The Boss Upstairs - Roya Carmen Page 0,64

working on a giant puzzle in the living room when I get home. I sneak the four Chanel boxes into the bottom of the front hall closet, and throw a jacket over them. I don’t want Patricia to see them because there’s no way I’m confessing that my boss has just gifted me with ten grand of designer goodies.

“How did it go today?” I ask as I shed my blazer and purse.

“It was great,” Patricia tells me. “We had a great day, didn’t we, Ethan?”

I crouch down and kiss the top of Ethan’s head. “That’s great. Thanks so much.”

“Looks like you have yourself a new beau,” she teases. “Why didn’t you tell me you were seeing someone.”

My heart skips a beat. Does she know about Weston? How could she possibly know?

“I saw on the card,” she tells me. “Samuel, is it?”

What?!

“The flowers are on the kitchen table.”

I dash to the kitchen, eager to see.

The bouquet is quite beautiful; lavender roses, mixed with purple and green flowers in a glass vase. I reach for the card nestled in the arrangement, still wondering how it could possibly be.

To Gretchen,

Thank you for the wonderful evening. I hope we have many more.

Yours, Samuel.

How does he know where I live? Did he not listen when I told him I wasn’t ready?

“They’re gorgeous,” Patricia says. “How long have you being seeing him?”

“I’m not seeing him,” I tell her. “We’re just friends. I met him at the Grief Counseling Group, and we’ve been going for coffee. We went out for dinner once as friends, and I had dinner at his place last weekend. His daughter and Ethan were there. We’re just friends.”

“Well, you might want to tell him that.”

“I thought I’d been clear,” I go on. “I told him I wasn’t ready.”

She reaches for my hand. “It’s okay, you know. You’re allowed to move on. It’s been almost three years.”

I shake my head. “I don’t want to move on, and I certainly don’t want to do it with Samuel.”

“Not your type?”

“He’s nice… and handsome enough. I just don’t feel a connection.”

“Well, maybe you really aren’t ready,” she says. “You won’t be able to fall for another man until you let Donovan go, Gretchen.”

I think about Weston. I definitely feel the spark with him. Every time he’s near, my whole body stands to attention. Every time he touches me, I melt and crave more. Every time I hear his voice, I want him to tell me everything there is to know about him. I’m curious when I’m around him. I’m eager and excited. “Maybe you’re right.”

I study the flowers again, and I’m left very unsettled, wondering how in the hell Samuel’s gotten a hold of my address.

I’ll definitely need to address this.

But it will have to wait. As soon as Patricia leaves, I’m whipping up macaroni and cheese and salad for dinner. Bath time and a bedtime story will follow. Then I’m slipping into my Chanel, just for a few minutes. Finally, I’ll indulge in a long hot bath and some Netflix.

Tonight’s agenda is too full for a confrontation.

It’s not summertime, but I’m feeling cheerful in my yellow tweed skirt and pink blouse. The yellow fitted cardigan I have on was a birthday gift from Mischa. Thankfully, the woman has amazing taste. It’s accented with beading, yellow ribbon, and pearl buttons. Yellow pointy toe slingbacks complete the outfit, and every now and then I glance down at my feet and admire the pretty bows on them.

No stockings of course. I never wear them. Who needs to be uncomfortable all day? My neck aches on the right side. It’s par for the course when you stare at a screen endlessly for hours. Well, the good thing is I’ve finished all the design concepts, and they are almost ready for presentation. I just need to put what’s on screen into a tangible presentation. I know it’s old-school, but that’s how I roll. There’s no way I’m having Boss Man standing over my shoulder and looking at my laptop screen. I’ve worked much too hard for that.

It’s three o’clock, two more hours until I get to see Ethan. I’ve been going home for lunch lately because I’ve been missing him. I take a break and head to the kitchen to fill my water bottle.

I’m surprised to see Boss Man helping himself to snacks from the refrigerator. I don’t know why I’m surprised. He does live here. I just don’t see him too often. The man is a workaholic, and is usually