Page 87 of Mid-Thirties Slightly Hot Mess Female Seeking Billionaire

Three weeks later.

"So I've been going over the numbers and I think that we're in a really great spot," Jackson says, but I'm barely able to concentrate on the words coming out of his mouth. "Hey, Ethan, are you listening to me?" He asks, and I put my pen down.

"Sorry, I was distracted. I was just thinking about what Lord Chambers said about..."

"No you weren't," Jackson says, leaning back in his chair and shaking his head.

"Sorry. What?"

"No, you weren't thinking about anything Lord Chambers has to say."

"What are you talking about?"

"You're thinking about Sarah from copywriting."

"No, I'm not."

"Sure you're not. You're not thinking about if she's going to come back to the company?"

"I don't know what you're talking about, Jackson."

"So you're not concerned whatsoever about the fact that Sarah has not been into work for three weeks?"

"She said she had a sick family member."

"She told you this directly?"

"No, she told HR she needed to take some time off because she needed to visit with some family. She asked how many days off she had and I told HR to let her know that she could take off for as long as she wanted and it would be paid."

"Must be nice," Jackson says, smirking.

"What? We are a family oriented company and..."

"And so what happened between the two of you?"

He stares at me for a couple of seconds and I just shake my head. I feel sick to my stomach. I don't even know how to tell him what happened. I don't even know how to process it myself. When she told me she loved me, something in me had ignited and then deflated, because I just didn't know if I was capable of handling emotions like that. I just didn't know if I was capable of committing to someone. I didn't know if I was capable of love.

"Hey, you okay, Ethan?" Jackson looks worried. "I know I tease you, but what really happened with Sarah?"

"She told me she loved me." I look at him and make a face.

"Whoa. She really is a hot mess, isn't she?" He says, shaking his head. "I cannot believe she said that to you. She barely knows you."

"Exactly," I say. "What is going on?"

"How do you feel about her?" He asks.

"What do you mean how do I feel about her?"

"I mean, even I've noticed that you are different."

"How am I different?"

"I don't know. You're edgy. You are bitching and moaning. You're not paying attention. You haven't asked me once in the last couple of weeks what our profit margin is on our last investment or what..."

"Look, I just don't have time for this right now."

"It's okay if you're falling for her. You don't have to hide it from me."

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