Chapter 10: MY BEST FRIEND WANTS TO SET ME UP WITH MY BOSS

LILA

My head is banging as I leave Mr. Sterling’s office, and immediately I reach the elevator, I find myself dialling Maya, my best friend.

She picks up on the second ring.

“Hey Bestie!”

“Hi Maya.”

"So how has work been? I was expecting a call yesterday, but don’t worry, I won’t hold it against you. I do expect you to tell me every single detail, however."

"I will, babe. Over drinks. I need a drink," I say.

A brief pause. "Damn girl, are they killing you with work over there? You don’t normally drink, so why do you need a drink and... ahem, how many drinks are we talking about?"

I think about the last forty-eight hours.

"I’m gonna need a lot, babe," I say.

"So Corrigan’s then. See you!"

The rest of the work day is stressful, but I do manage to finish with my tasks shortly before close of business by 6pm. I quickly head home, change my clothes and head to meet Maya.

Maya is already there when I arrive, seated in our usual corner booth with two glasses of wine. She is small, caramel skinned and with her hair done in box braids so colourful that at first glance, you would not be able to guess that she is an accountant working in a high profile finance firm.

She gives me a quizzical look as I slide into the booth across from her.

"Okay," she says. "You look terrible."

"Thank you, Maya."

She chuckles. "Not terrible terrible. Terrible like something happened. And you sounded like you were being haunted over the phone." She pushes one of the glasses toward me. "Drink first. Then talk."

I take a long, shaky sip of wine.

"Something happened," I say.

"I could tell. Is it work-related or Ezra-related?"

"Neither." I pause. "Or... both. But neither."

She frowns. "Okay?"

“It’s mostly my boss...”

Maya jerks so suddenly, she nearly spills her drink. “You mean Mr. Alexander Sterling?”

“Ehmmm... how do you know his name?”

“I did my research. Had to know the needful about where my bestie is working, of course. And I know...” She leans closer. “That he is smoking hot. Like Greek god kinda hot. And rich. And tall, like an entire unit. Oh, and very single. What is it? Do you fancy him? Would be kind of expected, really. I mean, I know I would. I kind of already do.”

I laugh. “You’re insane, Maya. And no, I do not fancy him.”

She gives me a look. “Sure, whatever you say, baby.”

“I don’t!”

“Really. But you fancy Ezra? Your taste in men is questionable at best.”

“Hey!” I tuck a hair behind my ear. “Ezra is very attractive.”

“Very? You’re giving him way too much credit, baby. He’s mid at best. Plus with that shitty, asshole personality...”

“Well, I love him. And... everyone has their flaws. I’m not perfect, why should I expect him to be?”

“Sure everyone has their flaws. But Ezra has more than his fair share of flaws. Like tell me exactly, how many times has he made you cry, huh, Lila?”

I almost consider telling her of the last time that Ezra made me cry. Last night. When he dismissed and belittled me. But I know that Maya already sees him as the devil and that will just further taint his image in her eyes. Plus he did apologise, and quite sincerely too.

"Look, enough about Ezra.”

“Yes, girl. Back to the sizzling hot Alexander Sterling. So... what about him?”

I take a deep breath and my mind goes through my carefully curated story, the bare minimum that I can say without exposing what will get me killed.

“My boss, Mr. Sterling, has asked me to relocate," I say. "As a... work requirement. He wants me to move into his building."

Maya freezes, her drink halfway to her mouth. Then, a slow, wicked grin spreads across her face. "Lila. Are you telling me that Alexander Sterling, the most eligible, terrifyingly wealthy bachelor in New York, just offered you a room in his building?"

"It’s not like that, Maya! Several of his associates live in his building for high profile legal work and he wants to recruit me to be part of the team. It's just a work arrangement."

Maya takes a few sips of her wine, that mischievous look still on her face.

“I’m serious, Maya. It’s nothing but work.”

“Okay, girl.”

I laugh. “You’re so unserious, gosh.”

Maya leans forward. "But what's he actually like? The boss."

"He's..." I pause. "He is the most unsettling person I have ever been in a room with. Very tall, as you said. Has this way of looking at you. Dominating. Doesn’t have to raise his voice to be very authoritative."

Maya grins. "Ohh, he does sound as incredibly hot as he looks."

I sigh. “You’re unbelievable.”

"And you... baby girl, you are about to have the adventure of your life." She leans forward. "Lila. He asked you to move into his building."

"For work reasons."

"Sure, sure whatever. And you said yes?"

"I didn't have a lot of..." I stop. "There weren't many other options on the table."

"What does that mean?"

"It means it was non-negotiable." I take a longer sip of wine.

"Lila, girl. Your boss asked you to move into his building and you agreed, and you are sitting here telling me this is purely professional."

"Yes!"

“Girl...”

"Maya, he’s not interested! Let me tell you how not interested he was. He laughed at me when I asked if we were sharing a room.”

And it kind of stings that he found the question so ludicrous. But I don’t want to even know why it stung so much for me.

“And so what? He could be putting an act. For all we know, he fancies you and this could be the beginning of a sizzling hot romance.”

“I’m in a committed relationship, Maya.”

Maya snots. “Yeah. With stick-up-his-ass Ezra. Look, girl, you and Ezra? You’re like a slow-motion car crash. He belittles you, he cancels on you, and he sometimes treats you like you’re a burden. You bring yourself lower, make yourself smaller to suit his ego when the truth is that you could be doing so much better than that asshole. Like, have you even taken a look at yourself? You’re gorgeous. I bet Alexander wants a bit of all that.” She waves her hand through my face. “And has used this work bullshit as an excuse to get a bit of your fine ass.”

I laugh, remembering Mr. Sterling’s expression as he told me of the mandatory move. He clearly was not very excited about it. “Trust me, I highly doubt that.”

“Okay. I’m just saying. Maybe a mysterious, brooding hotshot is exactly what you need to finally cut the cord with Ezra."

I rub my forehead. “Look, that’s not my concern right now. How do I tell Ezra about this? How do I tell my landlord and cancel my lease? The move is too sudden and honestly, I’m kind of scared.”

"You can sublet. And don’t act like you’re emotionally attached to that damn apartment of yours, with the damp spot on the ceiling and the shower that never gets hot enough and the wonky radiator. I mean, for anything, I bet that man lives in one hell of a building. You’re about to live in luxury.”

I laugh. “Luxury is a stretch. Maybe in a more comfortable place.”

Maya finishes the rest of her drink. “Whatever you say. And oh, Lila, for the love of God, if he actually has a thing for you, don’t jeopardise it for Ezra Combe.”