Page 113 of One Bossy Date

The only problem was, I hadn’t thought about it for an exceptionally long period of time myself. She’d hit me like a freight train. It was only when everything with the green construction project had fallen into place, and I knew I would indeed be leaving soon, that I realized I didn’t want to walk away from her. My life was in Chile—I knew that much.

I just wished she loved me enough to understand that and come with me.

But she didn’t.

Maybe I was too old for her. Her young heart simply had other goals. Just like Dax, she wasn’t ready to settle unless it was for something her heart truly desired.

For the past three days, I’d tried calling, messaging, and leaving voicemails. She wasn’t answering or replying. I stopped by her shop—she wasn’t there. She’d just cut me out of her life, as if it were easy for her.

For me, it wasn’t easy.

Here I was at the penthouse, about to leave, and still hoping she’d change her mind.

Once I’d finished packing my suitcase, I sat down on the bed and gave the boutique number a try once more.

“Hello, Purrfect Boutique here! How can we help?” Jim answered again.

“Hey, Jim.”

“Anders? How many times will you call?”

“Until she talks to me.”

“Well, honey, I think you know it ain’t gonna happen. And rightfully so. How could you keep your plans from her until the last minute? You must have known the shit would hit the fan. Hell, you’d better not start showing up here at the store. You hear?” he scoffed.

“Let me speak to her.” I sighed. “Is she there?”

“No, she isn’t, and what good would a man with cat allergies do in our store, anyway?” It was a rhetorical question, said only to jab at me.

“Look, Jim. I’m leaving today. Would you please just tell her that the offer will always be open? All she needs to do is call, and I’ll have her flown over immediately. Okay?”

I heard a deep sigh. “Okay, Anders.” There was a pause, and I heard the phone rustle. “But let me give you a little piece of advice. A word of wisdom, so to speak. Man to man. From whirlybird to chopper, if you catch my drift. It ain’t gonna work as long as you’re treating her like a business deal—talking about offers being open and giving her financial stability.Please, honey. You can’t buy a woman like her. Her whole life is here.” I heard more phone rustling, then his voice grew quieter. “She’s worked her ass off to get this business off the ground. She’s still working her ass off. You can’t expect her to make sacrifices when you’re not prepared to do the same. Now, safe travels, Anders. Goodbye.”

The call died.

His words didn’t ring true, no matter how much I tried. I couldn’t understand his reasoning. How the fuck would our sacrifices have been equal? Did she expect me to give up all my work in Chile, the life I’d created there for myself and for a lot of people who relied on the employment I provided for them so that she could keep brushing damn cats here in New York?

No, it didn’t make sense to me. It seemed like an overreaction. A typical Zoe “freak-out.” Only—three days was a long time to still be overreacting. And she’d walked out rather calmly. Like she truly believed it was the right thing to do.

Was it? No. I didn’t believe that for a second.

Ares and Hades lay at my feet, looking incredibly solemn. They’d been sad since Zoe had left, and now they knew I was leaving. They were intuitive like that. I rubbed their heads one at a time, then tucked my phone into my jeans pocket and headed to my office.

I’d just started to pack my laptop case when I heard Dax letting himself in the door.

“In here,” I said loudly, and he came in.

“‘Sup, bro. You almost packed?”

“Yeah.”

I continued my task, making sure every last document and charger was packed. Dax grew quiet and took a seat on the armchair. That fucking armchair that I’d never forget. If I ever ended up living here again, I’d have to redecorate the entire penthouse to forget about her presence here.

“I’ll be in contact via phone, email, everything. If you ever need me—”

“I’m gonna miss you, man.”

Stopping in my tracks, I looked at him. “I’ll miss you too, brother.”