My Blind Date is My Boss

“Is that a kiss… for me?”

I froze mid-step, barely clutching the tray of coffees in my hands when I heard that familiar voice booming from the darkened conference room. The instant I turned, a hush fell over the room. Everyone’s eyes were now laser-focused on me. And there it was, glowing on the massive screen behind Sebastian, my boss, was a selfie of me blowing a playful kiss with eyes wide and lips puckered like I was auditioning for some cutesy commercial.

I blinked multiple times, trying to understand how my light-hearted, joking selfie had found its way here. To the big screen of a billion-dollar company’s boardroom, in front of the most intimidating man I’d ever met. My boss. Sebastian James, billionaire, workaholic, and the one person on this planet I tried to avoid looking silly in front of.

“Oh, my God!” I mumbled. Immediately, I felt the heat rise to my cheeks. Without thinking, I set the coffees down on the table. “Mr. James… I-I’m so, so sorry. T-That was meant for… s-someone else.”

But Sebastian’s expression remained impassive. He gazed at the screen then he slowly turned to me. Everyone else was snickering and exchanging glances, but Sebastian remained deadpan. He was studying me like he was trying to solve a puzzle.

I tried to scramble for an explanation, hoping to somehow get out of this with a sliver of my dignity intact.

“My ex… I mean, Jackson… he was bothering me this morning. A-And he wanted a selfie. Don’t ask why. A-And I… I must have sent it to you by accident,” I stammered.

Sebastian simply raised an eyebrow, looking entirely unfazed.

Then, he turned away, dismissing the photo with a click. Then he brought the presentation slides back to the screen. “Alright, let’s continue.”

Everyone’s attention snapped back to the matter at hand. My face was still burning as I took the tray of coffee and made my escape as quietly as possible, slipping out of the conference room before anyone could make another comment.

As I walked through the hallway, I took a deep breath. Of all the ways I’d pictured my morning going, this wasn’t one of them. And it was all Jackson’s fault.

Twenty minutes before the conference, I’d been juggling my bag and a stack of files when Jackson had called.

“Iana, babe, I need a picture of you. Just real quick,” he’d insisted.

“Jackson, I’m working.” I sighed. I was not in the mood for his usual antics. But he’d persisted, claiming he’d lost some truth or dare game with his new buddies and needed a selfie to prove his point.

“I told them I have the cutest girlfriend,” he’d explained. Then he chuckled, a thing I used to find charming but now only grated on my nerves. I’d refused him about five times before finally snapping a quick selfie just to get him off my back.

And now, here I was. Mortified, because I’d somehow managed to send that picture to the wrong person.

My phone buzzed in my pocket. Dreading what new disaster awaited, I fished it out, glancing at the notification.

Sebastian James:

Cute selfie.

My eyes widened. I reread the message twice to make sure I wasn’t imagining things.

Cute selfie?

My boss, a serious, composed, and painfully focused Sebastian, texted me a comment on my selfie?

I half-expected him to send a stern follow-up message, reminding me about professionalism or reprimanding me for the distraction.

But no. Just two words. Cute selfie.

I suddenly felt strange excitement bubbled up inside me. I took a few breaths and hurried to my desk, hoping to hide from any more attention. I hovered my fingers over the keyboard as I wondered if I should respond.

Before I could overthink it, a text from Betty, my best friend, lit up my phone.

Betty:

Girl, I can’t believe you’re still talking to Jackson. When are you finally going to tell him to take a hike?

Betty had a point. I’d broken up with Jackson months ago. But he still clung to every excuse to stay in my life. Clingy, selfish, and cheap, he was a living reminder of the poor decision I’d made in dating him in the first place. If he weren’t so persistently annoying, maybe I’d have already shaken him loose.

As I sat there, trying to think of how to respond to Betty, a shadow fell over my desk. I looked up to find my boss standing there, holding an envelope.

“Diane, a moment in my office?”

“Uh…sure,” I replied hesitantly. Then I quickly grabbed my notebook and stood up. My heart beat faster as I followed him down the hall to his office. I’d been in his office countless times, but something about this felt different.

The moment we were inside, he closed the door, enveloping us in silence. I opened my mouth to apologize again. But he held up a hand to silence me. “I don’t need an explanation. However, I do have something I’d like to discuss.”

I nodded with my cheeks still burning with embarrassment. “Yes, Mr. James?”

“About that selfie,” he began, “did you really send it by mistake, or…?” He trailed off. The intensity of his gaze was making me lose my breath.

I swallowed hard.

“O-Or what?” I whispered. I could feel my heart race as he stepped closer. The distance between us was sending a chill down my spine.

Sebastian paused. Then the faintest smirk formed at the corner of his mouth. “Or was it meant for me?” he almost whispered.