Page 48 of Filthy Rich Bosses

"No, no," I quickly reassure her. "Just wondering how it’s all been for you.” I want to tell her that I’d like her to stay but the words won’t come out of my mouth. I’m afraid she’ll read something else into it, that she’ll realize how I’m dreading her last day with us.

She bites her lower lip, a habit I've noticed she does when she's thinking deeply.

"As I said, I love working with Zeus..."

I lean forward, feeling a surge of hope. "Great…great. I just wanted to let you know that you're doing great work."

Tessa nods slowly, her expression thoughtful. "Thanks, Grayson," she says softly.

As she turns back to her laptop, I stand up, my mind already racing. I need to make a call.

I head to my office, shutting the door behind me. The familiar scent of leather and paper greets me, grounding me for the conversation I’m about to have. Pulling my phone from my pocket, I scroll through my contacts until I find Juniper’s name. She picks up on the second ring.

“Mr. Harrington,” Juniper’s voice comes through, smooth and efficient as always. “Is everything all right?”

“Of course,” I reply without hesitation.

There’s a pause before she asks, “Is this about work or...something else?”

“It’s about Tessa,” I say, getting straight to the point. “I’m considering offering her a more permanent contract.”

The silence on the other end stretches a beat too long. “A permanent contract?” Juniper repeats, her tone carefully neutral.

“Yes.”

Juniper is quiet for a beat too long, then she responds with an edge in her voice. “As in, she’ll be stayingin your home? Gray—Mr. Harrington, are you sure that’s a good idea?”

“Not necessarily as a live-in position,” I add quickly. “But I think keeping her involved with Zeus would be good. She’s made progress with him that I didn’t think was possible.”

“Grayson, she showed up here out of nowhere. You’ve barely scratched the surface with her background, and now you’re ready to hand her a permanent role in your life? It’s risky.”

I let her words hang in the air for a moment before responding. “I know it’s fast. But she’s been good for Zeus. And I think she’s been good for me, too. I’m trying to do the right thing here.”

Juniper sighs, a sound that’s almost sympathetic. “I get that, but I’m still not sold. You’re trusting someone you barely know with something so important. If she leaves, how does that affect you? How does that affect Zeus?”

I shift uncomfortably in my chair. “I don’t recall asking for your opinion. I pay you to assist me. So, assist. Please draw up a contract.”

She’s silent for a few moments, and when she speaks again, there’s a reluctant resignation in her voice. “I’ll look into it. But I’m warning you—be careful with this one.”

“I will,” I say, though her warning doesn’t sit well with me. I trust my instincts, even if I don’t always listen to them.

I know Tessa might be temporary. But I don’t want her to be.

I sit at my desk, absently rolling my wedding band around my finger. The cool metal feels both familiar and strange against my skin. I'm lost in thought, weighing the implications of offering Tessa a more permanent position, when a soft knock on the door startles me.

"Come in," I call out, quickly composing myself.

Tessa pokes her head in, her greenish-blue eyes meeting mine. "Hey, Grayson. Got a minute?"

I glance at the clock—almost dinner time—and nod. "Of course. What's up?"

She steps inside, her posture casual, but there’s a quiet tension in her voice. “Just wanted to ask...do you have any plans for the weekend? I was thinking it might be nice for us to take Zeus to the park, get him out with other dogs for a bit."

Her question is so simple, so mundane, but it cuts through the fog of my thoughts like a hot knife through butter. Something about it snaps in me, like a wire pulled too tight. It’s the kind of question Sarah would’ve asked—small, thoughtful, wanting to do something normal, to build a life here, in this house. A life that’s still slipping through my fingers.

For a long moment, I don’t answer. My eyes linger on her, trying to piece together the real reason behind this question. Is she just trying to be nice to Zeus? Or is Juniper right? Is this her way of embedding herself further into my life, making herself more essential to my world?

I look down at the wedding band again, the weight of it on my finger heavier than ever. For a brief moment, I think of Sarah—of how much I loved her, how much I wanted to do these kinds of things with her. And now...now I’m standing at the edge of something I didn’t expect. Somethingnew.

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