Sleeping With My Boss: A Standalone Novel (An Alpha Billionaire Romance Love Story) (A Dirty Office Romance) (60 page)

"What's
wrong, Mom?" I asked.

"Come sit
here next to me and tell me a story about what you saw today," she said
patting the bed. I climbed up and rested my head on her shoulder gingerly
laying my arm across her stomach. She wrapped her arm around me and smoothed my
hair as I told her about the guy I'd seen in Union Square and how his dog
looked just like him.

"You know how
much I love your stories, don't you, Ryan?" she asked after I'd finished
telling her everything I'd recorded in my little notebook.

"Uh huh,
why?" I asked.

"Ryan, I'm
very sick," she began. She tightened her arm around me as she spoke,
trying to squeeze out the pain she knew I was going to feel. "I think I've
been very sick for a long time and didn't know it, but now I do."

"Then the
doctors are going to have to fix you," I said matter-of-factly.

"This isn't
something they can fix, sweetheart," she said as she bent and kissed the
top of my head.

"Then what's
going to happen?" I asked.

"Ryan, I want
you to listen to me," she said as she gripped my arm. "Your father
loves you. I know he doesn't wear his heart on his sleeve, but he tries as best
he can, and you have to believe that."

"Dad doesn't
like me," I grumbled. "I know he doesn't."

"Yes, he
does," she smiled as she smoothed my hair. "He just didn't get a lot
of love himself when he was growing up, so he doesn't know how to show people
he cares other than to make sure they have a roof over their heads and lots of
food on the table. He loves you so much more than you know, Ryan."

"Why are you
telling me this?"

"I'm going to
tell you a secret," she said as she reached down and tipped my chin up so
that I was looking at her. "Can you keep a secret?"

"Of course,
I'm the best secret keeper on the planet!" I said.

"Good, then I
need you keep this secret," she said as she bent her head and dropped her
voice to a whisper. "I have to go on a very secret mission, and I'm going
to be gone a long time. It's not going to be easy for you and your father to
adjust, but I need you to help him. He doesn't know where anything is, and he
needs to be reminded to take his vitamins every morning. Can you do that for me,
Ryan? Can you take care of your dad just like I would?"

"I can do
it," I nodded solemnly. "I don't know if he will let me,
though."

"He'll let
you," she smiled. "He'll have to let you. He needs you."

"How long
before you'll be back, Mom?" I asked.

"Ryan, I'm
not coming back from this mission," she whispered. "I'm going to be
gone forever."

I stared at her
for a long time memorizing the look on her face, the way her hand felt as she
smoothed my hair, the way her smile tipped the corners of her mouth upward and
made her whole face look warm and welcoming. I thought about how she made
everything warm and safe, and I wondered if I'd ever feel that way once she was
gone.

"You're gonna
die, aren't you?" I said quietly.

"Yes, Ryan.
I'm going to die," she nodded as she squeezed my arm tightly and kissed my
head.

"It's not
fair," I said as the tears began to well up in my eyes. "Why couldn't
it be him?"

"Ryan! You
must never ever say such a thing ever again!" she cried as she gripped me
tightly and shook me. "Your father loves you, and he would be heartbroken
to hear you say such an awful thing."

"I'm
sorry," I said. "I just don't want you to go away."

"I don't want
to go, either," she said. "But I don't have a choice."

"I'm going to
miss you so much!" I cried forgetting how much pain she was in and
throwing my arms around her. I heard her cry out in pain and quickly pulled
back. She covered her mouth with her hand to try and hold back the pain, but I
saw it in her eyes. "I'm sorry, Mom! I'm sorry!"

"It's...it's...okay,"
she gasped as she reached out and grabbed the button on her other side and
pressed it. She closed her eyes and lay back on the pillows. It took a few
moments for the pain medications to kick in, but once they did, she opened her
eyes and smiled at me. "I'm going to miss you, too, Ryan. You're my
special boy, and I love you so very much."

"Mom, don't
go!" I wailed as she hugged me weakly.

"Don't stop
watching and recording, Ryan," she whispered. "You know things that
no one else does because you observe. And you speak the truth, my beautiful
boy. I love you."

She faded off into
a drugged sleep, and I stayed with her until my father came to tell me visiting
hours were over. Reluctantly, I untangled myself from my mother's arms and
followed my father to the car. He didn't say anything, but I could tell he
wanted to and I remembered my promise to my mother.

"She's going
on a long trip and she doesn't know when she'll be back,” I said pulling myself
up straight and looking out over the dashboard. "So we're going to have to
take care of each other while she's gone."

Aside from the day
we buried my mother, that was the only other time I ever saw my father cry.

It all came
flooding back as I knocked on the door to the apartment. I heard movement
inside, and then the door swung open to reveal my stepmother, dressed in a thin
robe and obviously drunk.

