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“She’s the assistant to your office er, Beth”

“Oh” I rackabout Donna must be new I can’t keep up with all the new hires these days I give up and shrug “I guess it doesn’t matter when the decorations come down Maybe it would be easier if they were left up until Monday Let everyone enjoy them tomorrow”

Sheila nods her approval “That’s what I told her” She leans against the doorframe “Any plans for the weekend?”

“Are you asking if I have anything going on for New Year’s Eve?”

Nosey

I lean in s creek until it’s al

“I have plans with someone, yeah”

No way a to tell her what those plans are, or hom I don’t need every woman in this office to know my personal business Not to ossip with our clients Like I need Lebron Sutton — Super Bowl MVP two years in a row — gossiping with the receptionist and knowing I haven’t been laid in four months

Which has happened before

Lebron + Sheila = huge pain in my ass

She’s blinking atfor more detail

Nope Sorry

No

I barely share this shit with Adam, my best work friend, let alone the sixty-five-year old watchdog who patrols the hallways like she’s security The bars don should hire her to throw people out, she’s that damn formidable

I raise my brows

She raises hers

It’s a battle of wills she will not win I a down

Finally, “Are you co in tomorrow boss?”

My head goes back and forth, wishy-washy “Probably not I’ lunch with Adam We’ll see if he meets me or not”

Sheila nods “He’s still dating that McClaren girl I wonder how long it will be before they bless us with a McGinnis baby”

Oh boy Here we go

If there’s one thing Sheila loves besides gossip, it’s babies And if there’s one thing she lovesme to have one

“Does this someone you have plans with tomorrow like children?”

Yes “Don’t most people like children?”

Sheila shrugs her bony shoulders “Not me”

That h Of course she doesn’t like kids Babies, yes Kids, no