Free The Boss: (Billionaire Romance) by Lexy Timms Page A

mine. I didn’t mean what I just said.” He ran his fingers through his hair once and then became completely professional, unreadable. “I apologize. I was up on the moment, the way this day has gone. I didn’t mean what I said.”
    Jamie stared at the numbers winding down from three to two. “You don’t need to apologize. It’s fine.”
    “You are very good at your job, and you truly are a valuable asset to this company. I felt sorry for you. The way your family is, the stress of the day. It all caught up with me. It won’t happen again. Ever.” His hands were balled into fists at his side and he stared stonily ahead. “I’ll see you on Monday.” When the elevator door slid open, he stepped through quickly while Jamie waited until the door began to close before she stepped out.

Chapter 11
    J amie checked with the front desk and asked to be notified if there was any major change in her dad’s condition. It took everything not to cry as she left and took a cab back to the office so she could collect her car. Finally alone, she let the tears fall.
    “Only till you get to your apartment. Then it stops,” she mumbled to herself. She grabbed a Kleenex and mopped her face. For one split second in the elevator she had thought Alex had been flirting with her. With her! Then it had all been blown to smut and he told her he’d said the words because he felt sorry for her. Pity compliments? Life didn’t get any lower.
    She blew her nose and wiped her tears away with the back of her hand as she approached the house. Pressing the button to open the gates she opened her window, hoping the fresh air would hide the redness on her face.
    Thankfully she didn’t see Alex’s car or the driver he used during business hours at the office. She pulled into her usual spot and hurried out of the car, keeping her head down as she made her way to her place.
    The Olympic-size pool in the backyard steamed in the cool afternoon air. It was the start of winter and the pool was still open. Only Alex Reid would pay to heat his outdoor pool warm enough to be tub temperature. Jamie was tempted to strip down and jump in it. Skinny dip in the middle of the afternoon, in the winter, in a billionaire’s house. Chubby beached whale splashing in the water. How sexy! She laughed out loud as she unlocked her apartment suite and stepped inside.
    She stepped back outside when her brain clicked and she realized she’d missed a box outside her door. She reached down and picked it up. A note on top told her Murray had been cooking for her again.
    Carrying the cooler to the kitchen, she set the items in the fridge and dropped her car keys on the counter. Maybe she’d eat later, she wasn’t hungry now. Inside her room, she stripped out of her skirt and blouse and let it fall to the floor in a wrinkled heap. She crawled into bed in just her bra and panties, not caring if she’d locked her door or not. It didn’t matter. Nobody was going to come in.
    She stared at the boxes still near the wall waiting to be unpacked. At least she would be able to finally get her stuff organized during her time off.
    She turned over and pulled the expensive duvet around her and closed her eyes, exhausted and hating her life.
    ––––––––
    J amie spent her first day off from work at the hospital with her father. Her mother and Christine were gone for the morning. The strain of yesterday kept things awkward but she kept her dad company while he went through different tests and watched old reruns of Criminal Minds. Her job was never brought up in conversation and, much to her relief, neither was the wedding. Jamie drove him home from the hospital later that afternoon when the doctor finally cleared him with firm instruction to be back again tomorrow for some testing.
    “I’m sorry about yesterday,” he said when they were in the car. “I know you’re a good employee and you don’t have reason to be fired. As far as I know.”
    “As far as I know, I