CHAPTER 44 BOWER
BOWER
“Adalade, I’m so sorry,” I say as I shut her front door and move into her house.
“It’s been a morning.” And that is an understatement.
How I hated seeing Gabby’s crestfallen expression of betrayal and disgust. That’s so not her, and it hit me hard.
But when I knew I had to turn around and go back, I’m so glad I got to hear Bennett’s words.
“Love is what I feel for Bower. It’s buried itself into the marrow of my bones, where I itch to see her, where I feel at ease when she’s in my arms, where I’m content and satisfied knowing that I’m the one she’s going to bed with and I’m the one she’s waking up next to.
This is not a fling. This is not a one-night fuck.
This is real. This is love, and she feels the same way… ”
They gave me courage…because the man I love also stood up for me, showing me my worth in his eyes. How did I get so lucky? Even if I feel as though my heart has been shredded today. And I’m hungry. And without coffee.
I walk into the dining room, where Adalade is sitting at the table, looking over a menu. “What can I get started on for you?”
She looks up from the menu and says, “Bower, I believe it’s time I let you go.”
All the color drains from my cheeks. “Wait, what?”
She carefully sets the menu down and crosses one leg over the other as she looks up at me. “I’ve noticed that you’ve been distracted lately, and that’s when I came across this.” She pulls a folder from the chair next to her and sets it down on the table.
It’s my book truck folder. Shit, I must have left it here accidentally.
“I assumed this was something you wanted me to look through, but after I sorted through the papers, I realized it’s a business venture you’re currently pursuing.”
“Adalade, I wasn’t—”
She holds up her hand, silencing me as she stands.
She takes a step forward and then takes my hand in hers.
With a genuine expression of understanding, she says, “You can’t have this job forever, Bower.
As much as I’d want to keep you forever, you need to grow and blossom and do something that interests you, not take care of a spry, yet older lady. ”
“I love working with you,” I say, desperation clawing at me.
“We do have our fun, but there is so much more you can offer. This is not a goodbye right now. This is the push you need to pursue other things. But I will require you to offer me thirty days’ notice before you leave.”
“But you’re the one firing me,” I say, so confused.
“Not firing, dear, encouraging you to move on.”
“But—”
“You’re scared?” she asks, calling me out.
“Yes,” I say, my emotions starting to get the best of me, because this is not what I was expecting after the morning I had.
“It’s good to be scared. Without the fear, you’re never going to push yourself to work harder and accomplish your goals.
I am where I am today because I lived in that fear for so long.
It’s time you do the same.” She pats my hand and then walks over to the living room.
I follow behind her. When she takes a seat on the couch, she pats the spot next to her, so I join.
Is this some sort of nightmare? “You will land on your feet and succeed, I know you will.”
“I don’t understand. I thought I was doing a good job. I know I was late this morning, but Gabby showed up and it was a mess—”
“This has nothing to do with this morning or your work ethic. Frankly, you’re the best assistant I’ve ever had.
This has everything to do with you and that folder you left behind.
It’s a folder of ideas. I want it to be a folder of reality, and you can’t make it a reality by working for me.
” She turns toward me. “I care about you enough to let you go.”
I know what she’s saying, and it’s incredible to have a boss so thoughtful, but it doesn’t make it any less scary.
“What if I fail? My dad failed spectacularly when we were young, so who’s to say I won’t?”
“If you fail…then you fail. And then you try something else. Just because you fail doesn’t mean it’s the end of the world.
But you will never know unless you try. For all you know, you could be opening yourself to so much more, and the fear is holding you back.
Either way, you won’t be working for me, so you can either try achieving your dream, or you can go look for another job with a boss who isn’t as fabulous as me. ”
I chuckle as I lean back on the couch, staring up at the ceiling. “Ugh…I’m not ready.”
“No one is ever truly ready. You can prepare all you want, but that’s all it will ever be—preparation. And you need action. And you’re just about there. So, take action.” She pats my leg. “You have thirty days.”
I let out a deep breath. “How about sixty?”
She laughs. “Don’t make it fifteen.”
“Okay, okay.” I sit up now and turn to Adalade. “Thank you,” I say, knowing it’s the right thing to offer her right now, even though I’m terrified.
“You know, I’ve always seen something in you, something special.
It’s why I hired you in the first place, and I couldn’t quite put my finger on it.
