Sowards clears his throat next to me, and everyone glances over at us.
I force myself to stay awake.
Three minutes later I’m dozing again so I look to my right. Clarisse is taking notes on her tablet. So I flip open the cover on mine and do the same.
New page. Heading. Executive Meeting. Wednesday—I glance at the clock—seven forty-five.
Video about… employees. New health benefits. Reorganization chart.
See, I knew it. That’s the only reason they call me up here. I never get reorganized.
Then I notice my name has moved on the flow chart on the screen. “Hey,” I say out loud. “Did I just get reorganized?”
Fancy Jet looks over his shoulder and smiles at me.
“Later, Miss Hatcher,” Sowards growls to my left.
“Sorry,” I whisper. By now the chart is off screen, so I can’t even take a note. I glance over at Clarisse’s tablet, but she shields it from me with her arm like we’re taking a test in fifth grade.
Bitch.
I open up Pinterest and ease my tablet up slightly so I can take some pictures. Snap. I catch Bob Moran picking his nose and almost laugh out loud. Clarisse is still guarding her tablet like a child. Snap. Jennifer Sluts-around is staring at McAllister like she wants to eat him.
And… McAllister is off to the side now so he can get a better view of the video, so I see him in profile. God, that’s perfect. I snap about a dozen of him and then make a new board called My Hot Brother-in-Law.
I almost giggle to myself as I add his photos and send Heath a text.
Ellie: Having a meeting without you. Bet you wish you were here. :) Send.
I’m just about to add captions to all the pictures when someone’s phone vibrates.
Oh, hell. I look over at Sowards, who is about to fume about not turning off a phone, when we both realize McAllister is the guilty party.
Sowards simmers down and I go back to my tablet so I can continue my delusional life as Heath’s girlfriend and report on what’s happening.
Ellie: Why didn’t you tell me your brother was so hot? Send.
I snicker at that, glance up at the boring corporate video, then go back to my Pinterest board. I need some hot gifs to add. I do a search for hot, sexy kissing and have to fan myself.
I add about a dozen of them with captions like, Fancy Jet Mac can kiss me like this any time he wants. And, I like the choke move on this one. Take notes, Heath.
A laugh actually escapes my lips and Sowards gives me a kick under the table just as McAllister’s phone vibrates again.
I look up and catch him smiling at something. Well, isn’t that special. I’m glad he is allowed to get funny texts during this very important executive meeting while the rest of us are expected to act like we give a crap.
I text Heath again.
Ellie: Is your brother available? I might need to replace you as my boyfriend since you haven’t answered my texts in months. Send.
McAllister’s phone vibrates again, and now everyone is starting to notice he’s not even trying to pay attention to the movie. Figures.
Ellie: Your brother is setting a very bad example in today’s executive meeting. Maybe someone should tell him to turn his phone off and pay attention to this stupid movie like the rest of us. Send.
I go back to my Pinterest board and add a few more pics of him. One as he smiles down at the phone and then another as he gets a vibrating reply and looks right at me.
Jesus. I hope he doesn’t know what I’m doing. I pretend to watch the movie for a few seconds until McAllister turns his attention back to his phone. It vibrates again.
Ellie: His phone would give me an orgasm if I slid it between my legs, that’s how much it’s vibrating right now. Send.
Fancy Jet’s phone vibrates one more time, just as an incoming message appears on my phone.
Heath: I can make arrangements for the hot brother to get you off with his vibrating phone if you want.
I stare at it. Wait, what just happened? My heart starts to race. He didn’t just text me back. Tell me he did not just text me back.
Ellie: Heath? Are you getting my messages? Send.
And that’s when I notice… the little notification that usually says undelivered says delivered.
Ellie: Oh, my God, Heath. I’m so sorry. I didn’t think you were getting my messages.
I scroll up and the panic starts to set in. They all say delivered. All of them.
McAllister’s phone vibrates again and I look straight at him this time.
No.
No. No. No. This is not possible.
Heath: He isn’t. I am.
McAllister looks straight at me and he winks. “Message received, Ellie.”
Chapter Four - Ellie
I slap my hands down on the table and stand up so fast, my luxurious leather office chair goes sliding backwards until it crashes into the wall.