Page 47 of Filthy Rich Bosses

"Come on, boy," I murmur, giving the leash a gentle tug. Zeus looks up at me, his brown eyes reflecting the streetlights. For a moment, I see a flicker of the old Zeus—Sarah's Zeus—before his gaze turns wary again.

We walk in silence, the light breeze ruffling my hair. The scent of blooming jasmine from a neighbor's garden wafts by, and suddenly I'm transported back to our first spring in this house. Sarah's laughter echoes in my memory as she planted those very same flowers in our backyard.

"She'd love how they turned out," I say softly to Zeus. He cocks his head, ears perked. "The jasmine. Remember how Sarah used to say they'd make the whole yard smell like heaven?"

Zeus whines softly, and I feel a lump form in my throat. I swallow hard, trying to push back the tide of grief threateningto overwhelm me. But as quickly as Sarah's memory surfaces, another image takes its place: Tessa, her eyes sparkling as she coaxed Zeus out of his funk this morning.

"You like her, don't you?" I ask Zeus, surprising myself with the question. "Tessa, I mean. She's...different."

Zeus's tail wags slightly at the mention of Tessa's name, and I can't help but chuckle. "Yeah, I thought so. She's got a way about her, doesn't she?"

As we round the corner back toward home, I find myself smiling. The weight in my chest feels a little lighter, the evening a little warmer. And for the first time in a long while, I'm looking forward to walking through my front door.

I push open the front door, Zeus trotting in ahead of me. The house feels different now, warmer somehow. Tessa's presence has brought life back into these rooms, filling the empty spaces with her vibrant energy.

"We're back," I call out, unclipping Zeus's leash.

There's no response, but I hear the faint clacking of laptop keys coming from the kitchen. As I round the corner, I see her there, hunched over her computer at the kitchen counter. My heart skips a beat, but then I notice what's on her screen.

Apartment listings. The sight hits me like a punch to the gut.

"Find anything good?" I ask, trying to keep my voice casual even as my insides churn.

Tessa looks up, her eyes meeting mine. "Oh, hey. Just browsing, you know. Figured I should start looking. Honestly, I should have started looking two weeks ago."

I nod, not trusting myself to speak. I've been trying so hard to keep my distance, to maintain that professional boundary between us. But seeing her potentially planning her exit...it's harder than I expected.

"How was the walk?" she asks, closing her laptop.

"Good," I manage. "Zeus enjoyed it."

As if on cue, Zeus pads over to Tessa, resting his head on her lap. She scratches behind his ears, a small smile playing on her lips.

"You two are getting along well," I observe, leaning against the counter.

Tessa shrugs. "He's a good boy. Aren't you, Zeus?"

I watch them together, and the realization hits me: I don't want her to go. The thought of this kitchen empty again, of Zeus looking for her and not finding her...of me coming home to silence...

"Grayson?" Tessa's voice snaps me out of my thoughts. "You okay? You looked like you were a million miles away."

I force a smile. "Just thinking about some work stuff. Nothing important."

But as I say it, I know it's a lie. This—her being here, being part of our lives—it's become more important than I ever expected.

I take a deep breath, steeling myself for the conversation I know I need to have. "Tessa, can we talk for a minute?"

She looks up, her greenish-blue eyes meeting mine with a mix of curiosity and wariness. "Sure, what's up?"

I pull out a stool and sit across from her at the kitchen counter. Zeus shifts, now resting his head on my knee, as if he's mediating our conversation.

"I've been thinking," I start, my fingers absently stroking Zeus's fur. "How are you feeling about your time here so far?"

Tessa tilts her head, her black cherry hair catching the light. "It's been...good. Zeus is making great progress, and I've enjoyed working with him."

I nod, trying to read between the lines of her professional response. "And...beyond that? I mean, how do you feel about staying here, in general?"

Her eyebrows furrow slightly. "Grayson, is everything okay? Did I do something wrong?"

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