The Dating Experiment (Better With You #2) - Briar Prescott Page 0,2

I’ve always been prone to flights of fancy.”

“The lucky part is still up for debate.” He takes a glance at his watch. “Can we perhaps get to work? Or do you have any other smart-ass comments you feel the unbearable urge to make?” he asks with the usual level of exasperation and impatience as he straightens himself and leans toward his laptop.

I raise my tablet in the air and wave it in his direction.

“I’ve been ready for forever. You know, if you didn’t have the incessant need to chat with me every time I show up here, you’d be so much more productive. Just an idea to consider.”

“Thank you. I’ll keep that in mind.”

“You should.” I try to do a regal nod. “My advice has been known to turn people into better versions of themselves.”

I try not to take offense at the way Connor’s eyebrows seem to rise to his hairline.

“I’ll be waiting for the results of my transformation with bated breath,” he says after a second, before he turns into Mr. Efficient again and starts firing off commands.

“Schedule a meeting with the interns for tomorrow. Compulsory attendance. I’m speaking at a conference in Chicago on the twenty-fifth, so take care of the plane tickets and hotel rooms.”

I nod as I make notes.

“Is that all?” I ask because I’m sometimes stupid like that.

He doesn’t even bother to comment.

“Look through the files for the Meravida merger and send them to Mark. Also, see if he’s ready with the franchise agreement review. Try to casually float the idea that if he still hasn’t made any progress, he’ll have to start reviewing his resume. Now, as for the email you typed up for me yesterday…” He lifts a paper up between his fingers and looks at it with obvious disdain.

“You know you’re not supposed to print emails out, right?” I ask. “You’re supposed to send them with the help of your laptop, not carrier pigeons. Not to mention you’ve just added to the carbon footprint of your email. Next thing you’re going to attach a cat meme, and then we’ll all be doomed. Doomed, I tell you! Do you know the carbon footprint of a cat meme? Why do you hate the planet?”

He just stares at me for a while before he seems to figure ignoring me is the way to go.

“The reason I printed it out is that I was considering framing it and putting it up on my wall. I even have a name for it all figured out. Do you want to hear it?”

“Not really,” I say.

“Despair,” he says. “You know what inspired that choice?”

“I may have some ideas,” I mutter.

“It’s because I despair for the fate of the English language whenever I read… whatever this is.”

“Well, you know, art should evoke emotions, so that’s good.”

“Yes. The problem is I asked you to type up an email and not art. I get plenty of that at the gallery openings my grandmother insists we attend. So how about you do your best to deliver one of those to me in the next, say, fifteen minutes?”

“Sure,” I say with a sigh. Crap. That’s what I get for hurrying last night, but I was running late. Connor had sprung the email on me while I was already supposed to be leaving, so I got careless, and spellcheck obviously betrayed me in the most treacherous manner imaginable.

And Connor’s not even done yet.

The tasks pile up on my tablet screen, and I’m starting to think I should be flattered the man thinks I’ll be able to accomplish everything he’s throwing my way by tonight. I suppose it’s nice he seems to believe in me.

When he finally finishes, I slide my eyes over the calendar to make sure I’ve made note of everything.

“You’re still here,” he says after a few seconds have passed. “Are you trying to confirm the sloth hypothesis, or…?”

“Nope. Just enjoying your company,” I say sweetly.

He just rolls his eyes. “Just go already, or I’ll be tempted to fire you.”

“Don’t threaten me with a good time,” I say flippantly, but I get going anyway. If I want to leave before the new day is going to dawn, I have to get cracking on my to-do list.

“One more thing.” Connor’s voice stops me.

“Yes?”

“Under no circumstance are you allowed to forward my brother’s calls to me.”

I raise my brows. That’s a first.

“Why not?”

Connor seems startled by the question.

He squints his eyes at me like he’s trying to decide if I’m kidding or not. “Because I