Page 109 of One Bossy Date

We stood, staring at each other.

I didn’t know what the fuck to say now.

I’d truly believed she would want to come with me. Why couldn’t she just come with me? I could give her so much more, and not just a fucking cat grooming boutique.

I’d give her the world, I’d give her everything, if she’d let me.

If she’d want me.

Wait. She’d said she was “flattered.” That didn’t sound like she was madly in love.

I stood, trying to think.

“Please. Let’s not jump to fucking conclusions for one fucking second.” I breathed out a heavy sigh, moved forward, cupping her chin and raising her head to face me until her eyes connected to mine. Softly, my thumb trailed along her chin. As calmly as I could, I rumbled, “You don’t want to be with me then?”

Zoe turned her head away, stepping backward, speaking in a low tone now. “Not like this, Anders, no.”

She turned around and left the office, closing the door behind her.

36

ZOE

Istormed to my room and shut the door. This was bad. Really bad.

Holding my head in my hands, I felt the stinging of my tears. I wanted to fall apart. Everything had changed in a matter of minutes.Everything. Suddenly, I didn’t have Anders, and I didn’t have my perfect, fake life.

I’d known he was leaving, but not in three stupid days. I’d thought I had weeks, maybe months.

I’d thought he’d stay.

You know what? No.

I didn’t need him.

I’d move back into my sweet kitty lounge, and happily so. Who did he think he was?

A cold calmness seeped into my spine, and I sniffed one last time. I wiped the tears from my cheeks and walked to the closet, grabbing my bags and clothes. After quickly changing into jeans, I threw all my clothes into the suitcases. I’d come back to get them and everything else later.

First, I had to come clean to two people.

I walked out, through the penthouse and out the front door, passing the dogs.Oh, my heart!The boys!Ares and Hades. I’d miss them so much. After ten minutes of cuddling and hugging, I tore myself away. They clearly felt my sadness and I almost started crying again, looking into their pretty dog eyes.

Out on the street, I waved down a cab and climbed inside. My first stop was Lilian’s place. When I arrived at Anders’s mom’s, she wasn’t surprised to see me.

“Hello, Zoe dear. Please, come in.”

She led me to the living room, and I took a seat adjacent to her, angling my body to face her.

“Lilian, I am so sorry for all the lies.” She looked to the floor sadly. “We didn’t mean to hurt anyone. In fact, there’s no good enough excuse. I wanted my gran to believe I had a boyfriend, so she’d stop setting me up with a man I didn’t like. Things got out of hand, stories were exaggerated, and it just became too big to stop without hurting anyone.”

She looked up. “You pretended to be with Anderson to satisfy your gran?”

“Yes…I know, it’s not respectable at all—”

She shook her head, cutting me off while considering my words. “No, but trying to satisfy your gran actually is.” She sighed, her forehead crinkled, and her eyes connected with mine. “Perhaps that’s why Anderson did it as well.” She said it more to herself than to me, but then she shook her head again. “Oh, children. I just wish I hadn’t gotten my hopes so high that he was finally settling down. I should have seen it.”

“No, please, Lilian. It was entirely our fault.”