Love Has No Limits

26.

You stood there, frozen. All you wanted was to run and beat yourself up for being so stupid. Why would you believe everything happening with George was a reality? You had to react, and quick.

"Hi," you said and shook her hand. "I was just here because we had a meeting but, um, but I just- I just remembered I had this event with a client and I have my whole team counting on me for that, so..."

She smiled. "Oh yeah, he mentioned you work a lot together... He's looking for something in there, should be back soon." She offered. "Want something to drink?"

You just shook your head. She was the lady of the house, of course, she knew where everything was and you were a visit now. She probably thought it was weird you had the key to his flat.

George appeared and saw you there, probably not with the best face. "Hey! Sorry, this will just be a minute- what's wrong?"

You just stared at him for a moment and then snapped yourself back to reality. "Oh nothing, I'm here to start the meeting but I just remembered that I have this event with- with- the Club Bouliste and my team is there."

"Oh," he said. "You're coming back later? Or we reschedule for lunch tomorrow?"

"Um no, I will stay late at that event and tomorrow is a busy day, you know..." You tried to lie, something you never did to George. Then you grabbed your things again, leaving his keys on mantelpiece without a sound so he or Carmen wouldn't notice and started asking questions. "Bye guys, pleased to meet you," you nodded at Carmen and smiled sadly before turning to leave to your car.

Tears were coming out slowly the moment you closed the door and walked to open the car. Then George came out and called your name.

"Are you okay? You don't seem fine..." he asked, then saw you teary eyed and went quickly to you. "What is it?"

That's when you started crying harder. "Nothing," you spoke between sobs.

"That's not nothing, come on," he tried to hug you but you took a step back.

"I don't even know why I'm crying, I feel like such an idiot!" You said and laid over the closed door of your car. "I'm sorry, it's been such a long week and I'm missing home a lot, maybe that's why, but don't mind me..."

"How would I not care?" He asked. "Let me get changed quickly and go with you to this event, okay?"

"Are you kidding George?" You said to him, letting out a small final sob. He had Carmen in there and he was going to just ditch her to go with you. That was a low level and he needed to be put in place again. This had been gone too far, you knew the limits were necessary and you felt so daft for thinking they could be just some blurred lines. "This is a work thing. I can handle it myself, thanks. I'm emailing you tomorrow, okay? Have a nice night." You said and got into your car, driving away before he could think of a way to protest.

When you got to your flat, because of course the Club Bouliste event was a lie that was happening but you didn't need to be there, you just went to your bed and got yourself some food to do absolutely nothing. Just cry every time you realised you let him in like he wanted and like you always wished. You couldn't help to feel the absurdity of it all clouding over you and taking you in, making you see how much you needed those limits, how much he had to stay in his place and just work. But no, he wanted to be like the other drivers, he wanted to be friends, he wanted to travel together. And you went for it, believing it wouldn't be as bad. Well guess what? The other boys were just that, clients, drivers and eventually friends. But not George, he was never that, from that first hug you gave to him for good luck back when he asked for more from you, you knew he would never be just a client. He became a friend quicker than anyone else, you trusted him and he trusted you with such intensity that you never needed any backup for that. He made you laugh, made you think and made you watch him do what he loves. He made you fall for him without even noticing. Because that's why you were so mad and so sad: you loved him. You loved him and you were angry at the fact that he now had his life together and his girlfriend back all thanks to you. And all it took was flirting, a dance and a kiss.

—

You eventually fell asleep, and then woke up early to start your day. You blocked George from your personal phone to just communicate with him from the professional number. Then you sat on your desk at the office, to type an email:

George,

I'm informing through this email that I won't be available for the current and upcoming week due to schedule changes and events we cannot postpone.
I will be leaving you with my colleague to guide you with the rest of the events of the week. Hopefully I will be back by the weekend at Silverstone.
Until then, make sure you evacuate all doubts and questions with my colleague (all information is attached) and in case of emergency or team related services, I'll be available at my work phone.

Also, let my colleague know directly if you and Carmen are officially back together since we need to prepare for the press and the social media impact. He will take care of everything from now on.

Wishing you a good week.

Then you called your employee, so he would take care of all the duties you'd be managing from afar. You needed time away from George and put the limits back on but without neglecting the work that still had to be done. You weren't abandoning him, just acting through an employee to put some space between you and him, until it was manageable to be around him again and accept what it really was.

—