweet talk our design team for nearly four hours to get them to fix that mess, and we'd had to pay six of them overtime just to get his sites back up.
Finally, he came around to understanding his idea wouldn't work and turned his attention to Emma. Glancing back toward where she sat in her office, Steve said, "So, you must be doing well, Mark. You know, needing a secretary and all. I never figured you for that, though. She's easy on the eyes, so that's nice. I just thought you tech guys liked to break the mold, but you've got a whole Mad Men thing going on here now."
I waved off his comments for the nonsense that they were. "I needed help around here since Josh is never around. It's nothing more than that."
"So what does she do? Schedule appointments? Bring you coffee? Anything else?" he asked with a twinkle in his eye I hated from the moment I saw it.
The fact that I'd known Steve since college made it both easy and hard to deal with him. I had no problem telling him to fuck off since our business wasn't like I had with others, but at the same time, I didn't want to make him think anything was going on between Emma and me.
That left me with explaining to him the realities of the workplace and ignoring him. I chose the second option.
"So, your traffic is up from last year, which is good. We're still in good shape on the sites, so unless you have some massive surge of people visiting them, I think this yearly check-up is done. Any questions?"
"Is she single?" he asked, practically falling out of his chair as he looked back through the window in my office door toward her.
"Are you?" I asked, knowing full well that Steve's second wife would take his stupid ass to the cleaners if she found out he cheated on her. Bethany was a barracuda if there ever was one.
My question made his body sag like he was a tire and someone had deflated him. Turning back to face me, he twisted his face into a grimace. "You straight arrows are all alike. I was just looking. There's no harm in that, is there?"
"It's the touching that gets you in trouble, Steve. I would have thought you'd learned that with Ashley."
Just the mention of his first wife made him look sick. His grimace stretched out into a full blown frown, and he shook his head. "Fine. You made your point. No fun with the pretty girl in Mark's office. I better go anyway. There's no rest for the wicked, pal. If you ever got out of this office, you'd know that."
I forced a smile as the memory of just how wicked I'd been that day rushed through my brain. "You know me. Work, work, work. I leave the good times to people like you and Josh."
He stood up and shook his head. "You're going to regret it when you get old, man. I'm two wives ahead of you and I make millions a year. All work and no play makes Mark a very boring boy."
I rolled my eyes as I stood to shake his hand. "I'll keep that sage advice in mind. Thanks, Steve. Until next year."
"Until next year," he said as he walked out into the hallway, taking one last look at Emma as she sat in her office working.
After escorting him to the door, I watched him walk down the street and wondered if there was some truth to what he said. I didn't have any interest in being on my second wife and I made good money, but was I putting off happiness in favor of working too much?
I looked in at Emma as she typed something into the computer. Just seeing her there made me want to forget work, at least for a little while. I didn't want to fight that after hearing Steve warn me I'd regret it when I got old.
"You'll have my notes on my two o'clock later today, Emma."
She lifted her head and nodded, giving me a sweet smile like she always did when I spoke to her. "Okay. I'll make sure to get them logged in as soon as you get them to me."
We were both incredibly efficient, and it made me hate myself a little. Overcome by Steve's comment on regret, I walked into her office and held out my hand. "Let's go."
Emma stared up at me in utter confusion. "Go where?"
"Upstairs. Come with me."
She did as I ordered, putting her hand in mine, and we walked upstairs silently. I knew she probably wanted to know what I was doing, but I couldn't explain it, so I just stayed quiet.
Finally, we reached my apartment, and I closed the door behind us. Emma's eyes grew wide, and she said, "Neither of us locked the front door. Should I go down and do that?"
I shook my head. "No. I want you to stay here."
"Are you sure?"