Page 4 of Miss Manage

Frankly, if I didn’t get the CEO position, I wouldn’t be sticking around, either. I still couldn’t believe the shock we’d all received when the owner had told us he’d sold the company. No one had seen it coming. I’d thought the owner was in it for the long haul and couldn’t understand why he’d sold.

But it wasn’t worth lamenting the why. The bottom line was always money. The owner had made a pretty penny and was now halfway across the world in the Canary Islands busy spending it. Not everyone gave a shit about the fate of their employees.

Funny how screwing his employees was one thing I could absolutely say my father had never done. He’d always invested in his people and had built his company with integrity even if he was stubborn about modernizing his business or processes.

“At least I don’t have to report to some chick.” John lobbed the misogynist remark carelessly.

“What’s this about reporting to a chick?” The voice came from over my shoulder, smooth and authoritative.

I turned to find Bobby, the chief information officer, standing there. But he wasn’t the one who stole the moment. At his side stood the brunette from earlier, so stunning up close she seemed to pull the air from my lungs. The gaze from her gold-flecked brown eyes was cool and assessing as it landed squarely on John.

John didn’t have the decency to look contrite nor filter himself before responding. “Was just saying how Gabe is going to have a girl boss.”

The woman’s expression was unreadable while Bobby’s brows jumped up. “Considering she’s the acting CEO, she’ll be the boss of all of us. Not sure how she’d feel being called a girl boss, though. How does the term strike you, Charlotte?”

Oh, fuck.

The mystery bombshell was Charlotte Green.

Our new boss.

Her smile was tight, not reaching her eyes. “Instead of thinking of me as a girl boss, it may be simpler to remember I’m THE boss.”

The verbal punch landed with a resounding smack.

I wasn’t sexist, but now, thanks to John, she undoubtedly had that impression of all three of us from Juniper. I extended my hand. “Of course. Apologies for any misconception otherwise. I’m Gabriel Chambers.”

She took my hand in the type of firm handshake which showed confidence without overcompensating. “Charlotte Green.”

The problem was once I touched her, I was hard-pressed to let go. Stupid. I wasn’t fifteen, and I certainly could control myself around a beautiful woman. “Pleasure to meet you.”

She didn’t look like she shared the sentiment as she was the first to pull away. But at least my voice was steady and calm, indicating I’d recovered from whatever the hell was making this woman affect me.

She turned to both Ray and John, who introduced themselves as her new finance director and her new IT director.

“Nice to meet you all. Take your seats, gentlemen. We’ll start on time.”

As Charlotte moved to the head of the table, exchanging warm greetings with those already familiar with her, I allowed my gaze to linger under the guise of casual observation.

Despite the faint crease of irritation etched between her brows, she was striking.

The glint of understated jewelry caught the light, subtle yet deliberate. My eyes involuntarily dropped to her left hand.

No ring.

The detail lodged itself in my mind before I could stop it, and I forced myself to look away. My instincts might have been quick to register her appeal, but reason reigned supreme.

Charlotte wasn’t simply another executive in the room. She was my boss. Even if only temporary, that fact alone quelled any stray thoughts.

As soon as we took our seats at the far end of the conference table, Ray glared at John and muttered under his breath. “Nice job. Real classy introduction by calling her a chick boss.”

John merely shrugged.

Wonderful. We were all off to a bumpy start.