Boss or Dictator or What's the Difference? Either Way, It's Probably Not a Good Idea to Date Him

“Mindy!” Bernard Morton’s deep voice barked over the archaic intercom on Mindy’s desk. Sighing, she pushed the response button.

“Yes?”

“Come in here!”

Not bothering to respond, Mindy released the button and sighed again, more deeply this time. Working for Bernard Morton at Kutrate Kemicals was like working for a dictator of a very small, very elite country. The words “please” and “thank you” were apparently not in Bernard’s limited vocabulary and no one had ever taught him how to give instructions. Instead, Bernard gave orders that he expected to be met immediately and precisely.

Mindy walked to the doorway between her office and Bernard’s. This can’t last much longer. I’ll find out what’s going on around here soon and then I’ll be able to quit.

Boy, she sure hoped so. Even with Christmas fast approaching, Mindy was finding it next to impossible to find any kind of Christmas spirit at Kutrate Kemicals.

“Yes?” she asked as she stood in front of Bernard’s desk.

“The annual Christmas party is a week away. What have you done to get ready for it?”

“What do you mean?” Mindy asked. “I haven’t done anything about it since this is the first time I’ve heard of it.”

“Well, as my executive assistant it’s your job to set the whole thing up.” Bernard looked at Mindy with exasperation. “Reserve a banquet hall, order the food, make sure the bar is ready—and it’s a cash bar. No free drinks around here.”

No free anything around there, Mindy thought. “Is this in my job description?”

“It falls under ‘other duties,’” Bernard replied.

Mindy forced herself to sound pleasant. “Well, I’ll do my best. How many people will be attending?”

“The whole company. It’s a mandatory party. I don’t want anyone saying that Bernard Morton is a Scrooge.”

Mindy stared at her boss. Bernard looked very handsome that day in a dark blue suit with a lighter blue shirt and a maroon tie. His brown hair was glossy and the glasses he wore gave him an intellectual but sexy touch. How, Mindy wondered, could such a good looking man be such a total drip? “All right,” she said. “Am I invited too?”

Bernard looked pained. “You work here, don’t you?”

“Yes, I do.”

“Then you’re invited.”

“Am I allowed to bring a date?”

“Actually, I thought you  might go with me.”

“Go with you where?”

“To the Christmas party.”

Mindy was confused. “I have to work at the Christmas party too?”

“No, Mindy, I want you to go to the party with me,” Bernard said slowly as if Mindy was a little on the dumb side. “I want you to be my date.”

Finally, the break that she’d been waiting for. Mindy was positive that she’d be able to find out a lot more from Bernard Morton as a close and personal friend than she’d ever be able to find out as his overworked executive assistant. Of course, I won’t sleep with him since that goes against journalistic ethics. Plus she already had a boyfriend. But she was sure that Tyler wouldn’t mind. After all, it wasn’t like she was going to marry her boss.

Just pump him for information on what the hell kind of business he was running.

“I’d love to be your date,” she assured him. “Now I’d better get going. I’ve got a Christmas party to plan.”