Page 34 of My Billionaire Boss Crush

The kiss with Alex had been great, more than great, in fact. It was everything I didn’t even know I wanted and more. Yet, I worry that it may change something between us.

After all, the last time Alex and I kissed, he had withdrawn from me until I assured him that we could just be friends. He and I have come a long way since then, finding a balance between our professional relationship and a budding friendship.

The thought of losing him over a kiss, albeit a wonderful one, makes my stomach churn badly. I press my fingers against my lips and bite my nails, ignoring that chastising tone my father’s voice usually takes whenever he catches me biting my nails, as I rise to my feet while debating whether or not to call Alex and feign a terrible sickness to get out of this trip.

And if I wasn’t so sure that Alex would drop everything and come running if I told him I was sick, I would have picked up the phone and called right then and there. A groan slips out my mouth, and I turn to the array of clothes on my bed just as my alarm alerts me that I have less than an hour left to be ready for Alex’s driver.

As I pace around my bedroom, hastily stuffing clothes into my suitcase, the phone on my bedside table starts ringing, jolting me out of my packing frenzy. I glance at the caller ID and see that it's my father. Taking a deep breath, I pick up the phone and answer with a mixture of anticipation and trepidation.

"Hey, Dad. What's up?" I greet him; my voice laced with a hint of excitement and nervousness.

"Hey, sweetheart! Just wanted to catch up with my favorite daughter," he replies, his warm and familiar voice instantly putting me at ease.

I chuckle softly, appreciating his playful remark. "Well, you only have one daughter, so I guess I win that title by default."

We share a moment of laughter, and I can almost picture his infectious smile on the other end of the line. It feels good to hear his voice, especially now when I'm about to embark on this trip with Alex, not knowing what to expect.

"So, tell me, how's the vineyard coming along?" I ask, my voice filled with curiosity and a touch of apprehension. The last time we spoke, he mentioned hiring more people to work on the vine and winery while I resisted the urge to warn him to be careful.

There's a brief pause before my father responds. "Well, I must say, it's been quite a ride so far. Everything is working perfectly fine." He launches into a vivid description of the work going on and their progress so far, his excitement reminding me of when things were great before the fire.

By the time he’s done, even I am grinning at the picture he has painted. “I believe in you, Dad,” I tell him, and the breath he sucks in tells me how much my words mean to him. “If anyone can restore the family business to what it used to be, it’s you.” My father had once been a successful and ruthless businessman in the game, and I have no doubt that he still retains that goal-getting streak of his.

“Thank you, sweetheart,” he says. There’s another pause, a longer one this time, before he continues. “So, how’s it going with Graves?”

Suddenly finding the thread sticking out of my pashmina more interesting, I pick at it as I struggle with a response. Eventually, I settled for “Fine.”

“Fine? Is he not treating you well? Are you still having trouble with the other employees? Trust me, I can come down there and have a word with Alexander to make sure none of them keep bothering you…”

“No, Dad, seriously. I’m fine. Everything is fine.” Ugh, I never should have told him about how hard it was for me to fit into Alex’s company at the beginning. “Trust me, things are way better now.”

“Okay, if you say so. It seems like you’ve left quite the impression on Graves too.”

I raise an eyebrow, trying to decipher his tone. "Impression? Good or bad?"

Dad chuckles again. "Definitely good, sweetheart. You've exceeded expectations, as always. They're impressed by your dedication and work ethic. In fact, just the other day at the social club, Alex mentioned the possibility of a promotion in the near future."

Surprise jolts me into an upright position. I mean, I know that the men in our circle have a club where they usually get to relax once in a while, and it’s quite possible for my dad and Alex to run into each other on occasion, but… “You and Alex talked about me?”

“Of course we did, sweetheart. Although, he seemed a bit distraught the last time we spoke… woman troubles perhaps. Some of the men gave him a hard time about it,” he chuckles. “Anyway, he spoke really highly of you. He said you were good at your job, and he couldn’t think of a better candidate.”

Relief washes over me, and I can't help but smile. Knowing that I've made a positive impact on Alex and his company gives me a much-needed boost of confidence. "That's amazing, Dad! I've been working so hard to prove myself. It's great to know that it's paying off."

"I never doubted it for a second," he replies, his voice filled with pride. "You've always had this determination and drive within you. I knew you would thrive in this job."

As I zip up my suitcase and sit down on the edge of my bed, I feel a wave of gratitude for my father's unwavering support. His belief in me has been a constant source of motivation throughout my life.

"I couldn't have done it without your help, Dad," I say sincerely. "Thank you for using your connections to get me this opportunity."

His voice softens, and I can sense a mixture of emotions behind his next words. "Sweetheart, it's not just about connections. Yes, I pulled some strings, but it was your talent and hard work that sealed the deal. Remember, you earned this."

A lump forms in my throat as his words sink in. It's easy to downplay my accomplishments and attribute them solely to external factors, but my father reminds me that my efforts have played a significant role in my success. "I won't forget that, Dad," I reply, my voice filled with sincerity. "I promise to keep working hard and making you proud."

"I'm already proud of you, sweetheart," he says gently. "Just keep doing what you love, and the rest will fall into place."

A warm silence envelops us, and I feel a sense of calm wash over me. My father's unwavering support has always been my anchor, grounding me in times of doubt and uncertainty.

As I hang up the phone and place it back on the bedside table, I can't help but feel a surge of excitement mingled with a touch of nervousness. With my father's encouragement and my own determination, I'm ready to take on this work trip and whatever challenges await me.

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