The Boss's Baby Mistake. Raye Morgan

he takes out his credit card.”

      Jokes. He was telling elephant jokes. She gaped in astonishment.

      “What did Tarzan say when he saw the elephant working in the coffee bar?”

      He didn’t wait for her to answer. Putting on a gruff voice, he said, “I didn’t know the hippo had sold the place.”

      She laughed. She couldn’t help it. She put her hand over her mouth to try to mask it, but she was laughing nonetheless.

      “You smiling yet?” he asked her. “Or do I need to torture you some more?”

      “I’m smiling,” she admitted, and the laughter was still in her voice.

      “Good,” he said. “See you tomorrow.”

      “All right.”

      She hung up and stared at the telephone. His strategy had worked, she realized. There was a sense of warmth where a few moments before there had only been emptiness.

      “He’s just trying to charm me into doing things his way,” she reminded herself out loud. But it didn’t dim the warmth. Still smiling, she went to bed. She needed rest. Tomorrow she would be starting a new job, if there was any luck left in the world. And once she had that foundation of security, she would feel stronger. Maybe even strong enough to tell Jack Marin that he had to stay out of her life.