A Business Love

chapter 35

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"You're back with Jessie?!?" shouted Cecilia as she barged into Julian's office.

"Woah! Lower your voice!" replied Julian appalled at her complete exaggeration.

"Julian, are you freaking serious right now?"

"Yes, I'm back with Jessie," he confidently said.

"But why?!" she shouted raising her hands.

"That's none of your business. Why do you care?"

"Uh, let me see! Maybe because I have an employee who is completely heartbroken! Alexandra has taken a sick day today because of you!"

Julian frowned quite surprised about this news. He didn't think that this situation would have affected Alexandra that much, considering the circumstances on which they started hooking up together. Plus, their history was extremely short lived.

"I'm sorry for her, and I do feel bad. But Cecilia, she knew what this was...and it only lasted two weeks."

"She's humiliated! You left her yesterday high and dry in the parking lot, you were nowhere to be found, she had to take a cab to go home! Only for you to text her hours later that you're back with your ex! I can't believe you did that! This is so ungracious and rude! Alex does not deserve that, Julian!"

"I told her I'm sorry!" he said in an innocent way.

"As if she cared at this point! And what the heck has possessed you to go back with Jessie? She manipulated you again? What, she needs another promotion?"

"Hey, hey. Stop. That's not what this is. We were both wrong and we fixed things, that's all."

"You're falling into her little games again. You're incredibly naive sometimes! She won't fool me, you know? I saw what she did to you, and I'll never forgive her for that. I will never like this girl!"

"You're gonna have to at some point. She's my girl."

Cecilia pretended that she was throwing up.

"There's just no way, Julian. I'm telling you, I won't be able to stand her. I don't want to get to know her, at all."

"But you don't have a choice."

"We always have a choice."

"Cecilia, listen, I'm not playing. You cannot, under any circumstances, mess up with my relationship with her. I'm dead serious, and you better take my warning seriously if you don't want to cause a drift between you and I. Remember what happened last time."

"Wow, just wow. She's already bewitched you, and you put her before me, your blood sister, once again."

"Yes, because you are stubborn and if you could only trust me for once, I wouldn't have to do that."

"I trusted you! And she broke your heart! If I had intervened, none of this would have happened."

Julian sighed, exasperated at his sister. It was impossible to make her change her mind about anything. Even if he'd explained to her in depth what had happened, she still wouldn't budge on her position.

"Look, can you just promise me that you'll be respectful with her? I'm not asking for you two to be best friends. Just be nice."

"I don't care about her, Julian, I don't want to get to know her. I do not like her, I do not trust her."

"Cecilia -"

"But fine!" she interrupted, "if I ever cross her path, for your sake and your sake only , I'll be respectful, but nothing more. Happy?" she asked with a sarcastic smile.

"That's all I'm asking," said Julian raising his hands.

"My poor Alex! She's such a special girl...what a waste!"

Although Julian did feel bad at how he ended things with Alexandra, that was the last thing on his mind right now. He and Jessie were back together and he felt overwhelmingly good.

***

Jessie's eyes were glued to her cell phone, completely inattentive to the meeting that was happening.

She was on cloud nine, as Julian and her were exchanging both loving and spicy text messages. She had a small blissful smile on her face and everyone could see that she wasn't paying attention, whereas Jessie was usually the most focused one during meetings. Her behaviour was a mystery to everyone as she went from seeming completely depressed to being full of life overnight.

"Is that okay with you, Jess?" said Massimo looking at her while she was texting.

Jessie looked up at him with a confused look. She had almost forgotten that she was in a team meeting for a hot minute.

"Uh?" she gawked.

"The Condo Conference. Can you take care of it?" said an annoyed Massimo.

"Yes, sure!" she replied without even knowing what that entailed.

Mariana looked at her while subtly nodding no with her head, but Jessie didn't get it.

"I think the Real Estate Investor Forum is happening at the same time. Am I wrong?" said Mariana trying to help her friend.

Jessie was just now remembering that she had already volunteered on that project. "Right, you're right. I can't do The Condo Conference thing. Sorry."

"I can do it!" exclaimed Mariana, trying to help her enamored friend, knowing exactly why Jessie was so distracted, having had a lengthy conversation with her that morning at Starbucks.

"Great!" said Jessie pointing to Mariana with her hand as if it was the best solution.

"Jess, please focus," said Massimo with a serious look, not falling into Mariana's diversion.

Jessie pouted and looked down. "I'm sorry," she said as she pushed her cellphone away from her to prove her now complete devotion.

Massimo squinted his eyes while looking at her. "What's the matter with you?"

"Nothing," she quickly replied.

"Can I count on you? You have your head in the game?"

"Absolutely," she eagerly replied with confidence.

He looked at her suspiciously as if he was trying to figure out what was happening with his best employee. "All right," he ended up saying.

After the meeting, Massimo swung by her office. "You're all right, Jess? Because you have many projects on your hands and you seem distracted."

"I'm one hundred percent there, Massimo. I won't drop any of them, I promise."

"Ok. I trust you," he said. "But Jess, you should know that the other team members look up to you. You are setting what is acceptable and what isn't. If you text the whole time during meetings, soon they will start doing the same."

"I'm sorry, I'm not gonna do that moving forward,
I promise," she answered feeling embarrassed.

"All right. Still, I'm happy that you're doing better. I missed that smile, kiddo."

Jessie gave him the biggest of smile. "La vita è bella! Isn't it, Massimo?" she said still grinning.

"Molto bella!" he yelled. 

"By the way, I'm not staying late tonight. I have plans. I'm leaving at 5. 5:30 at the latest."

Massimo raised his palms facing up. "Jess, you're not required to stay late. Ever. I hope you know that," he said confused.

"Yeah, I knew that," she replied embarrassed.

"Enjoy your plans, it's Friday. Let loose!"

"Oh, that I will!" she said with a winsome smile.