"My 'One Night Stand' Turned Out to Be My New Boss - And Monday Morning Was Brutal"

 "My 'One Night Stand' Turned Out to Be My New Boss - And Monday Morning Was Brutal"

Let's be real, sometimes you just need a night to forget. After a particularly nasty breakup and a few too many cocktails with my girlfriends, I found myself in a dimly lit bar with a ridiculously attractive stranger. One thing led to another, and… well, you know the rest. It was one of those nights where the details are a little hazy, but the chemistry was definitely there. We exchanged vague goodbyes in the morning, both probably relieved it was over. I deleted his number, mentally filed it under "fun but forgettable," and moved on with my life. Or so I thought.
Fast forward to Monday morning. New job, new beginnings. I was actually feeling optimistic as I walked into the sleek, modern office building. Butterflies fluttered in my stomach – first day jitters, you know? I made my way to the HR department, got my welcome packet, and was eventually led to the floor where my team was.
And then I saw him.
Leaning against a desk, talking animatedly with a colleague, was him. The ridiculously attractive stranger from the bar. Except now, he was wearing a tailored suit and had an air of authority that definitely wasn't present when he was half-naked in my hotel room.
My heart did a triple backflip. Surely, it couldn't be. But as he turned and his eyes met mine, a slow dawning of recognition spread across his face. His jaw actually dropped a little.
"Sarah?" he said, his voice a mix of surprise and… something else I couldn't quite decipher.
And then it hit me. This wasn't just some random guy. This was Daniel Hayes. My new boss. The Head of Marketing. The man whose name was plastered all over the company website. The man I had spent a very memorable (and slightly embarrassing) night with just 48 hours prior.
The next few hours were a blur of awkward introductions, forced smiles, and internal screaming. He tried to act professional, calling me "Ms. Carter" and explaining my responsibilities with a surprisingly straight face. I, on the other hand, felt like my cheeks were permanently flushed a shade of crimson. Making eye contact was a challenge, and every time he looked my way, I had flashbacks to… well, let's just say workplace etiquette wasn't exactly top of mind that night.
The water cooler conversations were excruciating. Trying to act like we were just two colleagues getting to know each other when we had, quite literally, gotten very intimate was beyond awkward. The knowing glances I caught from some of the other team members didn't help either – the office grapevine moves fast.
Lunchtime was a solitary affair in the park across the street. I needed air. I needed to process. How was I supposed to work under the guy I had a one-night stand with? Would he treat me differently? Would everyone find out? My promising new beginning was quickly turning into a potential career-ending (or at least incredibly uncomfortable) disaster.
The rest of the week has been a tightrope walk of professionalism and suppressed memories. We've both been trying our best to act like that night never happened, but the unspoken tension in the air is thicker than the office coffee.
So, Reddit, tell me I'm not the only one who's had a truly bizarre start to a new job. Has anyone else accidentally slept with their boss? How did you handle it? And more importantly, how do I survive the next few months without spontaneously combusting from awkwardness every time Daniel looks my way? Help! My career (and my sanity) might depend on it.