“And you still encouraged me to work for him?”
“Yes, because despite all that, I trust him. I knew he’d take care of you.”
“You also told me not to—”
“Sleep with him? Yes, I did, because I didn’t want this for you. I didn’t want you to get hurt.”
“I’m not hurt because we had one night and no repeat. He doesn’t even—”
“He wants to keep you safe. I’d say that means you matter more than a one-night stand.”
I sighed. That might be true, but it didn’t make me feel any better.
“Do you want your job here back?”
I thought about that while eating another bite of cake. “I’m not sure. I don’t know if I can face Leo again, and I don’t know if he wants me back. I left in the middle of my shift without telling anyone.”
She laid a reassuring hand on my shoulder. “That wasn’t ideal, but I think he’ll understand. Think about it. Whatever you decide, I’ll support you.”
“Didn’t you hire someone to take my place?”
“I’ll work it out.”
Someone knocked on the door. “Cathy? Are you still there?”
It was Leo.
“Just a second,” she called. I considered hiding, but I was going to have to talk to him eventually whether I kept working for him or came back to work at the café. He was a good customer and a friend to Cathy. I wouldn’t screw that up for her.
When Cathy opened the door, Leo looked around the room, and his eyes landed on me. “Thank God you’re here.”
In the months I’d known Leo, I’d never seen him look worried like he did then. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have left like that. It was irresponsible of me.”
“I don’t give a fuck about you being irresponsible. I was afraid you’d been… That someone had…”
Oh shit. “You were really serious when you said I could be in danger?”
He glanced at Cathy, who looked ready to tear him apart.
“I said you could be if you keep poking around, not that I think you are now. But when I came out front and you weren’t there, and no one had seen you come out from the back… I needed to find you.”
The way he looked at me then was so intense I had to turn away. He was doing it again, making me think there was something between us, something more than an employer/employee relationship. I knew that wasn’t true, though. He’d told me he made a mistake kissing me.
He’s your boss.
That was true, but it didn’t make his rejection any easier. I’d heard other people at the shop talk. I knew he’d fucked one of the first artists he’d hired.
I also knew it had ended badly, and even though I could logically understand why he wanted to keep distance between us, it still hurt.
Cathy had known this was a bad idea. She’d warned me that my soft heart was going to get broken, but she let me make my own choices, and I couldn’t be upset with her about that.
“I’m fine.” I said even though I was anything but. I hadn’t been kidnapped by drug lords, or stolen away by rival spies, or something equally dangerous. I was just disappointed and lonely. That was all too normal for me.
He glanced from Cathy to me, once again looking oddly unsure. “Why don’t you take the rest of the day off and come in at your usual time tomorrow.”
“Okay, I… Sure.”
“I’ll… um… see you then.” He turned and walked out, closing the door behind him. I almost ran after him, but I knew better. I’d learned my lesson.
“Wow!” Cathy was staring at the door as if Leo might reappear.
“Yeah, I know. I fucked up.”
She shook her head. “No. I mean, wow, he really likes you. I’ve never seen him like that with anyone.”
“He probably doesn’t bring his one-night stands into the café.”
“He has on occasion. He’s a good enough man to buy someone breakfast before sending them on their way.”
Of course he was.
“But the way he looked at you. He was really worried about you.”
I shrugged. “I guess he was, but it’s just because he feels responsible for me.”
She shook her head. “He also looked at you like he wanted to devour you. I almost felt like I should leave the room.”
I rolled my eyes. “He’s not—”
“He is. I’m not saying you should pursue him or that he should pursue you. I still think that’s a disaster waiting to happen, but there is something there, and it’s not one-sided.”
“So you think I should show up at work tomorrow? That I shouldn’t come back here?”
“I think you should take some time to think about it.”
“What about whatever he’s involved in that might put me in danger?”
“No one else who’s worked for him has had any problems.”
“Yes, but what if he…” I couldn’t bring myself to say it. It made the possibility too real. “What if it’s different for me? What if for some reason I’m a target when no one else who’s worked there has been?”