by Roya Carmen
She blows out a breath. “I’m glad to hear that.”
“Now can we quit it with the interrogation and just enjoy our meal?” Claudia pipes in. “This is my cheat day, and I’d like to make the most of it.”
“Let’s talk about the Brazilian I just got instead,” Abigail chimes in.
“What?!” we all say in unison.
Abigail laughs. “Claudia made me do it.”
“It makes sex so much better,” Claudia explains.
“So what’s the verdict?” I ask, curious, wondering how Weston would react if I went completely bare.
“Never again!” she says, and we all break into laughter.
“How did Abe like it?” Claudia asks. “He must have loved it.”
Abigail smiles. “He liked it enough I guess, but when I told him how much pain it involved, he told me he liked me either way.”
I smile, thankful for my best friend. I’d never tell the others, but Abby is my number one girl.
42
Monday morning rolls around, and I’m giddy. I can’t wait to see Weston again. I guess that’s what being in love is. I think about Mischa’s words. She’s right. I need to proceed cautiously. Love sometimes makes you blind, and I need to have my eyes wide open for Ethan. His happiness comes before mine.
Yet, I can’t imagine Weston ever hurting us. He’s too kind. He’s too good. But perhaps I’m wearing rose colored glasses. I just don’t know what to think anymore. I hear Mischa’s words. I see Weston’s smile. I hear Ethan’s laughter. I feel my own heart. I just don’t know.
I shake my head and fetch Ethan’s sweater. “It’s Monday,” I tell him. “Do you know what that means?”
He shakes his head as I slip on the sweater.
“It means grandma is coming over.”
He squeals. He loves his grandma.
I hurry to get him dressed, and feed him breakfast before Patricia gets here. He’s sucking on an orange slice when she finally arrives.
“Hey, little guy,” she coos. “I missed you.” She reaches for a hug.
“Well, I should be going,” I tell her. “I’m running a little late.”
“Mondays…” she says.
“Another day, another dollar,” I joke as I make my way out.
“You have yourself a good day,” she calls out.
“You too… thanks again.”
I scurry down the hallway, and blow out a long breath as soon as I step into the elevator. Mornings are such a rush, and I always feel so stressed, especially on Mondays.
I’m still flustered as I step into our office, and set my briefcase down.
Rosetta smiles up at me. “How was your weekend?” she asks with a playful grin.
“Fantastic,” I tell her. “How was yours?”
“Same old, same old.”
She’s still smiling, and I wonder what she’s up to. “Boss Man would like to see you immediately in his office.”
“Really?”
“Really…” she says. “The man must really like buttering your biscuit, Honey. Just go ahead… you’ll see.”
My nerves stand to attention. What is going on? I hurry down the hall of his office, and my breath hitches when I finally see him.
He’s beautiful in a dark suit, sitting on the loveseat. His smile is playful, but also a little unsure. He’s surrounded by about a dozen bouquets of red roses, and petals on the floor surround his shiny loafers.
“What is this?” I ask, confused. “What’s happening?”
He rises and stretches out his arm. I take his hand, and he leads me to the loveseat. I sit down, trembling a little.
“These roses are amazing.”
“Red,” he says. “A red rose is the deepest expression of love.”
I’m speechless as my gaze darts around the room. There are some roses on his desk, on the tables in the corners. There must be two dozen dozens.
He takes my hand in his. “I love you, Gretchen,” he says softly. “With all my heart. I’m not sure if I’ve properly expressed it before but I’m telling you now.”
His words steal my breath away. I want to tell him I love him too, but I just can’t speak.
“I know it may sound crazy,” he goes on. “It’s only been six weeks. But when I know, I know. I don’t fall often,” he explains. “But when I do, I fall hard.”
My mouth hangs open, completely useless.
“I’ve only fallen in love three times in my life,” he tells me. “I know exactly what it looks like, what it feels like. And this is it, Gretchen. It’s unmistakable.”
“Weston…” is all I manage to say.
“I want to spend the rest of my life with you and Ethan,” he continues, and there’s so much emotion in his eyes, it scares me.
“You made me love again, Gretchen,” he goes on. “Mirella and I broke each other’s hearts, and I never thought I’d be able to love again. I’d completely given up. And then you showed up.”
I can’t take all this in. It’s too much. I can’t hold the tears. I completely crumble.
He kisses me softly, the taste of my tears salty on our lips.
This kind of love is worth the risk. I can’t be afraid anymore. I need to believe, and let myself fall into it. I pull myself from his grip.
“I… I love you too, Weston,” I finally manage. “So much, it scares me to death. I’ve been so afraid.”
He takes my hand and kisses the pads of my fingers. “Afraid of what?”
“Afraid that you didn’t care about me as much as I did about you. Afraid that you would break my heart. And Ethan’s too.”
His face falls. “Oh, Gretchen… I could never,” he says softly. “I could never hurt you and Ethan. Not in a million years.”
He wraps me in his arms, and I cry on his shoulder, yet again. I revel in the warmth and comfort of him. I feel safe in his arms, loved. I know he will never hurt me.
