Page 4 of Miss Typed

Shoving thoughts of my new assistant from my head, I glanced up to the waitress. “I’ll have the Macallan fifteen year neat.”

“You got it. You have one more joining you?”

“Yes. Any minute.”

Reid came into view, navigating toward the table, through the modern space, boasting marble and glass everywhere. I had to give it to Dubai. Their fine-dining experiences never disappointed.

Following my gaze, the waitress spotted Reid. “This must be him. What can I get you to drink?”

Reid was easy with his smile. “I’ll have what he’s having, thanks.”

I quirked a brow as he took a seat and the waitress disappeared to get our drinks. “I’m drinking Scotch.”

He frowned. “You used to be a bourbon guy.”

“I used to be a lot of things.” My retort was out before I could help it. “Try the Macallan. You’ll develop a taste.”

He shook his head, grabbing the menu. “You’ve known me for close to thirty years. How am I with change?”

Yes, I had known him since we were both in diapers. And he was sentimental, a creature of habit, and loyal—to a fault sometimes.

He set the menu down, probably deciding on the ribeye, baked potato, and salad. He ordered the same thing every time we went to a steakhouse. “How are things going with the job?”

“You asking as my friend or as the HR director?”

He sighed. “Always your friend. You shouldn’t have to ask.”

He was right. I shouldn’t. “It’s strange putting on a suit instead of a uniform, but the job itself is fine.” It had only been seven weeks.

I didn’t miss the way he studied me. There was only so much you could hide from your childhood best friend.

“For now,” he said. “You forgot to end your sentence with for now.”

I didn’t bother to deny it. He knew I’d applied for a number of government contractor jobs in a variety of dangerous places, which I’d jump at the chance to take. “I don’t want to seem ungrateful, but we both know I’m not cut out for the business world for the long term. Hell, I’m not even qualified for this job.” I had no doubt Reid had pulled some strings to get me into this position.

“You have a degree in computer science. And the job required a high security clearance, which you also have.”

Yet all of my job experience was in the Marine Corps infantry. Reid may have done me a favor in getting me this job, but I struggled to see my value in performing it. The software did most of the work.

“What’s up with you?” I asked him.

“I spent the morning dealing with a pissed-off director and a distraught assistant. Thankfully, it ended well when you decided to hire her.”

“Chloe was crying?” My hand involuntarily fisted under the table at the thought of her in tears.

“No, I think she was more humiliated and in shock than anything else. But if you hadn’t hired her, there would’ve been plenty of tears as she would’ve lost her work visa.”

“Happy to hire her. Although I’m having trouble believing she called Tom a pussy.”

He chuckled. “Yeah. Talk about a mistype.”

Amusement was in short supply these days, but this was one for the books. It set off a round of laughter between the two of us. “Can you imagine the look on his face when he read it?”

Reid shook his head. “It was in all caps, by the way. I would’ve paid money to have seen Tom’s face when he read it. She tell you what prompted the insult?”

“No. I inquired, and she exercised unexpected loyalty in saying it was of a delicate nature. He didn’t hit on her, or they didn’t have something going on, did they?” The thought made me uneasy.

He scoffed. “No way. Tom fucked up with his wife. Said he was traveling when he wasn’t in order to cover for having a girlfriend here. His wife came into town from London and went straight to the office to find him here, after all. So he threw Chloe under the bus, saying she’d messed up his travel itinerary, and he’d just returned from out of town. He even made her apologize to the missus in order to save his ass.”