Page 118 of Getting Down to Business

Alyssa lost track of time waiting for Grayson, and had fallen asleep while reading a book. She woke up around midnight with the book on her chest and her light on. She went across the hall to find his bed empty.

She checked her phone, there was a text:

Something came up. I’ll see you tomorrow.

She had no right to be upset or jealous. They were not together. Not in a relationship. That was how she had wanted it for this very reason.

Trust was not something she could handle.

She continued to tell herself to let it go over and over as she tried to go back to sleep. It didn’t matter if he was with someone else. That’s what she’d wanted, for him to move on and be happy. What they had wasn’t supposed to be serious.

It was only an hour later when she heard the key in the door. A few seconds later, her bedroom door opened and she felt his presence as she pretended to be asleep.

After a soft sigh, her door closed and she heard the shower turn on.

In the morning, she was up and dressed before she heard anything from his room. Just as she was heading out, he shuffled into the kitchen and poured a cup of coffee. His hair stuck up and he was only wearing boxers.

She wanted nothing more than to wrap her arms around his waist and press her cheek to his back. He would turn in her arms and smile down at her. It was a scene she remembered from a few weeks ago. Before things got so messed up. When it had just been fun.

“You’re going to be late for work,” she said when she met up with him in the kitchen.

“Yeah. Sorry I didn’t make it back sooner.”

“Why would I care if you don’t come home? You’re a grown man and we’re not in a relationship. You can do whatever you want.”

“Don’t. Just don’t, okay? It’s too early in the morning to deal with how much you don’t want anything with anyone ever. I get it.” He was snappy this morning. Rather than press, she simply nodded and left their apartment.

He understood her, even though it was clear he didn’t like it. She decided to let it go, but she found herself thinking about him all day. Had he been out with someone he really liked? Would he want this new woman to move in? Would Alyssa have to find a new place to live while he got married to someone who didn’t know him as well as she did?

Stop it, she said to herself. She needed to get it together. She could not be jealous. Only people who cared got jealous.

That night, Gray worked late and said little when he finally got home.

“Did you eat?” she asked.

“Yeah. Sorry, I should have let you know.” There was something in his voice she didn’t like. Pity?

“It’s fine. Why would I care if you ate?” she asked, causing him to look at her strangely.

“Is everything okay with you?”

“I’ll be fine. I’m just distracted with work. I’m going to go to bed early.”

Grayson went to his own room. Alyssa heard the murmur of a quiet conversation as she passed his door. He didn’t come over to say good night. Not that she expected him to.

She tossed and turned for a few hours before she finally fell into a restless sleep where men in dark hoodies chased her. It went on like that the rest of the week.

Gray was gone when she woke on Friday.

“What the hell?” she said to no one as she made coffee.

As she dressed, she decided what she needed was to find someone else to get her mind off Grayson. She could go out after work and stay out just like Grayson had. There was nothing to stop her. She didn’t need to feel guilty in any way.

He’d looked at her with pity? She would show him how much she didn’t need his pity.

She stopped by Mia’s desk before going up to her floor.

“Hey, why are you slumming it down here on twenty-three?” Mia laughed.