Chapter 107

Logan’s frown deepened. “Me?”

“Yes, Sir.”

Under his disappointed, critical stare, my angry confidence began to falter. I dropped my gaze down to the notepad in my hands. I cleared my throat, biding for time. Maybe being direct wasn’t the best option here. Logan didn’t seem receptive to it. But I didn’t want to lie, either.

A gentle touch might be what was needed.

“Perhaps… you just didn’t click with this woman,” I said. “The setting was right. You just lacked chemistry.”

“That’s not possible,” Logan said, immediately dismissive. “It is your dates that are lacking. I demand that you give this task as much urgency and commitment as you have your duties in the past. I don’t want to assume that you are slacking, Hazel, but I know you are capable of more than this.”

I bit back my rising anger. Sure, I hadn’t been exactly wanted to handle this aspect of Logan’s life, but I was a goddamn professional. I haven’t held back at all, even though it had hurt me.

It seemed my fate to continue to hurt myself.

“Do better,” Logan said. He waved me toward the door. “That’s all.”

Over the course of the next two weeks, I meticulously planned each of Logan’s many dates with most of the beautiful, and elite, bachelorettes in town. I scouted locations ahead of time, even taking photos that I presented to Logan.

Time and time again, he okayed everything…

Only for me to be called into his office the next morning.

“This date wasn’t good enough, Hazel.”

“You aren’t doing enough, Hazel.”

“She wasn’t interested in any of these conversation topics, Hazel.”

Again and again, he poked and prodded at me so much that I had to become borderline obsessed with these dates. I had to study these women so diligently, I was starting to feel like a stalker.

All the while, I wanted to shout, It’s not me! It’s YOU! You aren’t trying hard enough, Logan!

But I held back. This was my job. I was his subordinate. That blatant advice was the kind you would give a friend, and Logan and I weren’t friends.

I was paid to be a yes man. So I ducked my head, bearing each criticism like a warrior on the battlefield.

“Yes, Sir,” I said and tried harder the next time.

Tonight, I pulled out all of the stops. I’d been overworking myself on these dates, putting in long hours. I was emotionally and physically tired.

This date had to be the last one. I couldn’t handle this anymore.

Planning the dates themselves was only part of my torture. The rest was from knowing Logan was there, sitting across from a beautiful and successful woman with the intention of winning her heart.

I couldn’t do this to myself anymore. I had to make sure this one was a success. So I made a second reservation alongside Logan’s, and I put myself at the table behind his. I made sure I’d be discretely hidden, partially by a large fern, partially by a divider.

From here, I could at least hear what went on, and make adjustments that would actually help Logan. His constant critical feedback to me was no help at all.

One date he’d say he wanted something next time, only to say it was too much the next.

I was about ready to pull my hair out.

The date started well enough. Logan presumably held out her chair for her. She said thank you. They talked about the food here. They ordered.

Then the silence began.

It went on for far too long. I sipped at my tea – the only thing I could personally afford off the menu.

Then Logan said, “Are you a natural blonde?”

I spitted my tea out straight back into the cup. What the hell! You shouldn’t just ask someone that!

The woman’s reply was tight and evasive, “Do you like it?”

“No,” Logan said.

I lowered my teacup down and covered my eyes with my hand.

“Oh,” said the woman.

“You’re beautiful, don’t misunderstand,” Logan said quickly.

“But not beautiful enough?”

“It’s not like that. That’s not what I meant.”

“Then what did you mean?” The woman’s voice sharpened.

What the hell is wrong with you? Logan chastised himself. He was fumbling his words worse than a teenager on his first date.

He was a smooth, charming, charismatic CEO. Why was he consistently dropping the ball so hard?

“Oh, I see what’s happening here,” his date said. He couldn’t remember her name. There had been too many over the past few weeks. Hazel would know. Why hadn’t she drilled him more before this date? She’d already been putting in extra hours for this new purpose. What would one more hour be on top of it?

Yes. He’d insist in tomorrow’s meeting that Hazel sit with him for a mock date to more properly prepare him for –

“You already have feelings for someone else,” his date said.

What?! “No, that’s ridiculous,” Logan replied.

“How dare you waste my time like this?” the woman said, her voice becoming shrill. “I never should have agreed to this date. I don’t care how rich you are.”

She threw her napkin on the table and pushed back her chair.

“Wait!” Logan said, starting to rise as she did.

She lifted her glass of champagne and tossed it right in his face.

“Whoever she is, she’ll never be as good as me.” The woman dropped her glass on the table, grabbed her purse, and then walked away.

Logan sat right back down. The champagne dripped down his nose. Those at nearby tables were turning to stare. He glared back until they got the message to mind their own business.

Then we reached for his own napkin – only, it wasn’t on the table. After a quick glance, he spotted it on the ground. As he leaned to grab it, another fresh napkin appeared right in front of his face.

A helpful patron? Someone with actual sympathy instead of mockery in their heart?

“Thank you,” Logan said. Dabbing his face, he glanced up and stilled.

Hazel was standing there.

“What are you doing here?” he asked.

She looked to the side slightly, as if embarrassed. “I thought if I could witness one of the dates, I could more accurately correct the problems.”

“The problems are that you didn’t prepare me enough for this,” Logan snapped. Something uncomfortable churned in his stomach. It felt like humiliation, not a feeling Logan was overtly familiar with. “She was a brunette in the pictures you showed me.”

“Blonde must be a recent change,” Hazel said.

“I expect you to be on top of this, Hazel.”

Hazel’s face scrunched up a little. The wrinkle in her nose was kind of cute, despite everything. So was the dusting of red across Hazel’s cheeks.

“I am your assistant, Logan. Not your love coach. You can’t just dump all of your emotional stress on me, alongside all of the planning and everything else.”

“You are my assistant,” Logan agreed. He hated how cute she remained, even when she was arguing with him. That fueled his frustration here. He shouldn’t think his assistant was cute! They were keeping this professional! “I pay you well enough. You should serve me as expected.”

“This wasn’t in my job description.”

“A good assistant would be flexible. You are a good assistant, aren’t you? Or are you just like the rest?”

That shut her up fast.

She pressed her mouth into a hard line and glared at Logan.

He hated to admit this, even to himself, but arguing with Hazel was so much more exciting and enjoyable than anything that had happened tonight with his date.

Logan’s lip twitched, an almost smile.

Yet when he felt it, when he realized what was happening, it was like being hit without another glass of cold champagne.

He realized… The dates weren’t failing because of Hazel’s poor planning.

They were failing because the date wasn’t Hazel herself.