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his own method of punishment on her. But here was the thing —even though she was exhausted working what looked to be sixty-hour weeks for him, and then putting in as many hours as possible at her own business, he was actually helping her, because in the end, when she could show that Knight Construction was a client of hers, she would have people pouring in through her own business’s doors.
    When Byron still didn’t call her into his office, she decided she’d best get at least some work done — something that wouldn’t require her total concentration. Looking down at her paperwork, she sank into the numbers and forgot about her woes for at least a few minutes.
    When her phone rang twenty minutes later, it gave McKenzie a start. Her plan of not sinking into work hadn’t gone over so well, because she wasn’t the type of person who could do half a job. She took pride in whatever she did, and she always gave it her all.
    When a familiar number showed up on the screen, she smiled her first genuine smile of the day as she picked up. “Good morning, Zach.”
    “Morning, beautiful. How’s it going in the real world?” he asked, his natural humor coming through, making her really miss her office.
    “It is what it is,” she replied, sending the file she was working on to the corner of the computer screen. “How are things going at our company?”
    “It would be a lot better if you were here, and you know that, but I think I’ve got a handle on things. Did you talk the boss into letting anyone come in for interviews?”
    Did Zach sound hopeful?
    She shuddered. “Please tell me there isn’t a disaster going on that you’re too afraid to tell me about.”
    “If there were a disaster, McKenzie, I’d tell you, even if I didn’t like it. I’d probably send flowers, actually, with a note that said our business is going down in flames, but since that isn’t happening, you have nothing to worry about. Again, did the boss agree to interviews?”
    “Yes, sort of,” she said, though she had more than just a feeling it was a waste of time.
    “Great. When can I send in Jim? I can do it now, if you like.”
    “Let me talk to Byron. But I don’t think we should send in Jim. Let’s bring in Mary. I think her personality would be a lot better fit here.”
    “Are you sure?”
    Mary was sixty-eight, and she was a master accountant, flawless in her work. She was also a no-nonsense kind of woman. If Byron didn’t like her, he wasn’t going to like anyone.
    “Yes, I’m sure. I think they would get along just fine,” she said. “Hang on.” Before he could reply she placed him on hold, took a deep breath and walked into the lion’s den.
    Knowing that Byron liked to exert his dominance, she waited until he looked up before she spoke. He was well aware she was in the room, but he could be a real jackass if she interrupted, and she wasn’t going to chance it. He made her wait for a full sixty seconds before he finally looked away from his computer screen. Maybe she should have told Zach she’d call him back instead of making him listen to elevator music for minutes on end, a good chunk of his life that he would never get back. Oh, well. It was too late now. If he got busy he’d hang up and she would call back.
    “I’m sorry to get in the way of your busy schedule, Byron, but I have Zach on the line, and Mary — I’ve told you about her — is available to come in this afternoon if you can make the time.” McKenzie was brisk and impersonal, matching the way Byron spoke to her.
    His eyes narrowed just the slightest bit, and then a small smile tilted his lips. “Bring her in now.” He then looked back down at his computer.
    He was dismissing her as if she were trash. Every time he did that, she felt her fingers clench into fists. She hated that he felt he needed to be so rude. She’d worked before in a business where she’d needed to keep her guard up at all times, but she’d never treated people as callously as