Page 22 of The Jealous Boss

At this, my assistant groans. “You know I hate these things. People are always mistaking me for her. I don’t know how she stands the attention. And then Mom… ugh. At leastshe’llnever mistake me for Holly, not when she’s so great at cataloging all the ways I don’t compare.”

“Sorry, kid, family can be tough. Just be thankful you were smart enough not to go into business with yours.”

She laughs. “True that. Look, my car is here. Keep an eye out for the fax. I’ll send it ASAP.”

Before I can tell her that I’m not at home, she ends the call. Oh well, at least it will be waiting when I get back.

When I get back into the city, I still have over an hour until the bank opens. But I head over to West Portal, anyway, determined to be the first customer when the doors open.

This branch was convenient when I was married, but I haven’t set foot in it in years. Still, it’s close to Sarah’s. I consider texting Elijah to see if he wants to grab breakfast, then think better of it. I’d hate it if Sarah encroached on my parenting time, so I try to be respectful of hers. Besides, Jared was right about one thing. My ex-wifeisgoing to lose her shit.

Parking on a side street, I walk along the avenue the neighborhood was named after, trying to calm my nerves. What if Anna reacts to my proposal with the same misgivings that Jared and Heather did?

But she won’t. She can’t.

At this hour, most of the shops are still closed. And even if they weren’t, this isn’t really my neighborhood anymore. I’m reminded of that when I make it nearly all the way to my favorite diner, Manors, before remembering that it changed owners a few years back.

You can still get breakfast, but it’s pretentious now, not real diner food. Another San Francisco institution destroyed by tech bros. I know, an ironic view for the creator of one of the hottest apps to come out of this city, but still… I miss the old San Francisco sometimes.

I’m too on edge to eat, anyway, so I just grab an Americano from a Peet’s franchise. And then I wait.

A few times, I nearly pull up the security cameras but resist, although I do check the tracking software. Good. She hasn’t gone anywhere.

I’m unsure how I’m going to come clean about the stalking, but I’ve realized that it’s an unavoidable conversation. I meant what I told her last night. Honesty in a relationshipmattersto me. I didn’t have it in my last marriage, and I’ll be damned if I start this one with lies.

I only hope that she still wants to be with me after I show her the monster I’ve kept hidden all this time—and that she can forgive me for loving her perhaps a little too much.

ChapterTen

Anna

I tryto do as Drew asked, try to fall back asleep. But it’s no use—I’m wide awake. Returning to my own room, I dress and head downstairs in search of coffee. I’m about to make a pot when I see that Drew left a carafe of my favorite dark roast on the counter.

I pour myself a mug, then wander into the living room, which looks out on the same view as the master bedroom. It’s the golden hour, and the sky over the Pacific is breathtaking, a photographer’s dream. But despite the stunning view, I feel uneasy and don’t know why.

Slowly, I drink my coffee, hoping that it will improve my mood. I’m probably just tired. After all, what on Earth do I have to feel sad or anxious about? All my wildest fantasies came true last night.

Well… not all of them. But it would be moving awfully fast for Drew to say the L word after just one night. Sure,Inearly blurted it out half a dozen times, but after six years, I know Drew Chase. And while my boss is many things, he’s not impulsive.

Really, Anna? Kissing you was pretty impulsive. Maybe the nuns were right.

I need to stop believing all the things the nuns told me, though. Didn’t Drew say as much last night, claiming that the nuns were wrong about my urges being bad? How could they be wrong about that yet right about the other thing they loved to claim—that men only want sex, and once they get it, they’ll discard you?

Yeah, but Drew could have been lying…

Telling myself I’m borrowing trouble, I try to distract myself by studying. But it’s useless. I can’t focus. Even listening to music doesn’t help. Every song reminds me of him.

Restless, I wander through the house, which feels eerily empty when Drew and Elijah aren’t here. It’s big by San Francisco standards, a mansion, really. There isn’t a house in the neighborhood that sells for under five million. Yet it’s small compared to the monstrosities out in the suburbs, so before long, I end up back in the living room. Still, “small” or not, I wouldn’t trade it for anything. I love it. Living this close to the ocean is magical.

My life is magical, if I’m being honest. How lucky am I to live in a multimillion-dollar home, right on the ocean, working a job I love in a city that I never want to leave? It’s all beyond anything I ever dreamt of growing up, especially now that I know Drew feels the same way I do…

Or does he? He was in such a hurry to leave this morning. Maybe he regrets last night. Or maybe he was just that eager to see Heather. She’s way more his type than I ever could be, every bit as gorgeous as her famous sister…

Suddenly, I realize why I felt so off after Drew left. He lied.

Heather isn’t even in San Francisco today, let alone working overtime at Twinge. Her sister, Holly, is headlining a benefit concert in New York tonight. It’s been all over my social feeds for months.

Drew made me attend the Twinge Christmas party last month, even though I felt so out of place, insisting that it was forallhis employees. Desperate to make small talk, I mentioned the concert to Heather, asking if she planned to attend. She’d rolled her eyes and said something about not only was she attending, her mom was forcing her to arrive early so they could do a girls’ spa day. Heather was less than thrilled about having to take a red eye out of SFO the night before.

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