Catch part one first!

Arguing with Megan was futile. The woman didn’t listen so it didn’t matter that Becky had to leave early herself. Well, not really early, just on time for once. Which, in Megan’s eyes, meant early.

As Megan stalked away on her teetering high heels, Becky rolled her eyes and headed for her office. Her friend, and only ally, Rachel, was already in the cubicle next to hers, too ready to unload her own angst with Megan.

“She’s already been down her twice this morning looking for you. She acted like it was my fault you weren’t here yet. And you’re not even late!”

Becky’s neck stiffened and her desire for a tub of double fudge ice cream increased. God knew if she had a freezer in her office she’d never have lost those 50 pounds. “I already saw her. She wants me to work late tomorrow because she has something going on. The shitty part is I have an interview. Or I did. I’m going to have to reschedule, if they’re willing.”

“Eeek,” Rachel squealed quietly to avoid drawing attention to them. “You can’t back out of the interview. I’ll cover for you.”

Becky shook her head as her computer booted up. She knew Megan would flip if she found out Becky had left and Rachel was filling in, without permission. It wouldn’t work.

“No. Don’t even go there. I see those wheels turning in your head. You’re not going to let her win this one. You’re going to that interview, even if I have to drive you myself.”

“Then who would cover?” Becky teased her friend, knowing she would do it too. Rachel narrowed her eyes at Becky and she relented. “Okay, I’ll go. But if she finds out I’m toast.”

“She won’t find out. She’ll be gone. It’ll be fine.”

The next afternoon Becky watched Megan walk out of the office an hour before Becky planned to leave. She’d worn her one and only outfit that sort of fit her, a pair of black slacks that were only two sizes too big, but didn’t look that bad once she added a belt, and a pink button down shirt that hung to her knees but was okay when it was tucked in.

Or as okay as she was going to get.

“Dragon lady’s gone. Let’s get you prettied up,” Rachel said from behind her. When Becky turned, Rachel was holding a bag that could have held the secrets of the universe for all Becky knew. Rachel grabbed her hand without waiting for an answer and dragged her off to the women’s bathroom.

Twenty minutes later they emerged with Becky looking more beautiful than she’d ever felt in her life. Rachel perfectly applied the right touch of make-up to give Becky a confident, but natural, feel. She also talked her out of the shirt that was still too baggy, even though Becky said it would be fine, and put her in a pool blue poplin dress shirt with French cuffs. A simple knot in her hair and a pair of drop earrings and Becky looked the part.

She hugged her friend and thanked her for the transformation. “This was all you, Bex. I just helped it to come out. Now go show those people how smart you are and how much you deserve this job. Then steal me away from here!”

Becky laughed on her way down the elevator and was still smiling when she walked into the doors for her interview. After giving her name to the receptionist, Becky was asked to wait in the lobby until they were finished with the current interview they were conducting.

Nerves swamped Becky as she waited, wondering if she could handle the responsibility that came with the promotion and job change. She’d wanted a job like that for a while, one that was similar in nature to Megan’s, but one she promised herself she wouldn’t abuse. She knew how to treat people fairly and had every intention of doing just that.

Voices drew her attention and had her turning toward the interior of the building. Becky hadn’t looked up the people she would be interviewing since the names hadn’t been provided to her. She had reviewed the company website though, and was familiar enough with what they did to be able to speak intelligently about their work. She just wished she knew more about the people she’d be meeting. Although it appeared she would learn soon enough.

Keeping her seat until she was called, Becky watched as a man and woman walked toward her. There was something familiar about both of them, but he was shielding most of the woman from her sight. Still, her voice was familiar, but Becky was struggling to place it.

The man turned to smile at her and she was met with the same startling blue eyes she’d seen the morning before, on the man who’d saved her and groped her all at the same time.

Not to mention turned her on with the slightest innocent touch and the depth and warmth of his voice.

“You!” slipped out before she could stop it.

He froze where he stood, appearing equally stunned to see her sitting in the lobby. Unfortunately, the woman beside him didn’t freeze. She kept walking. And when she realized he wasn’t beside her, she turned and pressed her overflowing breasts to his arm in an effort to get his attention back. When she realized it didn’t work, she turned toward the offending creature who’d captured more of his attention than she’d managed in the last hour.

“Slipping out of work early, I see,” she snarled at Becky. Her eyes snapped to the left where the voice finally snapped into place, along with the end of her current career.

“Megan,” she sighed defeatedly.