The Assistant (42 page)

“Oh my god,” I breathed, looking at her with wide eyes. “Oh my god I am so, so sorry. I didn’t know… I’m so sorry-”

Anna cut me off again with a short laugh. “Emily! It’s okay; stop apologising. I don’t blame you for making those assumptions about me. I was kind of the biggest bitch to you. But everyone hated you at that time, I didn’t want to be the only one defending you or else I’d be hated by every one of those girls as well. Trust me, you’d do the same thing if you had to see them the next Monday in the marketing department.” She shuddered at the thought, before giving me another smile.

I laughed nervously, trying to lighten up the mood. “You could’ve always escaped up to my office. My door offers standard security against jealous co-workers,” I joked.

Anna laughed. “That was probably the lamest thing I’ve ever heard you say.”

I laughed in response before throwing a lavender pillow in her direction. “Shut up,” I mumbled with a slight blush. “Anyway, the other reason behind my visit… Adrian Kingston would like to formally offer you your job back – if you want it, that is,” I added quickly.

Anna’s smile slowly slid off her thin lips before she blinked back at me in shock. “Are…. Are you serious?”

I gave her a puzzled look. “Yes?”

“No, like I know you’re serious I was just asking because… For real? Yes! Of course I want it back! Oh my god, thank you so much! You don’t know how hard it is to find a job after being fired from there.” Anna sulked, before beaming in my direction.

I grinned in return before nodding at her. “Trust me; I know how difficult it is.” I shuddered at the thought of my previous boss, Creepy Cooper, before looking at her again. “I’ll tell Adrian. You can start next week!”

Anna sighed happily before jumping out of her seat and pulling me into an unexpected hug. “Thank you so much, oh my god!” she squealed again, before releasing me from her excited grasp.

I smiled in response before I heard a loud shrilling noise come from the wall behind me.

Anna looked at the phone in confusion, before glancing at me. “Another visitor?”

I shrugged in response just as she answered the phone. “Hello?”

I could hear Amy’s yelling from my seated position. “CAN YOU TELL EMILY TO HURRY HER SORRY ASS UP AND GET HER ASS DOWN HERE BECAUSE MY OWN ASS IS HUNGRY?”

Anna’s eyes widened as she detached the phone from her ear. “Uh… I think it’s for you.”

I grimaced at the phone before shouting out, “I’M COMING AMES, GET INTO THE CAR!”

Anna put the phone back into its slot before smiling in amusement. “I think you should leave.”

I laughed and nodded. “I think I should. See you next week then? I’m really sorry once again for accusing you…”

She waved me off with a look of disbelief. “Emily! Forget about it! I have my job back, and we’re on good terms. Everything is good again!”

A faint beeping noise sounded from outside, and both our eyes widened as I began to rush out the door. “I’ll see you next week then!” I called out before anxiously pressing the elevator button.

Anna laughed at my panicked state before giving me a small wave and shutting the apartment door quietly, just as the elevator doors sprung open.

Amy was going to kill me.

***

“So how about I give you that D I’ve been meaning to give you for a while now?” Allen smirked, before getting whacked across the head by Adrian.

“You better shut the fuck up mate.” Adrian glared, wrapping an arm around my waist and pulling me into his shirtless torso.

“Adrian.” I groaned, trying to pry his hands off me.

“What did I tell you this morning?” he snapped, looking down at me.

Amy spoke up. “Hey! Listen here, my friend can wear a bikini if she wants to-”

“Actually, it was
you
that forced me into wearing this. I wanted to wear my one-piece with mini board shorts on top,” I pointed out.

“Shut up, I’m trying to prove a point for your independence,” Amy bit back in response.

“What have I missed?” Blake asked, appearing from behind Amy suddenly; who yelped and jerked in her seated position in fright. She turned around to glare at him, and he smirked down in response before kicking sand onto her stomach.

“I was about to give your sister the D,” Allen brought up again.

I groaned. “Allen! Stop bringing that up!” I laughed.

“Dude, that’s my sister,” Blake complained with a disgusted frown.

“And
my
best friend!” Amy added.

“And
my girlfriend,
” Adrian growled in annoyance, tightening his grip around my waist. “Let’s go for a walk, Shortcake.”

“No.” I whined. “I don’t want to walk,” I grumbled lazily.

“Fine,” Adrian replied, before I felt my entire body being lifted off the ground as Adrian held me bridal style.

“Adrian! Put me down!” I exclaimed as I felt my entire body pulse with heat from embarrassment.

“I’m having a sense of Déjà vu, Shortcake. Aren’t you?” He smirked, taking me farther away from our small group.

“The only déjà vu I’m about to have is telling you that you’re not getting any tonight.” I glared.

He chuckled before pulling me in and placing a kiss on my lips. “We all know that never ends up working out in your favour.”

“Shut up.” I responded childishly.

“Careful Shortcake, I might ‘accidentally’ lose my grip on you.” To make his point more believable, Adrian’s grip loosened around my body; making me squeal in fright and wrap my arms around his neck in an attempt to prevent myself from falling harshly onto the warm sand.

