“Then you’re going to be very sad with what I have to say. I’m done with you. No more games, no more drunken sex nights. Nothing. Nada. Zip. Do you comprehend?”
“You are still refusing me?”
“That’s what I’ve just said!”
“Then, you’ve left me no choice.” He walked away. Let her think what she wanted. She’d be his tomorrow.
*****
Ari watched as Rafe walked out. She waited like a caged animal. Was it a trick? Was he going to turn around at any moment and pounce? She really didn’t know what to think right then. She waited for several minutes, and her body clenched when she saw the door handle begin to turn.
He was back.
“Ari, what the heck was that all about? Mr. Gorgeous stormed by my desk looking like he was pissed.”
“Honestly, I have no idea, Amber. He wants to be in a relationship, but I’ve repeatedly told him it’s not going to happen. He basically told me this was my last chance, and when I still refused, he left. It’s not like him. I’m a bit afraid of the other shoe dropping.”
“I get that I don’t know him – but he’s gorgeous, has a drool-worthy body and butt loads of cash. Why would you not want to go out with him?”
“It’s complicated and I just want to get back to work. I promise to tell you all about it when I’m not so freaking ticked off,” Ari said, hoping to appease her friend.
“I’ll respect your privacy, but I hope you know this is taking years off my life. I’m dying to know what the big mystery is.”
When Ari didn’t say anything else, Amber let her be. She walked from the room and went straight to the bathroom where she could splash cold water on her face and freshen up her make-up. She was in the middle of her shift and didn’t have time to fall apart.
If Rafe had other plans, there was absolutely nothing she could do about it, so it wouldn’t do her any good to fret about any of it. She’d been away from her desk for a good fifteen minutes now and it was time to get back to work.
When nothing else happened by the end of the day, she decided that maybe he’d just given up. What Ari didn’t understand was the slight disappointment she felt. With all the stress she’d been through in the last months she wouldn’t be surprised if she was having a breakdown.
Her mother was getting out of the hospital any day now and Ari still hadn’t found the courage to tell her about the house or her mother’s business. Rafe chasing her had been one wild ride after the other. Not having work – and then managing to land a great job.
Any one of those things could cause a normal person to lose a bit of sanity. She felt quite justified in having a meltdown with all of it piling up.
“Just place one foot in front of the other and remember that tomorrow is a new day.” This is what Ari told herself at least twice a day – today she may have to repeat it about twenty times.
Chapter Thirty-Eight
“Can I see you in my office?”
“Yes. Let me finish this email and I’ll be right there,” Ari said as she pressed the intercom speaker and replied to her boss. With a few strikes of the key, she finished her work and sent the document.
Rising from her seat, she stretched her arms and smiled. Her job was boring, mundane and made her want to rush back into the classroom so she could do what she truly loved, but it was a great place to work.
She had amazing benefits, worked with good people and made enough money to take care of her mother and still have some left over for savings. She may be able to get back to school within the year. That was the best case scenario.
She walked down the long hallway and knocked on her boss’s open door.
“Come in, Ari. How soon can you get home and pack a bag?”
“Sir?” She’d been told that she may have to travel, but she’d assumed she’d get a lot more notice than, go pack a bag. She wasn’t upset about going somewhere, just the opposite in fact, thinking it would be nice to get out of town, anywhere other than the Bay area, but she had to pick up her mother, tell her how much she had messed everything up, and then hopefully pick up the pieces of her mom’s shattered heart.
“The CEO requested you for a business trip to New York. The jet leaves in two hours. A car is waiting out front to take you back to your place and then get you to the airport. Will that give you enough time?”
“Yes, of course, but I don’t understand,” she hedged. “How long will I have to be gone? Why would the CEO have requested me? I don’t think I’m qualified.” She trailed off at the smile on her boss’s face.
“Don’t look so frightened, Ari. This is a good thing. It means that you do such an excellent job here in the offices that the corporate officers have taken notice of you. This could end up being a big promotion for you. I don’t want to lose you here, but I’d never hold you back. If advancement is on the horizon, then you need to reach out and grasp it,” he said with sincerity. “Headquarters didn’t say how long you’d be gone for, but I think it’s a quick trip. Normally, they’d give a lot more notice than two hours if it was anything longer than a couple days.”
“I guess I can go then… I don’t know what to say,” she answered hesitantly as shock filled her. She wasn’t sure that she wanted advancement. What if the job ended up being wonderful and then she never went back to school? She didn’t want to settle for a job just because it paid well. She wanted to finish her education and do what she was always meant to do.
“You say a heartfelt thanks and then rush home to get ready,” he replied with a chuckle.
“Thank you, Mr. Avery. I appreciate your confidence in me,” she automatically replied.
He waved her off and she turned around and went back to her desk where she gathered her coat and purse and then made her way to the bank of elevators. It didn’t take long for her to reach the lobby, and then to step outside.
A nice Bentley was parked at the curb with a driver waiting at the back door. He immediately opened the door when he spotted her and Ari slid inside without saying a word. She hoped it was the company car and not a kidnapper, not that she’d be worth kidnapping. She didn’t have a wealthy family that could post ransom. She certainly didn’t have any kind of influence with the rich and famous. She was just Ari.
“Good afternoon, Ma’am. I have your address, here. Do you need to make any other stops before we arrive at your place?”