Page 101 of The Boss and the Wedding Mess

"You really want to eat now?" he asks me. He sounds angry.

"I last ate at noon today, so yes."

I need to think. Calmly. That's hard to do when he's staring at me the whole time!

"You've made your choice," Alexander says then, without taking his eyes off me.

"My contract expires in a week, and you haven't even had a conversation with me about how things should proceed," I tell him reproachfully.

“I would have. Next week.”

"Besides, it's not a good idea for us to keep working together. Too much has happened."

"It's working fine. Isn't it?"

That's enough.

"You're having an affair with Stephanie. Your best friend's wife! She's married!"

"What?" Alexander looks completely surprised.

"I've suspected it for a long time, but now she's there at lunch everyday and..."

"She's pregnant."

"You got her pregnant?" I snap at him angrily.

"It's Marc's. She's just my best friend and yes, she’s really clingy right now, but there's nothing between us. There never was anything and there never will be."

And just like that, the wind is taken out of my sails.

"That's why you wanted to leave?"

"Things are strange between us. Your behavior hurt me. So yes. I wanted to leave because I can't stand it anymore. I thought you wanted to hire her as your new PA and..."

"Nonsense. She doesn't even have your qualifications."

That should flatter me now, but I'm far too upset about it.

There's another knock at the door and the server brings the tea and water. "Have you decided on an appetizer yet?"

"Not yet. Please give us a few more minutes." Alexander nods to the server, who immediately leaves again. Her interruption has lightened the situation briefly.

“Why are you acting so strange with me then?" I ask him directly.

"You know why, and I'm no longer willing to pretend I don't know about it."

What on earth is he talking about?

"Because I have feelings for you? Yeah, okay. That's true. You showed me the starry sky, and we slept together three times. It just happened. I can't turn them off!"

I'm getting louder than I intended, Alex, on the other hand, remains calm.

"I meant the other thing."

"Because I applied to Matthias? I had to assume you wouldn't hire me permanently. So, I looked for alternatives. I have bills to pay!"

He doesn't need to know that I have good savings.