Page 24 of Their Stolen Kisses
Chapter 11
Cameron
When I was at work, it could take me hours to check my phone. The computer had my email on it, and the office phone would ring with any calls I received from inside this building. My phone was never on silent in case I received any calls from someone in the field or otherwise involved in business, but I never actually checked it - I just answered if it rang.
Not so today. I sat in my office - working at probably half my normal productivity - checking my phone every ten minutes and hoping beyond hope that I would see a text message from Diana. I’d even seen her in the hall and walked after her, but she had disappeared into her office and closed the door. I respected her too much to barge in when she clearly didn’t want to talk to me, but I did have to wonder - what had I done?
After I had texted her just after she left Saturday afternoon, I had tried to leave her alone - for the first two hours. At first, I’d naturally assumed that her mom must have needed her, which was perfectly reasonable, though a little worrying. Chloe had only emailed me that she had successfully looked into Diana’s mortgage a day ago, and I hadn’t had a chance to act on that information yet. Since Diana had been convinced the unpaid mortgage was exacerbating her mother’s ill health, if something happened because I hadn’t acted fast enough… I’d never forgive myself.
Because I’d realized something on the flight back home. With all my mental ramblings and insecurities, I had basically put words in Diana’s mouth. I assumed so much about her when she had done nothing to warrant those assumptions, and that just wasn’t fair to me or to her. Or to Noah. How could I deny us both the chance to get to know Diana better?
Now, apparently, my revelation didn’t matter, though, because Diana was clearly avoiding my attempts to see her by walking past her doorway too many times. Whenever I had texted her about Noah during my trips, she responded promptly - within a couple hours at the most, except for one I had sent late, probably after she’d gone to bed.
Today, when the minutes stretched into hours, which stretched intomorehours - I was positive Diana just didn’t want to speak to me for some reason.
Still worried and a little confused as well, I had sent her a few more texts Saturday night, wishing she’d just respond to one and tell me everything was fine, that she wouldn’t mind talking to me. I wanted to sit down with her, hold her hand, and bare my soul to her, but she was making it crystal clear she didn’t want that in return.
I had my little ‘never date an employee’ rule. Maybe she had a ‘never date a boss’ rule. I was willing to possibly break my rule for her. But… maybe she had no intention of breaking hers for me…
Of course, all this was just speculation. I had no idea what Diana was actually thinking, only that she must have had a reason for not wanting to talk to me, and whatever it was, I should respect it. Still, I hadn’t been able to resist sending just one more text this morning - Monday morning - after receiving no reply all Sunday.Just wanted to let you know that I have your money in my office. You can come pick it up, or I can send Chloe with it after lunch.
That had been my last-ditch effort to meet with Diana. I was hoping that by giving her a valid reason to come to my office, we could have a private conversation and she wouldn’t feel that it was out of line.
The hours ticked by until lunch, which I took in the breakroom in the hopes that I might see Diana. She never appeared, so I headed back to my office, heart heavy and still just as confused as before. Maybe it was just… me. All the fears the wine in San Francisco had brought out had come true.
I had only been alone with my bleak thoughts for ten minutes or so when Chloe marched into the office without knocking. “Good afternoon?” My words came out as a question spurred by her sudden entrance.
“What is with you?” she asked bluntly.
“I don’t know what you mean.” The lie fell wooden on my ears.
“Every time someone walked into the breakroom you looked like a kid waiting to open presents on Christmas. Now, you look like that same kid - except this time he opened his presents and there was no new gaming console.”
She was right. I didn’t really have anything to say, so I just shrugged.
“It’s Diana, isn’t it?” Chloe shook her head. “Oh, don’t look so surprised. She’s just as miserable.”
“What?” I started bolt upright in my seat. “Why, what happened?”
“Probably you. I talked to her, and she seemed to think that if she talked to you, you’d tell her something she didn’t want to hear. I hope you’re not planning to fire her?”
“W-what? Absolutely not,” I stuttered, offended and shocked at the very idea. “I-I just wanted to talk to her. About me… well really us, and she wouldn’t return my messages.”
“Has it ever occurred to you that maybe she’s afraid of what you’ll say?”
For the first time, I tried to see the day I returned from San Francisco from her perspective. It was the last time I had spoken to her. I’d been so happy about the outcome of the court case. I’d shown that with my smile and my greeting to Noah - but then, I’d been so nervous, unsure if I could find the words to express my true feelings.
I had wanted to talk to Diana and tell her how I felt about us, but I didn’t know how she would take it. My smile had slipped, and I’d forgotten how excited I was… and I’d probably looked a little forbidding. Like I was about to give her bad news, or something.
“No,” I said honestly. “But it has now.”
“Ask her out, Cameron. Properly, on a date - not to your house to nanny. Stop giving off mixed signals, leave past relationships in the past, and start a new one.”
I hadn’t expected to receive such a personal pep talk or advice from my executive assistant, but she was right. She always had my best interests at heart, and her sudden earnestness helped me realize what I already knew. Diana was part of my best interests - if she would have me. “Do you really think I should? I mean… you’ve talked to her. Some people don’t do workplace relationships…”
Chloe was shaking her head before I finished. “You don’t do workplace relationships,” she corrected. “And I understand that you had a reason for that, but it’s time to move on. Talk to Diana. Ask her out.” Chloe left the office.
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