Page 22 of Miss Understanding

She stopped, putting the pan on the stove and shutting the oven door before turning back around. “Actually, you’re not paying me. The firm is. Second, it’s Saturday, which means I’m not officially on the clock. Third, I’ve accomplished all of those things you did ask for. The draft bill for Myers is there on the table for you to sign off on. The call with Johnson and Johnson is set for Monday morning because, like me, their assistant is also working on a Saturday. All of your edits are in the document that was emailed to you an hour ago. And for the record, these aren’t cookies. They’re scones.”

They smelled delicious, making my stomach rumble. Not eating them would be my penance for jumping down her throat simply because I was in a shit mood. “Fine. I’ll be upstairs in my office. Finish up your scones or whatever and meet me up there in ten minutes. I have another list of things for you to do.”

“Fine. Did you eat lunch?”

The last thing I wanted was her offering to make me some. “I’m not hungry. Ten minutes.”

I could swear I heard her curse under her breath.

Chapter Thirteen

Kendall

I watched Liam go up the stairs while I mentally calmed myself. I liked to think of myself as a good person. Aside from my secret document listing ways for my boss to suffer, I was normally even tempered. And to be fair, wishing for suffering via papercut or an ugly cold sore wasn’t all that bad. Okay, maybe the entry imagining him getting explosive diarrhea during a trial went too far. But in my defense, I’d written that one after he’d told me I was too chatty in the office and needed to remember I was there for one reason.

Little did he know. The one reason was to collect my paycheck. Oh, I was also taking advantage of the education benefit, and as soon as I was done with that, I wanted to quit. Hopefully I could find a job which paid more and allowed me to pursue my passion for cooking. Beyond that, I wasn’t sure. Someday meet someone. Have kids. Host family parties like my mother did with all of my cousins, aunts, uncles, and of course, my nan. She might be in her eighties, but it didn’t keep me from hoping she’d live forever.

Meanwhile, I was working for Liam. He was an asshole, but he sure as hell beat the last partner I’d worked for. That guy had stared at my chest and legs. After he made an inappropriate ass grab at the office holiday party, they’d reassigned me to Liam. Of course, my former boss had merely received a slap on the wrist and was probably on to harassing the next legal secretary.

I couldn’t wait to be done working for attorneys. Although I didn’t mind learning about the law and keeping someone organized, it was stressful to live around the billable hour. Even if I wasn’t the one charging for my time, I could feel the tension in every ten-minute increment Liam billed. I wondered if they’d add another partner to my work load soon, but it had yet to happen. Considering he was more than enough to keep me busy, I wasn’t anxious to start working for anyone else in addition.

Eleven minutes after Liam had gone upstairs, I followed. The extra minute was my way of rebelling. Oh, yeah, I was a real wild one. Then again, I had no doubt he’d noticed.

Just like back in LA, he didn’t glance up when I came to stand on the other side of the desk. And just like before, he started talking without any chitchat or niceties.

“The Myers bill can go out. I have one change.” He handed it over.

“All right.”

“I see the call on my calendar for Monday, but is it Pacific time or East Coast? There’s the three-hour time difference.”

Is there now? It was on the tip of my tongue. “It’s all East Coast time; I adjusted for the time change in the same way for the other appointments on your calendar.”

“Fine.”

God, how I loathed the F-word. It sounded as if he wasn’t happy but would deal with it.

“The funeral won’t be until Thursday. When did you schedule our return flights?”

“They are for Friday.” I’d anticipated a week, thinking I could always change it if we’d be able to leave earlier.

“And the house rental?”

“Also rented through Friday.”

“I don’t want you to feel as if you need to cook for me. It’s uncomfortable enough as it is.”

Funny for him to use the word uncomfortable. For me it was a bit strange. Weird. But uncomfortable? Meh. Not really. He was the same condescending asshole here as he was in the office. “How about you see it a different way? You bought the food. I’m cooking meals for myself and may have more left over for you to eat? Frankly I don’t get a lot of people I have time to cook for. You can be my guinea pig.”

He didn’t crack a smile. I mean how could you not at the words guinea pig? Picturing their cute little faces didn’t even inspire a twitching lip? Nope. Not for Mr. Personality.

“Fine. But don’t take offense if I don’t like something.”

“I never do.” The words left my mouth before I could think about it. Needing a change of subject, I pivoted quickly. “Is there anything I can do for the funeral? Order flowers. Food? Anything?” Although Liam was usually self-sufficient when it came to managing his personal affairs, this was something for which I actually hoped he’d ask for help.

His face softened a smidge. “If you could arrange the food catering for the reception after the funeral, it would be helpful. Unfortunately, there aren’t a lot of options in Tazewell, but I’m sure there are some possibilities in the neighboring towns.”

“How many people?”