Page 149 of Dear Grumpy Boss

“Are you looking for closure? I’ve told you my opinion on that.” I gestured back and forth between us. “What you’re doing now is only prolonging the process of moving on. We don’t need to see each other. I don’t want to.”

He pressed his palms flat on my desk and bent forward, his voice low and urgent. “No one is moving on, Elise.”

My breath hitched, but I held strong. “This is inappropriate.”

“Come with me.”

“No.”

He shuddered. His shoulders shook, and his eyes squeezed closed for a few seconds. I understood that feeling. I’d had it for weeks now.

“Tonight, then.”

I stayed firm, even as his pleas sliced through me like the sharpest blade.

“No, Weston.”

He opened his mouth to speak, to beg, I guessed, but Simon and Rebecca crowded in next to him, and Simon actually nudged Weston’s side with his elbow.

“Ready to go, Lise?” Rebecca chirped.

“Lunch is on me today, love,” Simon added.

I grabbed my phone, leaving everything else behind, and vaulted up from my chair. “I’m ready.”

I left Weston standing by my desk, but not before I caught his bereft expression.

Whatwas he doing? And why now, after everything?

Two bouquets of pink flowers waited for me at home.

I frowned at them, then at Saoirse. “Two? Really?”

“Actually”—she plucked the card from the smaller bouquet—“this one is mine. It says, ‘To Saoirse. Thanks for taking care of my girl when I didn’t. I heard you like flowers too. Enjoy.’So, yeah. Weston’s trying to win me to his side.”

“Are there sides?”

She shrugged. “I guess that’s up to you. Does he feel like your enemy now?”

“I feel like he’s a stranger.” I squinted at the flowers, which were too pretty for me to throw away. “I’m not reading the card.”

“Do you want me to read it?”

“No. Yes.” She reached for the card. I grabbed her arm, stopping her. “No. I don’t want anymore ‘I love yous’ from him. They don’t mean anything.”

“They mean something.”

I narrowed my eyes at her. “One bouquet and you’re on his side?”

“I thought there were no sides.”

I had to laugh. “I don’t even understand what’s happening right now. Why is he sending us flowers?”

She raised a shoulder. “The only way you’ll find that out is if you talk to him. Don’t you want to at least tell him what you think of him?”

“I don’t, no. That won’t do anything for me besides pick at wounds. I just want this to all be over.”

My bottom lip started to quiver, and a wave of despondency swept me under. I’d had time to get used to it, but there were still instances where I couldn’t wrap my head around our ending. This was one of those times. I hoped it was a terrible dream and I’d wake beside Weston. He’d hold me and assure me he’d never choose anything over me.

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