Page 29 of The Grump's Assistant

My eyes land on the note Juniper wrote to me a few days ago.

Work harder. Just kidding. I was trying reverse psychology. Did it work?

Why would she write this if all she wanted was a job? She didn’t have to go out of her way to get me dinner or try to make me smile, yet everything Juniper has done in her time here has been to make my life easier. Even when she’s sassing me.

I pick up the note, holding it between my thumb and forefinger and lifting it up to my nose. Like the crazy person I’ve become, I sniff the paper, hoping to catch some of her sunshiney scent.

Her words from earlier come back to me.What we have is real… I didn’t plan on falling for you.

“Bullshit,” I growl, pounding a balled-up fist against my chest. She was lying. She had to be. I don’t understand people and their complicated motives. Why can’t relationships be like a formula? I can find all the right pieces, plug them into the equation, and come up with a solution. Real life is much messier, and I don’t know how to handle that. I don’t know how to handle these chaotic feelings.

All I know is that Juniper brought me peace. She crawled under my defenses and set up camp somewhere close to my heart. And then she ripped it out with her betrayal.

I grunt and stand up, not sure what my plan is, just knowing I need to leave. Everything in this room reminds me of Juniper, of how stupid I was to fall for her charms.

I storm out of my office, taking one look toward the elevator bank, where Jennifer is typing away on her phone and waiting for a ride down to the parking garage. Spinning on my heel, I turn in the opposite direction, making my way to the stairwell instead. It will be good to get some of this restless energy out.

Halfway down the second flight of stairs, I pause when I hear a muffled sound coming from further down. Cautiously, I take a few more steps until a quiet sob fills the stairwell, followed by a miserable sniffle.

Juniper?

Christ, is she hurt? Was she so upset she fell down the stairs? Fuck, if anything happened to her…

I leap down the stairs three at a time, hitting the landing with a thud.

“Oh my god,” I hear her gasp. I look over my shoulder and see her curled up in the corner of the fifth-floor landing. The sight breaks me.

Her arms are wrapped around her torso as her chest heaves with heart-wrenching whimpers. Juniper’s green eyes look faded, wary, and rimmed in red. Her delicate little cheeks are blotchy and wet with tears.

“Are you hurt?” I grunt out. She flinches away from me, and goddamnit, that hurts more than anything that’s happened today.

“S-sorry,” she stutters out, wiping her eyes and unfolding herself from her position on the floor. “I’m going.”

“No, I…” I what? I want her to stay? I love her? I’m a miserable asshole without her?

Juniper tilts her head to the side, waiting for me to finish. This is completely unchartered territory for me. I’m pissed. Right? I’m angry. She deceived me. Then why can’t I stop walking toward her? Why do I long to hold her against me and let her explain everything?

My window of opportunity is sealed shut when Juniper stands up, swaying on her feet. I reach out for her, but she backs away, taking a few steps further down the stairs. “Juniper…”

“I love you,” she blurts out.

I’m so stunned, I can’t even form thoughts. She doesn’t give me any time to recover before dashing down the stairs. I watch in horror as she trips and stumbles, only to catch herself on the railing.

“Wait! Juniper, are you okay?”

I follow her, chase her, really, but she nods her head and pushes the door open to the fourth floor. I’m hot on her heels. She needs to explain herself. Preferably while I have her secured in my arms, but I’ll take caging her in an elevator if necessary.

By the time I catch up to her, Juniper is slipping into the elevator, which is full of more of my faceless employees. “Juniper!” I yell, not giving a single fuck that I’m making a scene.

She presses her hand over her mouth to catch a sob, and shakes her head no. Those damn emerald eyes filling with tears. Fuck. I did that to her. My chest feels as though it’s being ripped open, the tattered remains of my heart tumbling out and landing at her feet.

Juniper’s emerald eyes never leave mine as the doors close, the elevator taking my angel away from me.

“Fuck,” I roar, the sound startling everyone around me into silence. I look around at my shocked and slightly frightened employees, knowing I need to calm down. “Everything is fine,” I grunt out, though no one believes me. “Back to work.”

I rub my eyes and roll out my shoulders before calling up another elevator. I could continue to chase after Juniper but she clearly doesn’t want to be around me right now.

Once I’m back in my office, I collapse into my chair, the energy completely drained from every part of me. A headache pounds behind my eyes and my stomach twists on itself, making me nauseated.

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