Part 33

"I still can't believe you just – abandoned me," Jane grumbles now, voice a bit high.

Mia tried not to roll her eyes as she treaded lightly across the plush white carpet in their break room. For a change, they decided to stay back in the office and have lunch instead of going out. That was all her idea. She had just finished her work and then thought of whipping up some sandwich for Jane and her self. After all, Mia didn't have a boss to give her orders and demand ridiculous things.

That's right. Damon didn't show up to work. It was taking everything in her, not just to quit working and show up on his door. What good would that do anyway? She can't abandon her responsibilities as he did. So the assistant dropped him a mail asking about his health while also informing about his cancelled meetings.

"I didn't abandon you, don't make it sound so dramatic. I went away to work with my boss."

After a glance at her surroundings, Mia shifted to sit across the seat from her best friend and picked at her sandwich. Too late, she became aware of Jane's watchful gaze resting on her, the two of them have been under a sunny spot.

"Why are you so twitchy?" Jane asked. "Looking for someone?"

Mia stilled her bouncing knee and snagged her gaze away from a group of men dressed in suits walking out. "I am not twitchy," She said with dignity.

No, she's not, nope.

Mia wasn't looking for Damon either. There must be a valid reason why her boss was missing and didn't inform her like he always. Also, Mia was not fucking looking for him.

"If you say so." Her best friend sounded unconvinced, but she's the kind of wonderful person who knows when to let things go—one of the many reasons why they're best friends.

"I do say so," Mia told her firmly. "I also say we should go and get some ice cream after we are done here."

Bunching up the wrapping of her sandwich, Jane considered it for a moment. "Ice cream? You don't have any meetings this afternoon?"

Sunlight slanted over her cheekbones, brightening the deep brown of her eyes, and not for the first time. Mia knew Jane was beautiful only if she were a guy. Alas, no such luck. It seems they're both destined to remain best friends. Because if not Jane would have made a fantastic soul mate.

Unbidden, Mia couldn't help but remember that coffee they had with ice cream. The way Damon was so hesitant to try that combination. He kept on looking around as if someone would catch him with a cup of ice cream. Finally, she managed to get him into liking it and also ordering another one to share. It indeed had been a good day.

"It's not like I'll be missing anything." She shrugged. "My boss is not here, so my day is completely wide open."

"One day," Jane licked her greasy lips, "you and I will have a chat about your habit of evading my questions."

"One day," Mia hummed. "Not today, though."

Jane shrugged because what other choice did she have than to agree. They started eating their sandwich in peace, and Mia admired her, alright. Felt grateful that she didn't press her further to talk about the fact that Damons not there.

"You're a good friend," Mia told her. It came out affectionate, and Jane returned her smile quickly, the corners of her eyes crinkling.

"Why thank you."

Mia exhaled and tipped her face into the sun, closing her eyes. The sweet smell of summer and fresh grass followed by their greasy sandwich enveloped her but its alright. At least she wasn't thinking about his musk and vanilla scent.

***

Jake called. Twice.

Mia was in the middle of moving appointments for Damon when she got the call. She ignored it in favour of working but then it rang again. As the assistant had nothing better to do, she picked up her phone and noticed the familiar name flash across the screen. Her brows raised at that. Why was he calling her?

She slid on the green icon and pressed the phone against her ear. "Hello?"

"Mia" Jake breathed, his tone high pitched and full of excitement.

"Hey?" Mia cringed as soon as the single word escaped her mouth. She didn't know what to say to him. After all, they didn't keep in touch like she promised him to.

"Where have you been? I came to your office the other day, but someone told me that you were on a business trip" Jake made a sound.

Mia frowned at that. Why was he in her office? He should have called her instead. Still, it bothered her that he showed up unannounced.

"Why?"

"Huh?"

"Why did you come to my office without calling me first?"

Jake chuckled. "To surprise you silly! I thought we could go to that lunch you promised me."

Mia screwed her eyes shut, her mind going back to when that lunch was mentioned in front of Damon. He didn't seem happy about it. At all. The events that unfolded after that were too explicit even to recall. She should not have stalled Jake because of that. Then again, she thought he would have long forgotten about the lunch.

"Oh right," She licked her lips. "I'll get back to you on that"

"You sure? I have been waiting for forever."

Mia pressed her lips together. "Yeah, sure. I'll call you soon."

"Okay. Take care. See you soon."

"Yeah, you too. Goodbye"

She hung up the phone, pressing her forehead against the cold surface of her desk. It would have been so easy to date him.

***

Throughout the day she tried calling him several times, but Damon didn't pick her phone once. Not even a single message. She was starting to get worried until he responded to the mail hours later.

I'm doing fine. It's a personal emergency. I'll get back to you soon.

That's all he wrote in response. She didn't know what to think of that. What was going on with him? Mia hoped that it was not the reality of coming back to New York, affecting him. As she was deep in thought and distracted, Jane offered to drive her.

Inhaling deeply, Mia agreed. The idea of facing her empty flat, littered with tiny traces of her boss presence—no. She can't go back in there. Early in the morning, she somehow managed to ignore his watch earbuds laying on the side of her bed. Those sheets still smelled like him.

"Can you take me to Stella's instead? Please."

"Of course," Jane said smoothly. A moment passed before she added, careful, "Are you all right, Mi? You had ice cream today, and the whole day you refused to leave our boss office. Is something going on?"

Mia dragged up a smile and hoped it didn't look like quite as much of a grimace as it felt. "I'll be fine. Thank you."

With that, she closed her eyes and waited for the rumble of the engine.

It wasn't a long drive, Stella having moved into a flat near her office a couple of months ago, but it felt as though time was elastic. Ten minutes stretched to span twice their usual length. When Jane informed her they'd arrived, she managed another smile and got out of the vehicle.

Usually, the three of them did everything together, but Jane had a boyfriend waiting for her. Mia didn't want to involve her, so she bid her goodbye.

Sliding onto the bench beside Mia, Stella picked up one glass and clinked it against hers before taking a small sip. "All right," She said quietly, studying her face. "So what's wrong? You're scaring me here."

What was wrong? What wasn't wrong?

Mia gulped down some juice to buy herself a few moments. And then she told her friend everything.

"Wow, so you're in love in with him?"

As that question was said out loud, the assistant pondered over it. Her heart thudded in her chest; breathing escalated the more she thought back to the times they spent together. The last three days have been amazing but also the days before that. She fluttered her eyes shut, thinking about the first day and how she's captivated by him—every day following that Mia pretended to hate him just so not to get attached. In conclusion, it didn't work. None of it worked. She slipped and fell. Hard.

"Shit I'm in love with him." Mia gasped. "I love my boss."

Stella hugged her and told her it'd be alright. She desperately wanted to believe that.

***

The next morning Mia decided to visit Damon.

She knocked on the door and stood back. The CEO was staring at her, eyes wide. She stared back.

Dressed in comfortable clothes, light streaming in through the window behind him, Damon was the most handsome man she had ever seen. Curls licked at his temples, and even from across the room, she could make out the transparent green of her eyes.

Something had changed, She thought dimly.

Her chest hurt. Mias fingers felt numb with how much she wanted to reach out and touch, body heavy.

"What are you doing here?" He asked, voice a soft rasp. Just then she heard the delicate patters of feet and a familiar face walking in towards the door. Lily.

She was dressed in Damon's shirt.

Oh God, Mia wasn't ready for this. A hundred decades couldn't have prepared her for the sight.

***