Boss I Love to Hate An Office Romance - Mia Kayla Page 0,87
only reason you’re with her.”
The silence stretched between us, and we warred without words, stiff and stuck in some sort of blinking contest.
He was the first to break contact.
His arms dropped to his sides, and he didn’t say a damn thing. And, yeah, he knew me, but I knew him, too. He built things from scratch, invested time and energy to make things work, and he’d forever be in an unhappy relationship with the worst kind of person simply because he didn’t want to give up. Mason was the type to see things through to the end even if it destroyed him.
I narrowed my eyes, going for the kill. “You know, if we went broke all of a sudden, she’d leave you. Or, if you were dying, the first person you’d call was Charles or me and not her. So, thanks for being the biggest asshole to the one who would save your ass in the end.”
I stormed out of the room and straight up the stairs, hating the fact that he was partly right. I knew nothing about relationships and how they worked, but I was determined to find out.
“Uncle Brad.”
Sarah startled me in her GAP T-shirt and sitting at the edge of the stairs.
“You have school tomorrow. Get to sleep.” I waved my hand, and she moved off the stairs so I could pass.
“I couldn’t sleep.” Her hair was piled up on top of her head, and it reminded me of Sonia’s don’t give two shits bun.
“If this is about your womanly issues or boys or school, we can chat about that in the morning.” I didn’t want to be an asshole, but my patience had been spent on Mason. I gritted my teeth, not wanting to say the wrong thing. Not to Sarah, who was innocent in this situation.
I walked right past her to my room, but stubborn Sarah followed.
“You’re going to be cranky as hell tomorrow, so why don’t you go to sleep?”
“I was sleeping until you guys started yelling at each other.”
I pushed open the door and stepped over my pile of laundry that I needed to send to dry cleaning. “Blame it on your other emotional uncle.” Now, I was really being mature. I stopped, picked up the pile, and threw it with force into my laundry basket right by my bed as though the laundry basket were the cause of my foul mood.
“All you have to do is tell her the truth,” she said like it was so simple.
“What?”
“Sonia. All you have to do is be honest with her.” Sarah stood by the door, leaning on the frame.
“Sarah …”
“Just listen to me, Uncle Brad. Please?” she begged.
My features softened, and I let out a long sigh and dropped my ass on the bed.
“Okay.” I scrubbed one hand down my face, feeling the weight of not knowing how this would turn out on my shoulders. Then, I let it out, to the only person who would listen.
“I know Sonia. She won’t think it’s genuine.” I was like the guy who’d cried wolf.
The bed dipped beside me, and Sarah dropped her head on my shoulder. “Then, you tell her that. That you’re new to this, but you like her.”
As I peered down at my twelve-year-old niece, still so innocent in the world, I wondered … Could it really be that easy?
“Uncle Brad, take a chance. I really, really, really like Sonia.”
I touched the tip of her nose. “I do, too, Sarah. I do, too.”
Sonia
I placed my elbows on my office desk, leaning into the phone and reading the text.
Sonia! I’m so glad we were able to finally meet. Let me know when you’re free so we can do dinner.
Who is this? I texted the unknown number.
Jean. :)
I blinked and stared at my phone. Jean. Jean. Jean. But there was only one Jean that I knew.
Then, tiny, invisible spiders prickled my skin. It couldn’t be. How the hell did she get my number?
The phone blinked red, right by my keyboard, indicating an incoming call for Brad, but I ignored it.
I bit my pinkie nail, and after staring at the phone for far too long, I texted back.
Dinner? I typed back, hoping it was another Jean, some long-lost classmate or acquaintance that I had forgotten about.
Yes! I can’t wait. Jeff and I are free this Friday. Will you and Brad be available then?
Holy shit.
I typed, I’ll check.
Then, I flew off my chair and straight into Brad’s office for the second time this week.