Free The Geek Gets The Girl by Michele Hauf Page B

rising-through-the-ranks story. Everyone had one of those. And besides, he was the company founder’s son. How hard had he really had to struggle to become the owner?
    “I got to enjoy the remarkable experience of learning you.” He smiled to himself and glanced at the flowers. “I like what we have going, Rachel.”
    “Had going,” she corrected.
    “We can make this work. I want to make this work. Don’t you, even a tiny part of you? Don’t you want that, too?”
    She crossed her arms tighter, resisting the mutinous scream that wanted to leap from her mouth and agree with the man. It was her heart, vying to be heard, wanting to rise up from the mundane of the nine-to-five (but really nine-to-eight) and grasp on to something wonderful. Something she hadn’t realized she’d needed until she’d met Zachary Cosgrove.
    She had enjoyed the us.
    Even now, knowing it had been a lie.
    If she could believe Zac, the us part hadn’t been a lie. And he had only been using the cover she’d mistakenly given him that morning when she’d assessed him as the office geek. But seriously, what CEO wears a pocket protector?
    A glance over Zac’s impressive Italian suit revealed a peek of white vinyl beneath the jacket. He did. Guess you could promote the guy to head of the company, but you couldn’t erase all the geek from the CEO.
    “Rachel?”
    But she couldn’t concede. Such floundering after she’d announced her resignation was unacceptable. And he had accepted her resignation. Just like that. Not even a lackluster argument over him wanting her to stay.
    “I’m sorry.” She picked up a random manila folder from the glass desktop and walked around Zac to the door. “I have work to do. If you could find a way to stay out of my office, I’d appreciate it. As I’ve said, I’ll finish what I started before officially leaving. I’ll see you tomorrow morning at the client meeting.”
    “Rachel.”
    She turned the doorknob. Her heart pounded. Her feet wanted to turn her body around. Her arms wanted to pull him to her. Her soul screamed for more of what they’d given one another.
    “Thanks,” he said to her back. “For your honesty. And for an amazing few days. I wish it could have been different, but I’m unsure how to make things right for you.”
    Without a word, she left the man standing in her office. Rachel spied a cubicle gopher’s head bob down, and she beelined for the ladies’ room. She’d never cried at work before.
    There was a first time for everything.
                 
     
    Chapter 10
     
    Today was the morning of Rachel’s last day at Haute Heels. She had given Zac—Monsieur Cosgrove—her resignation. She hadn’t seen him since the angry tossed roses scene in her office. And well he should avoid her. The asshole had lied to her.
    Very well. He’d perpetuated a mistruth she’d believed about him. Same thing.
    Right?
    She picked up a velvety rose petal. The bouquet still sat on the couch and the flowers hadn’t faded nor had the petals wilted overnight without water. It was as if they were desperately holding on, a symbol of the hope for the relationship between her and Zac.
    “Relationship. Yeah, right,” she muttered. “It was sex. We both took advantage of the other. I fueled my creativity with the sex. He…”
    He’d said the sex had nothing to do with the business. That he wanted them to continue to be an us. What was that about? How could that even work? He lived in New York. And even after she walked away from her job today, Rachel would remain in Paris.
    “Hopefully, it won’t be too difficult to find another job.”
    She had to admit, she was beginning to feel comfortable in the management chair. And as Zac had said, had she the proper funds to hire more employees and do the job right, she may have just shone in the position. But it was too late for that dream now.
    “You ready?”
    Curling her fingers over the rose petal, she nodded at Amelie’s entreaty. 
    “The