We finally break apart, and he reaches into his pocket. My breath hitches when he pulls out a black velvet box. He smiles playfully as he pops open the lid.
He presents me with the most stunning ring I’ve ever seen, a white gold, octagon shaped beauty. A large diamond sits at its center, surrounded by small sapphires.
I’m speechless.
“So…” he falters. “Is… is it a yes?”
I’m teary-eyed as I bounce into his arms. “Of course… yes!”
We hold each other tightly, but I’m quick to pull away because I want to take another look at the ring.
“It’s vintage,” he tells me. “Art Deco. I thought you’d like it.”
I’m still slack jawed. “I do. I love it.”
He gently pulls it out of its bed. “May I?”
I smile up at him. “Yes, you may, Mr. Hanson.”
He grins playfully as he takes my hand.
“This is crazy,” I point out.
He delicately slips the ring on my finger. “I know. But think of it as a promise ring. There’s no rush to jump into anything. We can take things as slow as you wish.” He studies the ring for the longest time. “It looks perfect on you.”
“Gretchen Morris-Hanson,” I say. “What do you think?”
He smiles. “Sounds perfect.”
He raises his gaze to mine, and we get lost in each other for a long beat.
He finally kisses me, a long slow sensual kiss. In his kiss, I see it all. Our future. Our wedding. Our children. Ethan by his side, reading books, building Lego houses. Lovemaking, walks on the beach. Nights out on Broadway. Intimate dinners. Days spent at the zoo and the aquarium.
When we finally come to, my heart practically leaps out of my chest. Rosetta is standing there, staring at us.
“Sorry, I couldn’t wait,” she says. “Did she say yes?”
We both smile up at her. “Well of course I did!”
She lunges at me, and wraps me in a big hug. “I’m so happy for you. You two are perfect for each other.”
Following what I think might be th
e longest hug known to man, she finally releases me. “Thank God you came around, Honey. Before you, he was such a grouchy curmudgeon. And then you came, and work’s been a lot more fun.”
I laugh. “Glad I could help. Thank God he’s getting his Twinkie stinky again.”
“Tell me about it.” She laughs. “You keep wiggling his toothpick, girl.”
Weston and I both shake our heads. Rosetta gets on both of our nerves sometimes, but we wouldn’t have it any other way.
Epilogue
Six months later.
It’s my turn to host again, and I’ve made strawberry smoothies and scones. I thought I’d shake things up today. We always have coffee and tea, muffins and cookies. Ethan is sure loving it.
I’ve had a lot more time on my hands these past few weeks. I loved my job, but I don’t miss it. Taking care of Ethan and working a full-time job was exhausting and stressful. He hasn’t exactly told me, but I know Ethan is happy to have me home again.
The campaign was a hit. Apparently, the response has been great, according to Weston and Rosetta anyway. I’ve washed my hands of it, but I still poke my nose in once in a while.
“Let me know if you need any help with anything, love,” Mischa says. “With the organizing and stuff.”
“Thanks Mischa, but I think I’ll be fine.”
Abigail’s gaze darts about my living area and all the stacked boxes. “You have a lot of stuff.”
“I know, I’ve been packing all week.”
“So any wedding plans?” Claudia asks, curious.
I smile. “We’re not in a hurry, so not too many plans yet, but Weston wants us to get married at Shedd. Everyone is so excited. It’s all my mom can talk about.”
Claudia’s eyes grow wide. “I can’t wait,” she cheers. “It will be fantastic, dancing next to sharks, eating our entrées next to clown fish.”
“I’ve been there before for a wedding reception,” Mischa chimes in. “It was fabulous.”
“So how does Patricia get on with Weston?” Mischa asks. “It must be strange for her to see you with a new man.”
“Famously,” I tell her. “She’s just happy for me and Ethan. At first, I think she was a bit wary but when she witnessed how Weston is with Ethan, she was completely sold.”
“I can’t wait to be a bridesmaid again,” Claudia cuts in, abruptly changing the subject. I love how excited she is.
“So many weddings,” Mischa points out. “It’s fantastic.”
I smile. Abe and Abby’s wedding is in July, and ours is still to be determined. There’s just too much going on in my life right now. I’m still dealing with the consequences of Samuel’s actions. I will be a testifying witness this week. He’s not been indicted yet, but he faces charges of assault and break and enter. He will probably be looking at anywhere from six months to two years in jail, probation and community service. Thankfully, Sacha is fine in the care of her mother. Turns out, he was a wolf in sheep’s clothing. He certainly had me fooled.
I try not to focus on it too much, and the upcoming nuptials are a perfect distraction. The bridesmaid dresses for Abby’s wedding are a rose gold. The ones for mine will be a deep navy. We’re going with a sea theme, silver and dark blue.
Claudia sets down her scone. “I need to stop eating. I need to fit in those bridesmaid dresses.”
I laugh. “Yes, I shouldn’t be tempting us like this. Abby and I need to also fit in our wedding dresses.”
Abigail perks up. “Speaking of wedding dresses… I might need to have mine taken out.”
“Really?” I say. “Too many muffins?” I know how she loves her sweets.
She smiles wide. “No…”
Our jaws drop to the floor. We know what this means.
