then she began to explain a new report she wanted him to prepare each month analyzing the ad space. Advertising was their bread and butter. She needed to keep a close eye on it and if possible expand the magazine to accommodate a higher frequency and larger campaign. Fashion and cosmetics were their biggest contributors, but she was interested in expanding to other areas such as upscale furniture or designer products.
Trey made notes. “Couldn’t you just get this from the advertising department?”
“I could.” But she wasn’t sure she trusted the supervisor. It was rumored that his work was declining and his lunches were more of the liquid variety. Until she had proof, she was unwilling to act on the rumors.
“Then why don’t you?”
She leveled a cold, hard gaze on him. “I asked you to do it, not them.”
He at least had the decency to look uncomfortable. “I’ll get right on it.”
Trey walked away with his tasks in hand. She wondered if she’d handled everything correctly with Trey. She needed to be forceful but not too over the top. Had she pushed too hard?
Second-guessing herself was a bad habit of hers. It was something she’d started to do after her father died and Elsa had found fault with everything Sage did, from the cooking to the cleaning. Sage shoved aside the unhappy memories. There was work to do.
And an email to read.
Sage turned back to her computer monitor and sighed. For every email she’d responded to that morning, there were two new ones. She worked her way from top to bottom. She assured herself that this was her normal routine and not a stalling tactic, but at last, she opened the email from her private investigator.
The first thing to catch her attention was the fact that the investigator was on to something regarding her stepmother. Thank goodness. He was the third investigator she’d hired. The first had taken her money and produced zero results. The second one had been caught snooping around White Publishing. This third man cost her all of her savings and more. She’d bet everything on him. He was her last hope.
But the second thing to catch her attention was that he needed more money. The sizable retainer she’d previously paid him had given her serious pause. It had wiped out her savings and then some. The only way to pay him more was to get the board’s approval of her business plan for the magazine’s future and receive the bonus stated in her contract.
Knock. Knock.
At five after twelve, Trey returned. “The paperwork has been dealt with and I have your report started. I’m going to lunch.” He studied her for a moment. “Unless that’s a problem?”
“That’s fine.”
“Are you sure? Because you’re frowning again.”
She nodded. When she saw doubt reflected in his eyes, she said, “Seriously, it’s not you. It’s an email I received.”
“That’s what the delete button is good for.”
She leaned back in her chair. “You don’t know how tempting that is right about now. I have enough headaches. I don’t need another one.”
“Well, there you go. Problem solved.”
“I wish. But deleting the email isn’t going to make this problem disappear.”
“I take it we’re not talking about QTR.”
She shook her head. “Afraid not. But I can deal with the email later. Go and enjoy your lunch.”
“What about you?”
“What about me?”
“It’s lunchtime. Remember? You need to take a break and eat.”
Was he working his way up to asking her to lunch? The startling realization that she’d enjoy spending a leisurely hour staring across the table at him jarred her. Trey wasn’t just any guy. He was her assistant.
She gave herself a mental shake. With the board meeting at the end of the month, she had to stay focused. “I don’t have time for lunch today.”
“I’m beginning to notice a trend with you.”
This was the first personal conversation they’d taken time for since he’d started. The reason she’d chosen him over the other candidates wasn’t his dark and mysterious eyes or his potential to be a male cover model. Her reasons were far more basic.
He was smart and cocky—enough so that he’d want to do what it took to make himself stand out in a good way. And that’s what she needed. A person ready to hit the ground running. And that’s exactly what Trey had done. He’d taken on every task she’d given him—even when it’d kept him here after hours.
She was almost afraid to ask, but she couldn’t resist. “What trend would that be?”
“You never have time for lunch or anything else that isn’t business related.”
Lunchtime was her quiet time. She did eat, but it was always something simple that she could eat at her desk while answering emails and reviewing deadlines.
“It’s the way I like it.” She’d been working so long and so hard to keep herself afloat that she didn’t have time for a personal life. Maybe one of these days when the magazine was back on track and she resolved things with her stepmother. “I need that report completed as soon as you get back.”
The truth was she didn’t like Trey analyzing her. She didn’t want him unearthing her shortcomings. Because aside from his sexy good looks, Trey was astute and not easily won over, which made her want to gain his respect. Did that make her a bad boss? Was she supposed to be immune to the feelings of her employees—even when they were six foot two, physically toned and had mysterious dark eyes?
* * *
“Hey, Trey.”
Trey nodded and smiled at the passing mail lady. It was the following day and he had yet to complete the advertising report to Sage’s satisfaction. Every time he thought he’d nailed it, she changed the criteria. He didn’t know if she was trying this hard to make a good impression on the board or if she was trying to make him quit. Either way, she was only delaying the inevitable. Come the end of the month, the board would vote to shut down the magazine.
He honestly never thought when he went undercover that he’d have this much work to do. He thought he’d answer the phone, sort mail and fetch coffee. So far Sage had answered her own phone, the mail provided more projects for his growing to-do list and the boss lady had her own coffeepot. In other words, this job was not the cushy position he thought it’d be.
“Trey, just the person I need to see.” Louise, the head of human resources, stood just outside her office door.
He came to a stop. “What do you need?”
“For you to settle a debate.” She waved at him to follow her into the office. The older woman with short, styled silver hair sent him a warm smile. Try as he might to remain immune to her friendliness, he liked her.
Something told him this wasn’t work related. “I really need to get going. Sage needs this information.” He held up the papers in his hand. And for emphasis, he added, “Right now.”
Louise shook her head. “Don’t worry. This will only take a moment.”
He glanced around, finding he wasn’t the only one who’d been drawn in. Ron, from subscriptions, was propped against a file cabinet in the corner. He waved and Trey returned the gesture. On the other side was Jane with the short blond hair with pink streaks, but he couldn’t recall which department she worked in. She flashed him a big flirty kind of smile. He didn’t smile, not wanting to encourage her attention. Instead he gave a brief nod. What in the world had Louise drawn them in here for?
Louise moved to the doorway, checked both directions in the hallway and then proceeded