But this idea, this is that something special.
I see you succeeding and succeeding spectacularly.
” She squeezes my hand. “Best of luck, and I better be on the list of guests for the grand opening.”
I smile at her. “How could you not?”
“My thoughts exactly. Now tell me about Gabby. She came over this morning?”
I groan. “Adalade, she found out about me and Bennett.”
She crosses one leg over the other and says, “Now this is the type of stuff I’m going to miss when you leave. Tell me everything.”
Bower: I’m headed home. Where are you?
Bennett: At the stadium, getting a workout in. Are you okay? I’ve been texting all morning.
Bower: Rough day. Adalade fired me—well, gave me thirty days, and I’m still trying to wrap my head around that as well as the Gabby thing.
My phone rings in my hand and I don’t have to look at the screen to know who it is.
“Hey,” I say as Mark drives me back to my apartment building, a benefit I’ll miss when I’m finished working with Adalade.
“Babe, what’s going on? She fired you? Was it because you were late this morning?”
“No. She found my folder for the book truck, and well, she loves the idea, thinks I can succeed doing it, but knows that I won’t put my full effort into it if I’m still working for her. So, she’s letting me go.”
“Shit,” he says as I can hear weights being set down in the background. “Are you okay?”
“I think so. Still kind of in shock, trying to convince myself that everything will be okay.”
“It will be,” he says softly. “You have me, and I’ll be there for you every step of the way.”
“I know, and I love you for that,” I answer, staring out the window. “How are things with Gabby? I know I just left you there with her, but I figured you two needed to hash things out.”
“Things are good,” he answers, giving me hope. “We talked through things, and I know she wants to talk to you tonight. She’s at the apartment she’s borrowing from Hayes right now, but she and Ryland are coming over later. Do you think you would be up for a chat?”
“Yes,” I answer, not even having to think about it, because if anything, I need Bennett in my life, and if that means having an awkward conversation with my best friend, then so be it.
“You sure? I can reschedule, given everything that’s happened.”
“No. I want to talk to her. I want this to be out in the open and okay, because I don’t want to have to hide anymore. You mean so much to me. I want to be able to celebrate that.”
“I don’t think you understand how happy that makes me, baby.”
“Hopefully so happy that I can take advantage of that happiness tonight, when your sister leaves.”
He chuckles, the sound so sweet and giving me comfort. “Yeah, I foresee you taking advantage multiple times.”
“Words I love to hear.”
“Is Mark driving you?” he asks.
“Yeah, should be home soon. When are you getting back?”
“I have about a half hour longer here and then I’ll head home. Meet you at my place?”
“Yes, but no sex until after we speak to your sister. It was awkward talking to her this morning for many reasons, but one of the main ones was that I could still feel you inside of me.”
He chuckles some more. “Nothing wrong with that, beautiful. Also, that position we did this morning, I don’t think I’ve ever come that fast.”
“Bennett Brinkman, is that how you’re going to talk in public?”
“Sure as hell is.”
I laugh, feeling lighter, knowing that even though everything is so up in the air, as long as I have Bennett by my side, everything is going to work out.
“Okay, I’ll see you when you get home. Love you.”
“Love you, too, baby.”
“Do I look okay?” I ask, smoothing down the plain black shirt I chose to wear with my wide-leg jeans.
“No, you should wear the shirt you wore for me last night.”
My brows draw together. “First of all, you ripped that to shreds. Second of all, I’d never wear something like that in front of your sister.”
“Shame, I thought it really had ‘meet the sister’ vibes.”
“You’re not being funny like you think you are,” I say as he loops his arm around my waist and pulls me into his chest.
“It’s going to be fine, I promise.” He kisses my neck, easing some of my tension. “And then when they leave, I can fuck you until the morning.”
“Your wild card game is tomorrow. You are not fucking me until the morning. You can have one fuck and then a decent amount of sleep.”
“No way. More than one fuck.”
I shake my head. “No, just one orgasm for you tonight.”
“That’s fine. I can have one; you can have multiple.”
“Bennett, one for both of us.”
His face contorts into full-on displeasure, which is really cute. “Do you really think I’ll be able to fuck you just once? With the way my dick reacts to you?”
“Fine. One fuck and then one morning fuck in the shower.”
“Or like this morning. I want to wake up inside of you again. Fuck, it was so good.” His hand creeps under my shirt and up my back.