Chapter 5 Zofia
zofia
The man was absolutely insane. I was pretty sure Nicolas had lost it. What if we got married? What was he thinking?
I didn’t understand what was going through Nic’s mind. A week later, sitting around a table at our favorite bar—Dusk—with Angelina, Gabbi, Charlotte and Noelle, I still couldn’t understand.
There was no way I could marry my boss. Even if he’d become a friend over the last year. A good friend, and a good employer. It was a terrible idea, wasn’t it? Yes. So why couldn’t I stop thinking about it?
Maybe because it hadn’t felt like a joke.
We already know how good we are in bed together.
The first time either of us had brought up our night together since Napa.
I couldn’t get that night out of my head.
Even now, three months later, I still felt the phantom touch of his hand across my skin, the way he’d given me so many orgasms I’d lost count.
My body ached for more, and even my vibrators hadn’t been satisfying enough anymore.
I blamed Nicolas for this, damn him.
And then he’d laughed it off afterwards.
After the way my last engagement had ended, I’d decided right then and there that I was content to be alone. Never mind what my family thought.
Luckily, none of the guys were here tonight, because I wasn’t sure what I’d say if I had to face Nicolas.
That afternoon’s conversation had thrown me for a loop.
Angelina knew Nicolas best out of anyone; I knew that.
Part of me wanted to ask her what she thought about it.
And yet… I couldn’t bear to bring it up to her. She wouldn’t understand.
“Zo?” Gabbi nudged me with her arm. “Are you okay?”
Angelina was telling Charlotte and Noelle about her honeymoon. They’d just gotten back, finally, and I was glad to have everyone home again. The office had been too quiet lately without Angelina and Gabbi, and I looked forward to our lunch dates resuming.
I nodded. “There’s just a lot going on with work before we leave for the work conference at the end of the month.” Even though it was more than that.
It was everything.
My life was fine. Why didn’t my mom see that? I was happy. Successful. I had my own place, had a job that paid me more than I’d ever thought possible, and had a closet full of high heels that made me feel like a million bucks.
She squeezed my hand. “If you ever need to talk, I’m here.”
“I appreciate you.” We’d been friends for a long time, and I knew if I opened up to her, if I confessed what I was feeling, she’d be there for me. “And I’m so glad to have you and Ang both back in the office.”
“God, I know,” she moaned. “The last week without her has been so boring.”
I was jealous that everyone else had been able to take so much time off for the wedding.
It had been my first time in Europe—my first time out of the country besides visiting my family in India—but I’d only had a few days to visit Paris since the wedding was held outside of France.
Still, I’d loved shopping on the Champs-élysées, staring at all the luxury goods, and drooling longingly over a gorgeous pair of stiletto heels.
Gabbi and Hunter had gone on a two week trip after the wedding, traveling around Europe, and now the two of them were officially together.
Hunter Sullivan was a pediatric doctor, and from everything Gabbi had told me, he was her perfect man—better than any book boyfriends, she said.
She’d had a crush on him from the moment they’d met, but it had taken them being best man and maid of honor together to realize they were meant to be.
Was it surreal for her and Angelina that they were now with brothers? That one day, her best friend might end up as her sister-in-law? I knew their bond ran deeper. They already acted more like sisters than friends. Maybe because they’d known each other for more than a decade at this point.
Sometimes I wished I had a best friend like they did—one who had been with me since college.
The four of them had been friends since freshman year, each pair of roommates living across the hall from each other.
Even though I felt close to them, it wasn’t the same dynamic that they shared with each other.
Those bonds ran deep. I was friends with my two brothers, still kept in touch with college friends, and enjoyed spending time with my coworkers, but I didn’t have a person. Not like they did.
In a lot of ways, the person I was closest to, the one I spent the most time with, was… Nicolas.
What a sobering thought. I clearly needed more friends if my boss was the first person I thought of.
Man, I really needed more friends.
Angelina cleared her throat, looking at me. “How’s everything going with you and Nic?”
“What?” I choked on my water. “What do you mean? There’s no… me and Nic.”
Did she know something? Oh, god. I thought I’d been so careful.
Angelina frowned. “I meant with the conference coming up in Vegas.”
“Oh. Right. Of course.”
