Page 427 of Now and Forever

Chapter 160

“Right.” Drake is still studying me like a specimen for some kind of exhibit.

I stand up and skim my hands over my skirt, smoothing out the invisible wrinkles. “Okay. Can we now get started?” I go to grab my purse, not wanting to talk to Drake any more than I have to.

“I haven’t seen you in eight years, Lil. Is that all you have to say? There’s no ‘How are you, Drake?’ or ‘It’s nice to see you again?’”

Uh, not really.

We didn’t really part on good terms, so I see no need for pleasantries or the pretense that it is nice to see him because I couldn’t care less about how he’s doing—or who he’s doing, for that matter.

“To be honest, I don’t really care for that,” I admit. “I came here to work for you and that’s what I’ll do. We’re not friends anymore, Drake,” I state it as matter-of-factly as possible.

“You’re right. We were just practically like family. We were never friends.” His hand goes to the side of his scruffy jaw, rubbing along it. I can tell he’s still waiting and stalling with this conversation.

Why can’t he just drop it? It was a long, long time ago.

“Yep!” I look at him as he leans over his desk, looking confused. “So… can we move on from that and get to work?”

He folds his arms and is silent for a good minute. I guess he can’t really drop it, huh?

“Have you really moved on from it, Lily?” His heavily loaded question hits me like a ton of bricks.

Whoa, WTF!

“Whatever do you mean?” I ask innocently. Is he actually this dense? Can’t he simply understand that I don’t want to rehash and chitchat about the damn past?

“You’ve been avoiding me. Why is that? Both of our mothers are like sisters, and yet, I haven’t seen you in almost a decade. Now, out of the blue, my mom decides to hire you as my assistant. Isn’t that a little sketchy, perhaps even fishy to you?”

“No, I don’t think so. I haven’t been avoiding you. I just couldn’t stomach seeing you again.” Oops, isn’t that the same thing? “After Mexico, I realized I made a mistake. You were a huge mistake. So, there. There is your reason.” I hold my head high as I speak those words to him.

He means nothing to me. Not anymore.

“A mistake . . . Right. You didn’t seem to mind it when I was taking your virginity. To which, I recall, you freely gave away for any man who was willing.”

JACKASS!

I grind my teeth together and gather all the energy I can muster from the universe to compose myself and not shriek with rage. “Sure, that night was okay.” I shrug. “It was meh . . . nothing earth-shattering now that I’ve had better.” Ha! Shove it, you douche, I think.

My words clearly affect him. Men and their sexual prowess . . . all you have to do is question it and they go mental.

“I see. You’ve developed quite a tongue there, Lil. You better tame your temper if you don’t want a repeat of ‘nothing earth-shattering’ sex.” I blanch at his sexual innuendo. Has he lost his marbles?

“Trust me, I’d rather train a tiger than get to tumble in the sheets with you, thank you very much.” I walk toward the door with my purse in hand and look back at the confusing, sexy man. “If you’re still hell bent about the past, stay here and ponder some more, okay? I’ll find my desk and figure it out on my own since my boss is too caught up in his own thoughts.” His facial expression is simply priceless as I open the door and slam it hard behind me . . .

I smugly congratulate myself for not making a huge deal and a bigger fool out of myself after seeing him again. True, I may have loved the man to distraction back in yesteryears, but that ship has sailed. He doesn’t get to take my virginity and simply walk away like it doesn’t matter, like I didn’t matter. His vicious rejection scarred me forever and it will forever be ingrained in my head; I would be stupid to forget it.

Once you give up your heart to the man you love, it ultimately gives them power. I’ve been stupid enough to succumb to his easy charm before. Never again, Drake Tatum, never fucking again.

I glance at Mindy’s office, but she still isn’t in there. Where is she?

There is another office next to Mindy’s and I go open it. To my relief, it’s empty except for the computer that sits on the desk. The office is small, but clean and has an airy feel to it. I suppose all the glass that surrounds it makes it less claustrophobic. The contrast between the black carpet and the white office furniture combines to make it sleek and chic. I love this office. I can easily picture myself working here. But do you really want to work for Drake? The voice in my head counters. Who knows? The man might be insufferable, yet, maybe as a boss, he won’t be so bad. Just as long as he knows the boundaries and doesn’t cross the line, then it won’t be a problem.

I stride inside and immediately start working. I turn on the computer and place my purse in my desk drawer. Since I don’t have any office supplies, I seek out the supply room. It’s easily found because the room has a ‘Supply Room’ nameplate on the oak door.

Unknowingly, I start to whistle, but stop when I hear mewling sounds and sobs coming from somewhere in the room. I pursue the sounds to find out who they are coming from. I find a stylish, dressed to impress, black woman hunched over the copying machine, crying.

I tense. I guess she didn’t hear me?

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