AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Madison paced the carpeted suite. Her meeting had gone well, and then they’d had lunch, but she’d come right back here, not wanting to delay this conversation any longer.
Except Payton wasn’t here.
It was almost five o’clock, and Madison couldn’t sit still. She had emails she needed to send, and she had her laptop open on the desk, but she couldn’t focus. She’d spent the last two hours trying to, but she finally gave up.
Her mindkept wandering to what she was going to say whenever Payton did come back. She knew what she wanted to tell Payton. She’d seen it enough in her business to know that these kinds of relationships never worked. Why would they be any different?
And that’s what she should be telling Payton. That the only reason anything happened between them was because Madison had been foolish enough to put them in this situation, sharing a hotel room and pretending to be together. If this trip hadn’t happened, they wouldn’t have anything to discuss.
But it had.
And the most challenging part of this trip was still ahead of them.
Madison had no idea how tomorrow would go, but it would definitely depend on how this conversation went, and she couldn’t ignore that fact. She had to find a way to let Payton down easy and still be on good enough terms that tomorrow wouldn’t be a disaster.
She raked a hand through her hair. The thoughts that were running through her head right now... If she saw them on one of those AITA posts, Madison would have no problem telling that person that they were indeed the asshole.
This was why she didn’t do relationships. She was shit at them. She was too tactical, too calculated, with a serious lack of empathy. But that was what had made her successful in business. It just didn’t translate to relationships.
Madison turned towards the door when she heard the keycard activate, her heart jumping to life, her palms suddenly clammy.
“Hey,” Madison said, clearing her throat. “How was your day?”
“Good. Yeah.” Payton took her shades off her head and left them on the table along with her bag. “How was your meeting?”
“Good.” Madison met Payton’s eyes. “Look, I have to apologize for the way I’ve been with you this week. I’ve been shitty. And I’m really sorry.”
Payton nodded slowly, biting her lip for a second, as if she could sense the bad news coming.
“To answer your questions.” Madison slid her hands into the pockets of her slacks. “I can admit that we’re not pretending. Everything that’s happened since we’ve been here has been real for me.”
Payton visibly swallowed. “And the others?”
“Can I give you this week? Yeah,” Madison said with a sigh. “I can, but I’m not sure if that will do us any good. Because to answer your last question, I don’t know that I can give this a chance when we get back to New York. If it’s not bad enough that I’m your boss, I run a very successful agency that more often than not is trying to repair the damage done from a relationship just like this, where lines are crossed.”
Madison slowly exhaled as she tried to decipher Payton’s expression. She wasn’t giving much away, but her hands were on her hips, and she held Madison’s gaze.
“Two out of three,” Payton said after a moment. “Well, maybe not. The second question had a reluctant yes for an answer.”
“Payton, I’m not trying to be difficult here. Please know that.”
“I know.” Payton inhaled a sharp breath. “I know.”
“I’m just trying to be realistic.”
“If it was just us? And we hadn’t met at work?”
Madison couldn’t miss the way Payton’s voice wavered ever so slightly, finally showing her emotions. “Then it would be a yes to all three. Without a doubt.”
Payton nodded, looking away, probably trying to figure out where that left them. Well, that was what Madison was thinking.
“And tomorrow?” Payton asked.
“Let’s just enjoy it. No pressure. No rules. Just try and have a nice time.”
“Okay.” Payton’s hands fell away from her hips, and she took the three steps to the bed, sitting on the edge of it, a lock of hair falling across her eye.
Madison could feel her resolve starting to fade, and she was crossing the few feet that separated them, standing in front of Payton, finding her hands and holding them loosely. “Hey,” she said softly, and Payton lifted her head up, a steely look in her blue eyes. “I wish it wasn’t like this,” Madison said, thinking out loud, not even knowing what the point of what she was saying was. She’d made her position clear.
