Page 38 of Runaway Bride for the Boss

“She’s too in love with his money to see his flaws, or how awfully he had treated me.” I sigh as I make my way back to thecouch. “Anyway, we got into a bit of an argument. She drove to his office while we were on the phone and asked me to hold, so I could talk to him.”

Her jaw drops in surprise. “She what?!”

“I hung up on her—”

“Good for you!”

I smile as I remember Alex saying something similar last week, but the smile fades when thoughts of him quickly shift to what we were doing mere minutes ago. I continue talking. I can’t think about him right now.

“I was crying when I ran into Ezra. He was kind enough to take me to dinner to get my mind off things. It was strictly platonic,” I add when her brows go up.

She watches me quietly for a moment. “Okay. I believe you. Did he drive you home?”

“Um, no, Alex did. He coincidentally showed up for dinner at the same restaurant with a business associate. I think it was someone Ezra knew. He mentioned her name…was it Carlie or Charlie?” I frown as I wonder which one it is, hoping Andrea won’t question why Alex drove me home.

“Charlie? About this tall with blonde bangs?” she asks, raising a hand up to her eye level.

“Yeah, she seemed to be the same height as me. I wasn’t really paying close attention, but I could swear her eyes are different colors.”

“Oh, my God, yes! That’s Charlotte Square. She was in town, hey? I can see why Alex drove you home. Ezra must have ditched as soon as he saw her.” She nods. I hesitate, not seeing what she’s seeing. Ezra did look surprised to see her.

“Is there history between them?”

She sighs and explains, “Yeah, a long time ago. Anyway, I'm done talking about other people. I need to enjoy my first night off the bar in months. Let’s watch a movie.” She sits next to meon the couch and picks up the TV remote from the marble coffee table.

“First night off in months? Why?” As the boss, shouldn’t she be able to take nights off as she wishes?

“It’s just been Keith and me, and I can’t leave him alone. He’d get overwhelmed. Now that you’re with us, though, maybe I’ll take a real night off one of these days.”

She scrolls through Netflix for a moment and sits back as she selects a rom com. The opening credits play, and I settle into the couch, trying to focus on the movie instead of the large, muscular man who was inside me only an hour ago.

CHAPTER 22

AUTUMN

The next morning, I glance out my window and smile at the sight of ice sparkling on every tree, leaf, and blade of grass across Alex’s entire front yard. A haze has settled near the ground, creating an enchanting display. I open the window just a little to inhale the sharp bite of the fresh air. Winter is here, and right on time. Today is the first of December. Let the Christmas countdown begin, my absolute favorite time of year!

I close the window and go to the bathroom to get ready. After dressing, I hesitate. What if Alex is still home, and I run into him? This is his house, after all, and according to Andrea, the roads have been closed, so he’ll most likely hang around. But he’s a busy man; surely he’ll be holed up in his office, making calls all day.

I debate staying in my room all day, but there’s almost next to nothing to do on my phone. I haven’t logged on to social media, partly in fear that Larson might use it to track me, and partly because I know he’s probably sent me a ton of messages. Once I log in, he’ll know that I’ve received them and my hiding days are over. Essentially, the only thing I’ve done since I’ve gotten this phone was call Mom. I’m too scared to even log intomy iCloud because we share accounts. He’ll be notified once I do.

How did I let myself fall so completely under his control? At first, I thought it was his way of showing affection. But eventually whenever I tried to put my foot down, it turned into a huge fight, so I just did what he wanted to avoid conflict. Sure, Alex is controlling in his own way. He did nearly drag me out of a public restaurant yesterday without even asking for an explanation. But when I retaliated and pushed back, he seemed to love it. I noticed the heat in his eyes when I yelled at him; it was turning him on. I know I shouldn’t compare the two, but where Larson tried to keep me under his thumb and scolded me for having an opinion, Alex seems to encourage my emotions. He wants me to fight for myself, while Larson wanted control.

However, I’m getting stronger and someday soon, I’ll reach out to have a conversation and break up properly. It’s the least I can do to give him some closure. I’m sure Mom has told him that I called her, and he’s probably trying to trace the call. Thank God, I had the foresight to hide my ID.

A sharp rap rattles my door, shaking me out of my thoughts. “Yo, Autumn, you up?”

Andrea. I smile as I open the door. “Yes, I’m up. What’s up?”

“Mrs. Staten has breakfast ready, so come on.”

I hesitate. Will Alex be there? I can’t ask her that, of course. It would be weird. “How is Mrs. Staten here? Aren’t the roads closed?”

Andrea rolls her eyes in exasperation. “She lives on the property, silly. She has a cottage on the compound. She lives with Greg.”

I blink. “Greg? As in the butler?”

“Yeah, he’s her husband,” she exclaims, and my jaw drops. Greg is a bit stiff and formal. I’ve been living here for a week, and he still hasn’t warmed up to me, whereas Mrs. Staten took to mefrom the very first day we met. And she’s very chatty. Greg has a shocking mop of gray hair, while Mrs. Staten’s hair is devoid of any color but an unassuming brown. They couldn’t be any more different if they tried.

---