His Secretary

Chapter 16: Zoe

I moaned and rolled over, pulling the duvet up to my face to block the sunlight that streamed in from the window.

I sat up slowly and drowsily and rubbed my eyes, and was surprised when I pulled my hand away to find makeup smears across it.

I stood up from the bed and walked over to the mirror.

A grungy girl, with black surrounding her eyes and tangled hair stared back at me.

I looked like a homeless woman, wearing a very expensive dress.

I must've fallen asleep in it.

How did I get here?

The question popped in my head and my eyebrows scrunched together.I don't remember coming home, not that I remember much from yesterday.

I didn't sleep with anybody, did I?

I looked back to the bed to not find another person, but rumpled sheets and blankets.

I let out an abrupt laugh in relief. Jeremy would've killed me.

I rubbed my eyes again and brushed my hair back away from my face.

"Dakota." His name suddenly came out of my mouth.

My feet moved into the living room, searching for him on the couch, but he wasn't there.

My befuddled thoughts came to a clear.

I ran to the kitchen, grabbed my keys off if the counter, slipped on a pair of flip flops, and ran out the door.

Where is he? I think he's at my mother's. I mentally slapped myself for the stupid thought, I would've never taken him to a different place.

Where else would I take him? Duh, Zoe, you're being irrational, he's there.

I reached the console, searching for my phone but my fingers only grazed the empty cup holders.

I left my phone.

"Ok... ok.. this is fine. He's there. He is at my mother's." I reassured myself, pulling the dress down my thighs with one hand and gripped the wheel tighter with the other.

I should've changed out of it. It looks like I've just left a one night stand.

I turned the car into the suburban neighborhood, full of houses that looked alike where the men were golfers on the weekends and the women were stay at home moms. Every now and then you'd see a house that tried to appear different, maybe with lawn ornaments or a lavish flower garden.

I pulled the car into the paved driveway to the posh house with flower beds surrounding the front with petunias and different colored roses grew beside each other.

I threw my legs to the outside of the car and stood up, not caring that the older man, across the street watering his plants, was staring.

I made my way up the paved walkway to the front door.

I knocked on the ceder wood and looked through the mosaic glass set into the wood.

"Mom, come on. Open the door."

I knocked louder this time.

I saw a figure come and pull it open.

"Zoe? Dakota has been asking for you all morning. Where have you been? What are you wearing?" She asked, her eyes looking down my body.

Her hair had been pulled up into a small ponytail on the back of her head and her blue eyes were filled judgement but a bit on concern.

She straightened the cream colored sweater that she wore, and opened he door a little bit wider for me to enter.