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I didn’t answer him. Instead, I closed my cell and got ready for bed, trying my best to put him and his offer out of my mind. Just when I was starting to feel okay about leaving him out of my life, he had to contact me and ask me out on a dinner date.
I brushed my teeth and got into my pajamas, then snuggled down into my bed in my tiny studio apartment in Chelsea, wishing I had fewer standards and could allow myself to go tomorrow night and sit at a table in the window with Josh, slurping spaghetti and eating the world's best meatballs.
The next day, I went for a long walk around my new neighborhood, hoping to find all the great places to eat and shop in my local area. Of course, all morning, I kept thinking of Josh's offer, and was torn whether to accept. I wanted to. I wanted to find out what could happen between us, but I was worried that I shouldn't. I needed to talk to Steph so picked up my cell and called. She answered on the third ring.
"What's up, kiddo? How's the Big Apple treating you? Did you get the ID thing sorted out? Did you and Mr. Straining Glutes have dinner?"
"I did get the ID thing sorted out and yes, Mr. Glutes and I did have dinner. But there's a problem..."
I bit my lip and wondered how to phrase my next confession.
"A problem? Do tell..."
"The thing is, Mr. Glutes isn't really a bicycle courier."
"Don't tell me. He's really a hitman for the Russian Mob. I always told you that you were too trusting of people." She laughed, but I imagined she was only partly kidding.
"No, Steph. Don't laugh. This is serious. He's really," I said and hesitated, hating the words I'd have to tell her.
"He's really what?" she said, her voice impatient. "Quit with the teasing. Who is he?"
"He's my boss." I cringed when I said it, because the thought that I had almost had sex unknowingly with my new boss was the very last thing I should ever have done.
"Your boss? I thought this Sharon lady was your boss."
"She's my supervisor, but he's the boss. He's the big boss. As in, Joshua Macintyre Jr, CEO of Macintyre Broadcasting Corporation."
"MBC? The CEO? Oh, my God, Ella. Seriously?" I heard her typing on a keyboard. "I'm searching now for Joshua Macintyre. Annnnnd..." she said and then I heard a gasp.
"Oh, my God, Ella. He's a freaking hunk. You actually thought he was a bicycle courier? How could you ever imagine that? I mean, Armani model yes, but bicycle courier?"
"He was wearing a bicycle outfit, you know, with the whole tight body suit and slick helmet. What else could I think?"
"Like, maybe he was just riding his bike and he takes riding seriously? He's gorgeous."
"Yes, he is. He's a total babe. And the worst part of it is that we ended up at his apartment and he had my bra off and was just about to take off more when his drunk ex-fiancée walked in and caught us."
"Shut the front door," she said, laughing. "Are you shitting me? This is one of your erotic stories, right?"
"No, I'm not kidding. It really happened. We were all hot and heavy and I looked up and saw this blonde woman standing in the doorway, crying. Needless to say, it spoiled the vibe I was trying to create what with his face between my boobs."
"No kidding. Look, kiddo. When I told you to live it up, I had no idea you'd take me so seriously. He's the actual CEO of MBC? Are you sure he wasn't tricking you or something? You are very naive..."
"No, seriously. He's the big boss in all his impeccable Armani-suited-hunkiness and I saw him actually sitting behind the biggest desk you've ever seen."
"He's the one with the perfect mouth and blue-gray eyes? The sexy longish hair that flops in his eyes? The perfectly trimmed beard? The devastatingly square jaw? And you were kissing that mouth?"
"I was. That mouth was licking my tattoo just when I saw the ex-fiancée gawking at us in the bedroom doorway."
"Oh, my God. Ella. What a story."
"I know, I know. I told him I couldn't see him again."
"What? Why?"
"He's my boss, Steph. I thought you'd understand."
"He's gorgeous! How could you turn that down?"
