GABRIELLA
What the actual hell just happened?
I left Jake’s office feeling like a pinball machine was firing inside my head. It had only been fifteen minutes ago that I’d walked up the stairs and knocked on his office door with complete and total clarity. I knew without a shadow of a doubt that I no longer wanted to work for him. I’d said my piece, held my ground, and made myself proud—up until that moment where I took things a little too far and got a little too personal for comfort.
I’d seen something shift in him when I called him out on never being vulnerable and retreating into his work because it felt safe. Normally he was all dark and stormy, but as soon as those words fell from my lips, I saw the walls he’d built up begin to crack. He’d stared at me like I’d struck him, or worse, dissected him and laid out all of his shame for both of us to stomp all over.
I cringed just thinking about it.
Why did you have to go for his jugular like that?
Sure, he’d been less than kind to me, but that didn’t give me an excuse to be so insensitive.
I chewed on the inside of my cheek as I descended the stairs and crossed the office before riding the elevator down to the lobby. I’d had grand plans to celebrate handing in my resignation by treating myself to a mimosa or two and going on a solo thrifting date at all my favorite boutiques. Now I kind of felt like a fraud for celebrating when I’d just agreed to consider staying here a bit longer.
Why had I caved so easily?
Jake hadn’t changed in the quick seconds of our heated exchange. Did he just want me to stay so he could maintain control? Did he really believe I was best suited for this job? If so, why? Because I could be as cruel and callous as him when push came to shove?
My cheeks burned with shame as I crossed the lobby and stepped out into the morning sun. I took a deep breath and tipped my head back, letting the rays kiss my cheeks and paint the nothingness behind my closed eyelids bright red.
I came back to my senses when my phone started ringing in my purse. I pulled it out and found Ainsley’s caller ID lighting up my screen.
I lifted my phone to my ear. “Hey.”
“Hey! How’d it go? Did you tell him to shove his unrealistic expectations up his tight asshole along with the stick someone put up there?”
“Sort of.”
“Tell me everything.”
“Erm.”
“Gabi,” Ainsley said sternly, a hint of suspicion coloring her tone. “You did go through with it, didn’t you? Oh fuck. You don’t have me on speaker and you’re standing near him, right?”
“No, no,” I assured her, giggling. Although I would have paid to see Jake’s face when she made the comment about his ass. “I’m alone.”
“And?”
“And what?”
“Don’t play coy, Gabi. Did you quit or not?”
“I did.”
Ainsley sighed with relief. “Thank goodness. I was starting to think you might have gotten cold feet and he had you running around doing his bidding again.”
I looked both ways before crossing the street and heading up a few blocks toward the shopping district. “We kind of had an explosive fight. It got… well, it got a little weird.”
“How so?”
I didn’t know where to start. Even now, parts of our argument were coming back to me that I’d completely forgotten about. Like that moment, right toward the end, where he’d moved in so close and glared at me like he wanted to grab me in his arms and shake me as hard as he could.
Or kiss me.
No, that’s delusional. There was no sexual chemistry there. You both hate each other.
“I can’t explain it,” I said.