Pun not intended.
“You’re on holiday, Julia, we can talk work in a few months’ time,” I say. She’s holding a clipboard in front of her, and looking professional in white and black, her staple black-framed glasses perched on her nose. “I can’t believe you flew all the way here.”
“I live in Sydney, not the other side of the world,” she replies, rolling her eyes.
I sigh. I don’t think she’s getting the point. I pause. “How did you even know where I lived?”
“Tane, I’m the one that booked the real-estate appointments for you.”
Oh, right.
I pull out my keys slowly, really not wanting to open the door. I cannot see this ending well, and I don’t need any more points against me.
“Look Julia, why don’t you go stay at a hotel, enjoy yourself, and we can talk work soon,” I tell her, trying to act casual about it.
“Tane, I’ve missed you,” she says, pouting slightly.
And there it is.
“We’ve spoken about this before …”
“I know,” she replies. “I know you said we aren’t anything to each other, but at least I still got to see you all the time. Now I don’t even get that.”
“I’m your boss,” I say. “It’s unprofessional of you to just show up at my house unannounced when you know damn well I’m taking some time off.”
“I was bored,” she snaps, losing her composure for a second.
How is her boredom my problem? She’s been paid to handle my PR and be my assistant; surely there is something she could do?
A thought occurs to me. “How did you get here?”
“I took a taxi from the airport.”
Of course she did.
It’s only then I see her mini-suitcase behind her. This is so f**king awkward.
“Let me make a phone call, then I’ll drive you to a hotel,” I tell her as I fumble with my keys. I unlock the front door and let her in.
“Help yourself to whatever you want,” I tell her, gesturing to the fridge.
“Okay,” she replies as I walk into my bedroom, locking the door behind me. I pull out my phone and call Giselle, wanting to tell her what was going on here. Last thing I need is her thinking that I’m doing something behind her back. She doesn’t pick up and I wonder what she and Parker are up to right now. Hopefully they are having more fun than me.
I call again with no answer, so I open my door, ready to get rid of my assistant.
When I hear Giselle’s voice, I cringe.
Fuck.
I wish I could have told her what was going on so she didn’t have to walk in on another woman in my house.
“Who the f**k are you?” I hear Julia ask in a bitchy tone.
“I’m Tane’s girlfriend. Who are you?” Giselle snaps back.
She’s mine? At least she’s admitting it now.
Julie clucks her tongue. “Oh, honey, you won’t believe how many women think they are Tane’s …”
Like her, maybe?
“Sorry to inform you,” she continues, “but Tane isn’t the settling down type.”
My cue to enter.
Giselle looks up and narrows her pretty eyes on me. Parker is nowhere in sight, thank God.
“She’s my assistant, and she’s just leaving,” I tell Giselle. I walk over to Giselle and give her a kiss on her forehead, ignoring her stiff posture and dirty looks.
I turn to Julia. “This is Giselle, and she’s a hell of a lot more than my girlfriend. She’s the mother of my child and the woman I plan on marrying one day. If she will have me.”
I hear Giselle’s gasp. I sneak a look at her, hoping I haven’t creeped her out. She looks surprised, her mouth dropping open. Julia, on the other hand, laughs cattily. “Yeah, right.”
“That’s enough,” I snap. “Julia I’ll call you a taxi.”
I pull out my phone and do just that, leaving her gaping at the fact I wasn’t even going to drive her to a hotel now. What I really wanted to do was fire her ass so I never had to see her again.
I watch out of the corner of my eye as she stands up. “Do you know what? I quit. Try not to f**k your next assistant.”
With that parting shot, she walks out the door, dragging her mini suitcase behind her. I turn to Giselle, who is staring at the spot Julia just departed.
“You were sleeping with your PA?” she asks, disappointment dripping from her tone.
“I slept with her once. Over a year ago,” I explain. “Just after Keiran died.”
It’s not an excuse, but an explanation. I clearly wasn’t in my right mind.
“I see,” she murmurs, staring down at the tattoos on her arm.
“Where’s Parker?” I ask, changing the subject.
“Back at Gage’s. We went to the beach today, and now we’re having a BBQ. I came to see if you wanted to come.”
And instead she got caught up in this.
“She just dropped by. I had no idea,” I try to explain. “I’m sorry you had to see that.”
“I’m sorry too,” she bites outs, looking anywhere but at me. “I think I should go.”
“Giselle—”
“Its fine, Tane,” she replies, looking down. “I hate the thought of you touching another woman, but I know that it happened. A lot. Seeing it takes it to a whole different level though.”
“Seeing it?”