Just Neighbors (BWWM)

Chapter 2

The next morning I went to work feeling pretty good until my boss called me into his office.

"Kill me now." I groaned after I hung up my phone.

"Did Lucifer just summon you?" Chelsie asked in disgust.

"Yes." I replied sullenly and placed my head on my desk. "I wanna cry."

"Who knows - maybe you'll get a promotion?" Chelsie beamed hopefully. "You've been nothing but awesome since you've gotten here!"

"Thanks, girly." I sighed and started to get up from my seat. "Wish me luck!" I sang over my shoulder as I walked out the door.

"Luck!" I heard Chelsie yell after me, making me smile a little.

Chelsie was right though; I'd been nothing but an obedient, little accountant ever since I got here. I've busted my ass on the weekends and have even worked overtime unnecessarily just to make sure that every account and statement were accurate and organized.

Before knocking on my boss's door, I gave myself a mental pep talk and took a deep breath.

You can do this, Michelle.

"Come in." I heard Mr. Thompson bellow from the other side of the door after I'd finally built up enough courage to knock on it.

"Good morning, sir! You rang?" I asked with a small smile as I walked over to stand before my boss at his desk.

He looked over his thick spectacles at me and gave me a smile that didn't quite reach his eyes.

"Ah, Michelle you're here." He began and started flipping through some papers. "You know of our head attorney Jonathan Pierce, yes?"

"Of course." I replied curtly and clasped my hands together in front of my waist to keep from fidgeting nervously.

Everyone in the firm had heard of or were fortunate enough to have met Jonathan Pierce. To all the attorneys below Pierce, he was seen as a milestone for they all aspired to be as wealthy and as successful as him. Pierce on the other hand, had come from one of the top firms in California to help bring up our new firm here.

Why he would leave such a successful position to work around novice attorneys? Beats me.

"Well his mother just passed away and he's in desperate need of an accountant to help him straighten out some of her debts and other expenses she left behind." Mr. Thompson said monotonously and handed me some papers with his stubby little sausage fingers.

I glanced over the documents and scowled. This woman was in a lot of debt yet her wealthy son did nothing to help alleviate some of the burden? Selfish prick. I tried my hardest to avoid those types of men like the plague but they always got thrown into my lap one way or another.

"Um, not to sound ungrateful or rude, sir, but why me?" I asked hesitantly.

"Because you're the best accountant we've got on our payroll and from the look on your face this poor woman was in some deep shit, but you didn't hear any of that from me, capisce?" Mr. Thompson replied sternly as he pointed a chubby digit at my frame.

Hell must've frozen over. Did this man just compliment me?

"Right, well thank you." I began to say, trying to hide my grin. "But yes, I'm afraid Mr. Pierce's mother was definitely struggling financially."

"So you will take the job, right?" Mr. Thompson asked with a raised brow.

"I'd be glad to." I replied with a smile. "Thank you, sir."