Adrian began to chuckle again before his grip re-tightened itself around my waist and he smirked down at my petrified expression. “I’m sorry, did I frighten you?” he asked mockingly.

“You’re an asshole!” I scowled, begging to loosen my arms from around his neck.

“I wouldn’t do that if I were you, Adrian warned, just as his grip began to loosen again.

I squealed and re-tightened my arms. “Put me down!”

Adrian thought about it for a moment before groaning. “I should actually. You’re the size of a whale. Lay off the fries a little next time.”

My jaw dropped in shock from his comment, but he continued talking. “Unless… Are you pregnant? Is that why you wore the bikini? So your baby bump isn’t so obvious to everyone? Why didn’t you tell me?! I would have-”

“Adrian!” I snapped, glaring up at him.

He chuckled at my response before grinning childishly. “I’m kidding. You’re lighter than a whale. I’d say a dolphin maybe. Or two.”

My expression transformed to one of shock once again before he let out a real laugh this time, loud and deep. “I love watching your reactions.”

“Yeah, well, keep this up and you won’t be seeing any reactions,” I snapped angrily.

Adrian’s laughter died down as I watched his eyes scan my face. He pouted once he realised I wasn’t joking. “Aw Shortcake, come on! You know I was joking, right? You’re as light as a hippo-” I whacked him across the head before he could continue.

Adrian chuckled before a group of people caught his attention. “HEY!” he called out, making all 8 sets of heads turn to our direction.

My eyes went wide in mortification before I turned back to him. “What are you doing?” I hissed.

Adrian ignored me as he smirked at the group. “I just found out my soon-to-be wife is pregnant. Aren’t I the luckiest man in the world?” He grinned. The small group just smiled awkwardly in his direction before nodding in agreement.

“NO FUCKING WAY! I’VE JUST WON FIVE MILLION DOLLARS!” Someone cheered from behind us. Adrian spun us both around to face the man who was holding up a small purple lottery ticket.

“I guess you’re not the luckiest man in the world after all,” I mused.

“Please, mate. I make that a
week,
” Adrian told the guy holding the ticket, who gave him a frown.

“Adrian! Let him have his moment! He just
won
what you have to
work
for,” I pointed out smugly.

“Thank you, pretty lady! Do you want to accompany me to collect my prize?” the man asked, winking in my direction.

Adrian’s grip on me instantly tightened as he clenched his jaw at the man. “You have 3 seconds to get away from her before that five million you just won goes down the drain, and so does your existence.”

The man’s eyes widened in horror before he clutched onto the ticket in his hands and scurried off in fright without so much as another word.

“Now,” Adrian spoke up, no longer looking angry, “Where were we?” He smirked, before unexpectedly dropping me onto the warm sand.

I squeaked as I landed with a thud before groaning in pain. “A little bit of a warning would’ve sufficed.”

“Nah. No fun in that, is there?” Adrian grinned, waggling his eyebrows before climbing on top of me.

“What are you doing?” I squeaked, looking around the quiet beach in search for any onlookers who may have been witnessing Adrian’s sudden urge to show PDA.

“What do you think I’m doing?” he murmured, before placing a soft trail of kisses onto my neck.

“We’re in public.” I blushed, trying to pry him away from my trapped body.

“I don’t care,” he muttered, shifting so that his entire body was covering my own.

“Adrian.” I gasped as his lips brushed against the soft spot underneath my ear.

A throaty groan sounded from him, followed by a disgusted groan, which caused me to push him off completely.

“When you two get married and visit mom and dad’s place, I want none of
this
happening every time we leave you two alone for more than 5 minutes.”

“Cock block,” Adrian grumbled, sending a toxic glare in Blake’s direction.

“That’s what I’m here for!” Blake replied in a sing-song voice.

“Is there a reason for your rude interruption?” Adrian asked with an impatient look.

“Yes,” Blake replied, his easy smile quickly replaced by a look of unease. “Emily, Rita called Amy and practically begged her to have 5 minutes on the phone with you. Amy’s telling her off now but she told me to come and deliver this news while she was still in queen bitch mode.”

I stiffened from beneath Adrian – who instantly pulled me into his arms for comfort – once Rita’s name was mentioned. “What… What did she say she wanted?”

“She wants to explain the reason behind why she…” Blake trailed off. He knew he didn’t have to continue.

“Tell Amy to tell her to fuck off,” Adrian snapped, growing angry at the mention of Rita. ”We already locked up one asshole – I won’t hesitate to ‘accidentally’ drop her name around the prosecution of the case either.”

“Adrian, calm down,” I murmured, running my hands through his hair gently. He instantly relaxed from my touch; but I could still feel him tensing from the current topic. I sighed before turning back to Blake. “Thanks for letting me know. Just tell Amy to tell her that I do not want to speak to her. What she did was unforgivable.”

Blake nodded in understanding before walking back in the direction he came, while Adrian let out a low growl. “What the fuck does that stupid bitc-”