Masquerade by Nicole Flockton Read Free Book Online

the boss? Did you think it would be fun to humiliate me in front of my staff?”
    “Excuse me?”
    “No need to act so surprised, Sophie. If you start flinging accusations, I can, too.”
    “That’s not fair, I have so much more to lose than you.”
    “Is that right? It’s not exactly the end of the world.”
    The conversation was getting out of control and Alex didn’t like it. He hadn’t come into the office for a confrontation. What he wanted was to have a reasonable conversation. Come up with a way they could work together. Develop a professional relationship between themselves. They had to share an office, they had to get along.
    Before he had a chance to get the conversation back on track Sophie continued on.
    “Not the end of the world? Are you serious? I had a one-night stand with my new boss.”
    “Well, I had a one night stand with my nursing unit manager. What does that say about me to my staff? I’m new at this hospital.”
    “Doesn’t matter if it gets out, your colleagues will give you a slap on the back and say, ‘Way to go.’ For me it’s career suicide.” She dropped her face into her hands. “It’s just like that television show. Next thing I’ll know your wife is going to turn up out of the blue and slap my face.”
    “Now you’re being ridiculous, I don’t subscribe to the old boys club and Amanda’s not going to do that. She doesn’t do confrontations.”
    • • •
    Sophie fumbled behind her, looking for her chair. Sinking into it when her fingers connected with the soft leather, her heart stopped beating and a cold sweat broke out all over her. A hollowness filling her, like she’d been kicked in the stomach. Her nightmare had just reached catastrophic.
    This time she was the other woman.
    “Y-y-you’re married?” The words whispered out of her.
    “No.” The word burst out like a firecracker shot from its canister. He sank down in front of her. “No, I’m divorced. I’m not a cheater.”
    Alex took her hands in his, the touch shocking her out of her dazed state. His flesh warmed her numb fingers as he continued speaking, the words seeming to come from afar. Her ears buzzed but she made out what he was saying. “I abhor people who cheat.”
    At least they had that in common. She pulled her hands out of his hold and wrapped them around herself. She couldn’t think when he touched her. She gave a short push on the ground and her chair coasted gently back, away from his strong presence.
    How could this day have gotten any worse? She’d been so optimistic when she’d started her shift. She’d felt more confident in her role and she’d managed her staff well when the call for the multi-accident trauma came in. But then Alex had walked in, and everything had gone pear shaped.
    He had been married. How long since the divorce? Was she a rebound girl?
    Everything started crowding in around her. She couldn’t do this. She had to get out. Get out of Alex’s presence so she could think. Get her jumbled, scrambled thoughts into a straight and sensible line.
    “I’ve got to go.” She pulled the bottom drawer of her desk open, grabbed her handbag from its depths, and headed toward the door.
    “You can’t leave it like this, Sophie. Don’t run away again. We have to work together.”
    She whirled round to face him. “You think I don’t know that? Right now, I just can’t deal with all of this. None of the last hour has gone according to the way I imagined the last part of my shift would go.”
    With her hand hovering above the doorknob, she sighed, “Yes, maybe I am running away. Maybe I should stay here and discuss this rationally with you. But I really can’t do this now. I just need my own space.”
    Not waiting for a reply, she turned the handle and walked out the door. She made her way to the elevator in a daze, trying not to remember the time she had taken an elevator ride with Alex.
    The doors opened and it was blissfully empty. She pressed the button for the