“You’re pregnant?” Claudia trills.
Abby nods enthusiastically, and I’ve never seen her so happy. “Yes.”
I bounce off the sofa and give her a hug. The girls quickly follow. We are almost as happy as she is. We know how much she’s wanted this.
“How far along?” Mischa asks.
“Twelve weeks.”
Mischa splays a hand over her heart. “Fantastic. You’re in the safe zone now.”
“I can’t wait to see your little one,” Claudia says. “He or she is going to be the most beautiful baby in the world.”
Abby laughs.
“And what about you, Gretchen?” Mischa says. “Any plans for more?”
I blow out a breath. “Well, we need to get this wedding under our belts first. But yes, Weston and I want more kids.”
Abigail bounds off the sectional and gives me a squeeze. “I’m so excited.”
I laugh. “I’m not even pregnant yet, Abby.”
“I don’t care, I just picture our babies playing together. Yours will have dark hair and mine will be a blond cutie.”
“We can go to Mommy and Me classes together,” I joke.
“You better hurry,” she says.
“I have good news too,” Claudia announces.
“Don’t tell us you’re pregnant too,” Mischa says.
Claudia laughs. “No, James is moving in.”
Abigail reaches for her smoothie. “Wow. Things are getting pretty serious.”
“Yep, he’s the one.”
“Have you been talking about marriage?” Mischa asks.
“A little,” Claudia tells us, “but we both want to take it slow.”
Wow. It seems like just yesterday, we were all single (with the exception of Mischa). And look at us now. We’re all shacking up, getting married and having babies. I’m happy for my friends, and I know they’re happy for me.
My phone buzzes, and my heart skips a beat when I see a message from Weston. Yep, it still does that, even after all this time.
Grasshopper,
I’m hoping you can free your schedule, and join me in my office at three. I need your feedback on my latest project. I look forward to your thoughts.
Mr. Hanson
I smile. I need your feedback is code for I want to spank you and have my way with you. I eagerly type a reply.
Dear Mr. Hanson,
I will gladly meet you at three o’clock, Sir. Can’t wait.
Your little grasshopper.
His response is quick.
Wear that cute red skirt, and leave the panties at home, Miss Morris-Hanson. I want easy access. As you know, I’m a very important and busy man, and I have no time to waste.
I laugh out loud.
Will do, with pleasure, Sir. ;)
“Was that Mr. Dark & Mysterious?” Claudia asks. No matter how many times I ask them to call him Weston, they still insist on using his old moniker. I curse Claudia. She’s the one who initially dubbed him Mr. Dark & Mysterious.
I smile. “Yes,” I admit.
Actually, if I’m completely honest, I secretly don’t mind the nickname that much. It takes me back to the old days, when I used to admire him from afar, from the corner of my eye when we occasionally happened upon each other in the elevator or in the lobby. Our gazes often met, only to quickly scurry down to the floor. We were both so shy.
I would have never imagined in a million years that we would end up together, that Mr. Dark & Mysterious would be mine some day.
Life certainly holds its surprises, and sometimes they’re really good ones.
The End.
A note from the author:
Hi! Thanks so much for reading THE BOSS UPSTAIRS. I hope you enjoyed Gretchen and Weston’s story. If you loved Weston and want to know all about his relationship with Mirella, check out The Ground Rules trilogy. There’s an excerpt of the first chapter of Book 1 at the end of this book. Book 1 can be read as a standalone, but if you read Book 2, you’ll want to read Book 3 as well. Also, if you enjoyed this story, please consider telling your friends , or writing a review and checking out my other novels.
To stay in the know about all my new releases, sales and freebies, please subscribe to my newsletter or follow me on socia
l media. (Links below).
Roya Carmen Goodreads
Roya Carmen Facebook Page
Roya Carmen Twitter
Roya Carmen Instagram
Cheers!
Acknowledgements
I would like to thank my amazing family for always supporting my writing endeavors.
I would also like to thank all my amazing readers. Thank you so much for reading all my stories and sending me messages and comments… I love it! Many thanks to all those who have shared my books, whether it be by telling a friend, writing a review, or sharing on social media. Thank you to all the wonderful bloggers who have supported The Ground Rules Trilogy, The Riverstone series, the One Week series and the Orchard Heights series. You have no idea how much that means. Reviews are crucial and word of mouth is key. Without all of you, I wouldn’t be here.
Again, thank you to my wonderful Beta readers, Chancy, Geneva, Melissa, Veronika, and Louise. You gals are all amazing, and good friends. I can’t thank you all enough. I’m very lucky to have you all.
And finally, thank you to all my book friends!
About the Author
Roya Carmen is a book junkie, self-professed chocoholic and hopeless romantic. A graduate of Ryerson University, she worked in Graphic Communications before becoming a stay-at-home mom. She has always loved writing, finding her passion for romance in 2008. She enjoys spending time with her family, camping, playing billiards, and painting. And of course, there is nothing she enjoys more than sitting down at her laptop and making up stories – and if those stories should include beautiful men, a little romance, and a few steamy scenes, all the better!
Roya lives north of Toronto with her husband and three children.