Her Boss

Her Boss Forest Vale Series Book 9 Emily Hayes Contents Chapter 1 Chapter 2 Chapter 3 Chapter 4 Chapter 5 Chapter 6 Chapter 7 Chapter 8 Chapter 9 Chapter 10 Chapter 11 Chapter 12 Chapter 13 Chapter 14 Chapter 15 Chapter 16 Chapter 17 Chapter 18 Chapter 19 Chapter 20 Chapter 21 Chapter 22 23. Epilogue Also by Emily Hayes Afterword 1 As Diane gathered up the folders on her desk, in preparation of the staff meeting, she took one last look at the new brochure. As the Senior Director of Yonic Horizons, a sexual health clinic catering exclusively to women, Diane was responsible for approving the final copy and design. Since the Forest Vale Hospital was beginning a new fiscal quarter, she wanted to create some new marketing strategies that would help create more awareness and gain more services to elevate the standing of the clinic, located within the hospital’s wing. Hmmm, I'm not sure about this one. I should review this brochure with the rest of the team. It's got to be perfect, Diane thought to herself. Maybe Lacey will have some ideas; she is so creative and smart. As she stood from her desk, Diane heard a knock and a voice behind the door. “Ms. Margot?” “Yes, coming!” Diane opened the door to find Lacey, or Dr. Harris as she was better known, holding two cups of coffee in her hand. “Good morning! I was on my way to the staff meeting, and I thought I would stop by and bring you a coffee.” Diane looked at the Styrofoam cup and beamed at the doctor. Gratefully, she replied, “Oh, thank you so much! Your timing is perfect because you were literally on my mind just now.” Dr. Harris paused, biting her bottom lip suggestively. “Oh really? How's that?” As soon as Diane sensed a tone of longing in Lacey's voice, she knew that she had to scale back on the friendliness. A few months prior, Diane and Lacey had a short yet passionate fling that had remained a secret between them. At the time, it was the sexual release that Diane needed, following the divorce of her now-ex-wife. But while Diane was only looking for something casual, Dr. Lacey Harris had become far too attached for Diane's liking. It had been fun between them, but for Diane, at least, there was nothing more there. After two months, Diane decided to end the affair, and luckily, the pair were able to remain amicable. Diane was still fond of Lacey, valuing her expertise as one of the top gynecologists for Yonic Horizons. However, she knew she needed to maintain professionalism. Clearing her throat and squaring her shoulders, Diane curtly replied, “I wanted to get your opinion on our new brochure design, but let's get to the meeting so we can discuss it with the group.” Hastily, Diane threw on her suit jacket and lanyard pass that read Diane Margot: Senior Director of Yonic Horizons. Forest Vale Hospital. The two women marched down the hallway into a large boardroom, with Diane taking quick strides. Upon entering the room, fourteen clinic staff were already seated, chatting merrily amongst themselves. Diane scanned the room, taking a seat at the head of the large, rectangular table. She noticed one member missing; a new sex educator who had joined the clinic a month ago. Diane had heard about the new hire but had yet to meet this new, mysterious woman. Sighing internally, Diane thought, I hope she gets here on time. Everyone knows how much I dislike tardiness. “Good morning, everyone! As you know, we are starting a new quarter at Forest Vale Hospital, and there are some exciting goals and projects planned for Yonic Horizons. Moving forward, we will have a monthly staff meeting on the first Monday of every month, starting at 8:00 am to brainstorm and execute new ideas in order to serve the sexual health needs of women within the city.” A few heads nodded, and murmurs of optimism spread amongst the staff. In total, there were fifteen employees of the clinic, and she was proud of her team, which consisted of four doctors, seven nurses, one receptionist and three certified sex educators. All employees of the clinic were women, with some identifying as lesbian or queer, which was important to Diane. As a lesbian herself, the fifty-five-year-old Diane had always wanted to see more queer female representation in the medical field. After fighting twenty-five years for recognition, she finally felt like Forest Vale was making progress in terms of inclusivity within the hospital. Before Ms. Margot began her agenda, a voice popped up from the group, “Isn’t there a new sex educator who is working with us? Do you know if she is coming?” Dee Marshall was one of the first educators hired at Yonic Horizons, and Diane liked her from the start. Like Diane, Dee was an old-school feminist who was an out and proud lesbian herself. Dee carried an air of confidence and intelligence that was both empowering and empathetic. Dee embraced many of the values that Diane also possessed, and the director knew that Dee would be the perfect addition to the environment Diane wanted to create for female patients. Diane replied in a controlled, cheerful voice. “Um, well, yes, there is. I see that she hasn’t arrived yet, but I’m sure she will be here very soon.” She then checked her watch. “Let’s give it another minute and then we can get started.” Diane knew that it was the courteous thing to do, although she was irritated to push back the meeting, as there were lots for the team to cover. “Oh, well, while we are waiting, I should mention that there will be a staff potluck dinner happening this Friday at my place. It will be casual, so don’t worry about any formal attire. But I thought this would be a great way for us to connect socially outside of the clinic, especially since