AllFreeNovel
Share Us
The door opens and it’s Cameron, Ethan’s assistant and all I want to do is close my eyes and tell him to go away, but obviously that is not what I do.
“Hey,” I greet, again, sounding like I’m dying.
“Ethan wants to meet with you. Do you have a few minutes right now? He’s on calls the rest of the morning,” Cameron says, looking down at the iPad that he carries everywhere with him. It’s basically Ethan’s entire life on a device.
Say no, Zoey!
But I can’t.
“Sure, I’ll head over to his office now,” I tell Cameron, and when I stand up, I get this dizzying rush that nearly brings me to my knees. Resting my hands on my desk, I look back at the doorway to find that Cameron has gone.
I’m sure he’s back in Ethan’s office telling him I’m a disaster because I probably look like I’m drunk or at least hungover. I swear if one more person comes in here, I’m going to lose it. I really do need to go home just like Elissa said.
I slowly make my way upstairs to Ethan’s office, willing myself to not make it look like I’m sick. I should have stayed in bed and none of this would be happening right now.
When I reach Ethan’s office, I swallow hard, trying to clear my head and ready myself to have a professional conversation even if all I want to do is be in my bed sleeping.
I tap gently on his door with my knuckles, not wanting to make too much noise, afraid it will either make my stomach go in reverse or it will add to this headache that’s suddenly started.
“Come in!” Ethan’s deep voice calls and there’s something so soothing about it. I want to lay down on the couch in his office and have his voice lull me to sleep.
“Hey, Cameron said you wanted to see me,” I say, again my voice is quiet, just like the knock on the door, forcing me to keep it together.
Ethan doesn’t look up, his eyes focused on his computer as he speaks, and it takes everything in me to keep standing. I look over at the couch, the one I was just dreaming about, and as much as I want to walk over there and flop down on it, I don’t.
“I wanted to talk about the conference I have coming up in Seattle. I’m going to be speaking and I think it would be a great opportunity for you…” he starts, but when he looks up, his words trail off. “Zoey,” he now says, jumping up from his chair and walking over to stop in front of me.
My head is throbbing like a fucking bass, pounding loud in my ears making it difficult to concentrate on anything but it.
“Yes?” I say, the word coming out on its own, like I’m answering a question he’s just asked me, but I know he didn’t ask me anything.
His hand reaches up, resting against my forehead and I lean into the coolness of his touch, my body feeling like it’s on fire and not in the good way.
“Shit, Zoey, you have a fever. You gotta go home,” Ethan says, and there’s a demand to his words.
He guides me over to the chocolate brown leather couch that has been calling my name since before I walked in here. His hand is slipped around my waist, cradling me against his side, and all I really want is to lay down and have him lay next to me.
“I know. I’m sorry, I didn’t know I was sick,” I whine, closing my eyes as the blinding white reflecting off the snow beams through the oversized windows of Ethan’s office.
“No, Zoey, it’s okay. I’m going to take you home,” he now says, as I lay down on the couch, feeling the pull of sleep almost immediately.
“No, I can get home,” I try, arguing for no reason other than I don’t want anyone to see me leaving with Ethan.
“Stay here, Zoey,” he barks, an authoritative tone to his voice that I don’t bother to argue with this time.
“Ethan,” I call out, my eyes closed, my head resting against the arm of the couch.
“You okay?” he now asks, leaning down and brushing his fingers along my cheek.
“I’m sorry. I didn’t know I was sick and I went to dinner with you and Brandon and Tracy last night,’ I mutter out, not sure I’m making my point, my head is a cluttered mess of pounding.
“That’s what you’re worried about,” Ethan says, letting out a small chuckle. “Just stay here. I’ll be back to get you in a minute.”
A few hours later, I roll over, grabbing my phone from the nightstand and it feels like déjà vu. This is exactly what happened this morning, but it’s now like three o’clock in the afternoon. Maybe it was all a dream. Maybe I didn’t go into work sick and fall asleep on Ethan’s office couch.
At least I hope it was all a dream because the more I think about it, the more mortified I am. I seriously hope I didn’t sleep on his couch and I hope he didn’t follow through with taking me home.
Letting my head fall back against my pillow, I listen to the sound of someone out in the kitchen, and I close my eyes, sending up a silent plea that it’s Delaney or at least Alex out there.