She gave me a weird look. “What did you think I meant?”
My cheeks felt warm. “Nothing.” It was my turn to look out the window, staring at the street, watching strangers walk by. I couldn’t admit that my first thought had been the night we’d slept together. “It’s good. Looking forward to it being over, though.” I hated those things.
Gabbi gave me a sly smile before she and Angelina made eye contact.
“What?” I frowned at them both.
“Nothing,” Angelina sang, giving me the same response I’d given her.
I scowled. “Nothing’s going on,” I insisted, because there wasn’t. Not anymore. We’d made that clear. It wouldn’t happen again.
Neither of them seemed convinced, like they knew I was lying to myself as much as I was to them.
“Boo.” Angelina frowned. “I was hoping we could go on double dates.”
I laughed, thinking about how very real that possibility was. “Yeah, well.” I shrugged. “Keep dreaming. We really aren’t anything. He’s my boss.” I gave a forced laugh. “That would be crazy.”
Gabbi shrugged. “There are crazier things. Haven’t you read any of those billionaire books we recommended?”
“Not yet, no.” Because it felt like it hit a little too close to home with my job.
And I wasn’t sure reading about girls falling in love with CEOs or men who would give them a black American Express card would be very good for my mental sanity.
I was already addicted to expensive shoes—I didn’t need to give myself a complex.
“I’m still working through that fae series, though. ”
All four of them shared books with each other. I’d slowly started getting recommendations as they included me these last months. Gabbi and I had been friends for years, working closely together in HR, but being a part of the group had made us even closer.
“Oh!” Noelle perked up, clearly listening in to our conversation. “Those are my favorites.”
“You’re working on a new art piece from the fifth book, right?” Gabbi asked Angelina.
Angelina gave a dreamy sigh—one I’d never have expected from her before she fell in love. It was fun to discover that beneath her sometimes grumpy and rather stubborn exterior; she was a hopeless romantic at heart. “Yes. It’s turning out so good.”
“I’ll report back when I’m done,” I told them. “Not that I’ve had a lot of time this last month, what with your wedding and everything else with work.” I let out a breath. “Why is end of summer so busy?”
“You’re telling me,” Angelina said, laughing. “I had a mound of paperwork to go through when I got back to the office, not to mention filing the paperwork to legally change my last name.”
“Angelina Sullivan,” Gabbi said with a laugh. “I never thought you’d be the first in the group to get married, but somehow, it feels right.”
“Cheers to that,” Noelle said, and we all clinked our glasses. “Benjamin masterminded his way into your life, and the rest is history.”
“I know. It’s crazy, right?” Angelina shook her head.
“I mean, this time last year, we hadn’t even met in person.
And now we’re married and I just…” She blew out a breath.
“It feels so real all the sudden. For the longest time, I never planned on getting married. You all know that. I couldn’t see myself with anyone, period.
But Benjamin wormed his way into my heart, dammit, and now I can’t imagine life without him. ”
The two got engaged in Paris this spring after being together for six months—depending on who you asked—and planning the wedding had been a whirlwind.
“And to think, it all started because Nic and I forced you to spend time together at the retreat,” Gabbi laughed.
She hadn’t been there to witness it—but I had. It was one of my first responsibilities when I’d first become his assistant, and I was proud of how everything had turned out. Even if his father had sprung it on us with less than optimal time for planning.
Sipping my drink, I mused, “It’s really a wonder we didn’t all see it coming.” I thought back to how mad Angelina had been last year. Benjamin had followed her around, clearly already obsessed with her.
Angelina gave Gabbi a small scowl, pointing her finger at her best friend. “You’re only off the hook for that because I love him.”
“And you love me,” Gabbi beamed.
“Yeah, yeah,” she huffed.
“Who did you think would be the first to get married?” I asked the four of them, curious.
They all looked at turned to their blonde friend, who furrowed her brows. “Me?” She pointed at herself. “But I’m the youngest of the four of us!”
“By a few months, maybe. And you like, love love, Char,” Angelina said. “Plus, you spend an awful lot of time with my brother.”
“We’re best friends,” she insisted, her cheeks turning pink.
Angelina hummed. “Sometimes, I wonder if Daniel’s upset that he’s not married before me, since he’s older.”