Page 376 of Valentino

“You what?”

“I haven’t finished it yet, I thought you didn’t need it until tomorrow.”

“You thought wrong.” He strides through the office and stops in front of Allen’s desk and his eyes roam over it. “Why does your desk look like a fucking dumpster fire, Allen?”

“Ahhh.” Allen begins to nervously collect the coffee cups and stacked papers. “Sorry, Mr. Ferrara. I’ll clean it now.”

Gabriel glances up and his eyes meet mine, he strides back to my desk. “Miss Porter.” He calls me Miss Porter in front of everyone, I’m only ever Gracie in private.

“Cancel my 1:30 appointment,” he demands.

He wants to extend his lunch date with fucking Veronica.

“Impossible Mr. Ferrara, I told you that already. Please listen,” I fire back.

You have one hour with her, mother fucker.

That’s it.

“Then you can go in my place because I won’t be at the meeting.” He marches back into his office and slams the door.

The staff all let out a collective sigh of relief that the tyrant is gone, I tap my pen on the desk while my blood boils.

Asshole.

The sun shines down on me as I sit in the park, my lunch break is the best part of my day. I love the fresh air, watching the dogs play off-leash and the birds fly around. I never realized how much I love nature until I hardly see any of it. As beautiful as New York is, it’s the city of concrete.

When I moved here seven years ago, I was going to work for twelve months, get some experience with a big firm and then move back to the suburbs somewhere.

Being infatuated with my jerk of a boss was never in the plan.

A dog runs up to me, and I bend and pat him, he’s big and brown. “Hey there, cutey.” I smile as I pat him.

His owner walks up, he’s in running gear and all sweaty. “He likes you.”

“I like him.” I smile.

“Do you have a dog?” the guy asks.

“No, I wish.” I keep ruffing up the dog’s ears. “What’s his name?”

“Bernard.”

I giggle, “Hello, Bernard.”

“You should get a dog,” the guy tells me.

“I will one day when I buy a house in the suburbs.” I smile.

“One day?” He frowns.

“When I get my act together.” I smile.

Code for, when I get over him.

“You should do it now,” the guy says.

I shrug.