His Glorified Maid

Twenty-Three

Michaela listened to him talk. His words hid so much as she read every line in his face, every shrug of his shoulder. He had been her world and seeing him unhappy and stressed was upsetting.

He had been closed off to her shortly before he ended things, and she had been too busy to think much of it. Would things have been different if she'd paid more attention?

"You must hate me."

Hate? She didn't hate him. Never had. It shocked her that he would think so. As hurt as she had been, she still wanted him to be happy. Because that's what you want for the people you love.

"Before anything else, you were my best friend. I've missed my best friend."

"How could you forgive me, Michaela?"

"It took a while," she admitted with a grin. But I had to forgive you so that I could remember the joy we shared. You were in too many of my memories and I didn't want to live a life of regret." She chewed on her lip a second comparing her relationship with Paul, to the effect Carlos had on her. Did he feel that with Simone? "I think maybe we were better as friends than as a couple."

He nodded his head, but it was the look in his eyes when they found hers that told her he truly felt the same.

"I messed up," he said resting his forehead against hers. "First, I lost you, my best friend, and now I'm going to lose Dad's business."

Michaela was stunned. "I couldn't know it before now but seeing you again – you haven't lost me as a friend Paul. Why would you lose the business?"

"I didn't realise how much work went into the business side and when Simone -" He pulled a face before the rest he had to say tumbled out "– offered to step in I didn't know she could mess things up so much and so quickly. Nothing is balancing and we are bleeding money like a sieve. But this isn't your problem. I shouldn't be putting this on you."

"Don't be an idiot. Let me look at your books and I'll see what's going on."

He sighed in relief, the tension he held in his shoulders released. He moved around the desk to download files onto a USB for her to take with her, as he maintained small talk about the crew, his dad, and all the gossip she'd missed out on. When he handed her the USB, he looked serious again.

"Are you happy?" he asked. She could tell it mattered to him that she was.

"I'm getting there," she answered honestly. She wanted to talk to him about Carlos because she trusted his opinion, but she didn't know if it was the right thing to do though. He was her ex, and this was the first time they were reconnecting...

"Just say it," he said.

"I'm thinking about quitting my job," she blurted out unexpectedly.

Paul was smiling at her. Not over her news, but because she could never seem to control her mouth. He used to tease her about it constantly, finding her amusing. It occurred to her that Carlos often seemed amused by her too...

"Keep going," he said pulling her from her thoughts and back to their conversation.

Michaela sighed and slid down into her seat before revealing the context and with it, her heart. "Because I'm falling for my boss again."

"Your boss being Carlos Everton?"

Michaela saw the concern in his eyes and heard it in the odd strangled note in his voice. She understood. Carlos had a reputation. He was rich, powerful, and arrogant, and if the magazines were to be believed he was a regular Lothario.