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She found her eyes drifting towards the bar again, and Payton was coming towards her with two pints of beer, her blond hair catching in the warm lights in the cozy pub as she weaved her way through the crowd.
Madison couldn’t shake that feeling of guilt. Payton wanted this to work, but Madison just couldn’t see how it possibly could, no matter how much she wanted it to.
43
Payton lifted her suitcase off the carousel, and Madison was just a few feet away, leaning forward to catch her own black suitcase before it went by.
They wheeled their cases out to find Madison’s driver already pulled up and waiting for them, holding the backseat door open.
Payton’s throat tightened. They’d both slept for most of the flight after being out late last night, and they hadn’t spoken anymore about what was going to happen now.
“Thank you,” Madison said, the muggy New York air greeting them as soon as they stepped outside. “For everything.”
Payton nodded, her stomach doing somersaults as she clutched the handle of her suitcase. “No problem.”
Madison’s eyes searched hers, and Payton swore that she wanted to say more, but they were outside a busy airport with horns blaring and people on the phone all around them. It wasn’t really the place to have a serious conversation.
Madison stepped into her space though, her arm slipping around Payton’s shoulder to pull her into a hug. It was longer than it needed to be, and Payton couldn’t stop herself from reveling in it, knowing that there was every possibility that this was the end of any chance with Madison.
Payton met her eyes when Madison took a step back. “We’re okay?”
Madison nodded. “Can I drop you home?”
Payton sucked in a breath. She didn’t think she could draw this moment out any longer. Sitting in the backseat beside Madison, not knowing what to say while also having too many things to say... She couldn’t do it to herself.
“No. I’ll get a taxi back. I’m out of your way.”
“You’re sure?”
Payton nodded. “Yeah.”
“Okay. I’ll see you in the morning?”
“Yes.” Payton still had no idea how they were meant to work together tomorrow and every day after that. “See you then.”
“Bye.”
Payton watched Madison slide into the backseat of her car, and as she stood in the line to wait for a taxi, a thought popped into her head.
It was obvious.
It was a little crazy.
But it would provide a solution.
Payton’s heart beat faster as she turned the idea over in her head, and it didn’t take her long to realize that this would be the only way.
This would prove to Madison how serious she was and simultaneously solve her biggest problem.
44
Madison took off her glasses and pushed herself out of her chair, needing a break from staring at her screen for the last two hours. She’d arrived before six o’clock, an hour earlier than usual, because she couldn’t sleep. Her body clock hadn’t adjusted to New York time yet, and in her head, it was already time to have lunch.
The office was just starting to fill up now, with most people arriving between 8:30am and 9:00am. She’d gotten a serious amount of work done in those few hours, but she was still waiting to see Payton.
Madison’s thoughts had wandered several times already this morning, thinking ahead to what their interactions were going to be like now that they were back to being boss and personal assistant. Nothing more.
Madison went over to the windows, sliding her hands into the pockets of her slacks, taking in the view of the city. She’d tried to imagine last night, when she couldn’t sleep, what it would be like to date Payton. She would have to be assigned to someone else. She couldn’t be Madison’s P.A. anymore. But she knew Payton was capable of so much more, so maybe there was a better role for her within the company.
