The Rebound Guy Read Free Page A

equipment....’ She lowered her chin and looked at Kelly over the top of her glasses.
    Kelly nodded, the picture of innocence. No point telling the woman she’d have liked to staple something else of Payne’s to the desk and the tie had just been a poor substitute. ‘Thank you.’
    The underling sighed. ‘You know, a lot of girls think Will is a bit of a hottie.’
    Well, a lot of girls needed their heads read.
    Kelly didn’t say that, though. She was busy proving she could be calm and professional and that she could keep control of her runaway mouth—and her stapling arm. She settled on something much less inflammatory. ‘But I’m just not interested. In him, or anyone.’ She frowned. ‘Isn’t there a company policy against that kind of thing?’
    â€˜Mr Knight did away with that,’ Julie said starchily, as she and the underling exchanged a cryptic look. ‘He says he doesn’t want the company stuck in the Dark Ages, and that as long as his staff do their work well he doesn’t care what they get up to in their personal lives.’
    On any other day Kelly would have applauded the boss’s decision heartily. Today, however, a medieval dating policy—maybe involving male chastity belts?—might have made her life a little bit easier. ‘Well, I have a personal policy about dating colleagues,’ she said.
    Julie gave Kelly a sceptical look then sat back down at her desk and leafed through her file. When she’d finished, she looked at her over her glasses again. ‘You’ve been with us just under a month and this is the third time we’ve moved you....’
    â€˜I can explain about—’
    Julie just raised her eyebrows. ‘It seems you don’t have a problem speaking your mind, Ms Bradford, which I wouldn’t normally consider a bad thing, but you do manage to rub people the wrong way. I’m wondering if we even have anywhere we can usefully place you immediately.’ She squinted at the computer screen and reached for her mouse. ‘We might have another position for you....’ However, the tone of her voice suggested she was just going through the motions.
    Kelly’s smile remained fixed, but inside her stomach dropped. She couldn’t let them send her back off to the temp agency and give someone else the position.
    The other woman shook her head. ‘No...sorry. Nothing suitable, really.’ She looked up and gave Kelly a tight smile. ‘Of course, we’ll contact your agency if anything opens up.’
    Kelly stood up. ‘Look, this just isn’t fair! I’d have happily worked hard for Will Payne if he’d acted appropriately. I shouldn’t be the one who’s penalised!’
    Julie looked at Kelly’s recently vacated chair, and it took all Kelly had to plant her bum back down on it.
    â€˜It’s not about punishment, Kelly,’ Julie said, a hint more sympathy in her tone. ‘You know how temp work goes... We do need some short-term cover for a couple of the senior management team, but those posts require a certain level of skills—’
    â€˜I have skills,’ she said firmly.
    â€˜And a certain level of...sensitivity,’ Julie added.
    Ah.
    â€˜Please,’ Kelly said quietly, hating the slightly scratchy tone that had crept into her voice. ‘I really need another chance. I’ll do anything, work for anyone... You won’t hear a peep of complaint from me, I promise.’ Her voice caught on the last few words.
    Oh, hell. Here came the waterworks. Great.
    Kelly wasn’t normally one for crying. In fact, it had been months since she’d had a good bawl, but every time she thought she was recovering from the events of the last couple of years, life dumped another obstacle in her path. To be honest, she was exhausted, and maybe the game of kiss chase she’d had with Payne this morning had just been the cherry on