"Oh, it's
you," she slurred as she stumbled back to the sofa and grabbed the bottle
she'd set on the floor.

"Yeah, it's
me," I replied. "I told you I was coming back to take care of my
father's business."

"I can't
believe he's dead," she said as she took a long drink from the bottle and
then collapsed into a sobbing heap. "He said he'd never leave me alone! He
promised!"

"Eva, get
ahold of yourself," I said as I put my duffle bag down and looked around.
The place looked dim, as if it hadn't been cleaned in a while. "I'm sorry
you're so sad, but he is gone, and we have to deal with it."

"God, you're
cold," she spat at me. "I always knew you'd celebrate the day your
father died. Heartless bastard."

"Money
grubbing, bitch," I muttered under my breath.

"What did you
say?" she slurred. "Did you say something?"

"I said, I'm
an orphan and you're a widow," I said. "We need to figure out how to
get through the next couple of days and then we never have to see each other
again. Can we do that?"

"I
suppose," she grudgingly admitted. "But I'm going to need clothes for
the funeral and a car to drive me."

"Didn't my
father make all of that available?" I asked wondering why she was telling
me about things that didn't concern me.

"He cut up my
credit cards," she said in a morose voice. "He said I spent too much
on frivolous things and that there needed to be more to life than lunching with
friends, shopping and getting my hair and nails done. He told me to go a month
without any of and find something meaningful to do."

"Interesting,"
I said. "That doesn’t sound like him. When was this?"

"Earlier this
week," she said. "I told him I'd do it next month, but he insisted
that it be now, and he closed my accounts."

"And then he
just dropped dead?" I asked.

"I didn't
kill him!" she shouted. "I know everyone thinks I married him only
for his money, but I loved Alan! I really loved him! I'm not a black
widow!"

"Uh
huh," I nodded not entirely convinced.

"You don't
believe me either," she grumbled. "I should have known. You never
liked me."

"It's not a
matter of like or dislike, Eva," I said. "You and I have had our
differences, but now is the time to come together and make sure this gets taken
care of properly."

"What am I
supposed to do?" she asked. "I'm nothing but the widow. I knew
nothing about his business."

"You need to
get yourself together," I said. "Don't you wonder how a healthy
sixty-six year old man just drops dead of a heart attack in his car on his way
to work? Sounds a little fishy to me, but then I'm just his son."

"I resent
that," she shot back as she lifted the bottle again. I grabbed it and set
it on the table behind me before she could take another swig. She protested,
"Hey! That's mine!"

"Stop it,
Eva," I scolded. "You need to get yourself sobered up and act like
the widow of the man you claim to have loved. Wallowing in the sadness and
alcohol will not do you any good. Chin up and eyes forward."

"God, you are
his son, aren't you?" she said shaking her head. "If I had a nickel
for every time he said that to me. Yes, I do think it's fishy. He just had a
check up last month and everything had come back totally normal. "

"Eva, are you
going to sober up and help out or are you going to disappear into that
bottle?" I asked nodding toward it. I was angry with her, but I was
angrier with my father for dying and leaving her behind. "We need to make
some calls and find out what happened. Do you know where his body is?"

"It's still
at the morgue," she grumbled. "I'll get showered and make some
calls."

She pushed herself
up off of the sofa and stumbled down the hallway to the master suite where, a
few moments later, I heard the shower water running and my stepmother drunkenly
singing "My Way."

If he'd been in
his grave, my father would have rolled over.

CHAPTER
FOUR

Echo

Once
I finally peeled myself off of the bathroom floor and gathered my things, I
found it easier to hail a cab and have it take me directly to my apartment. I
didn't want to risk the chance that I'd burst into tears on the subway and be
the recipient of sympathetically annoyed looks from strangers. I didn't trust
myself to keep it together long enough to reach my station.

The cab driver was
kind and after asking if I was okay, left me in peace with my grief. The whole
ride home I thought about who I could tell that wouldn't break the code of
silence. Mr. Baines had asked me to keep a secret, and I wasn't going to
violate that trust. When the cab pulled up in front of my apartment, I handed
the driver a twenty-dollar bill and told him to keep the change. He looked at
me like I was crazy.

"Life's too
short," I said as I wiped the tears from my cheeks.

"Well, then
God bless you," he shrugged. "I hope you find peace."

I got out and
fished my keys out of my bag before I pushed the door open and climbed the four
flights to my apartment. I was too exhausted to cook dinner, so I called down
to Nemo's.

"'Sup
chica?" Armando asked when he heard my voice. "Long time, no
see!"

"I know,
sorry about that," I said. "Work's been...difficult."

"I'm sorry to
hear that, chica," he replied. "You should come down and do karaoke
with us, it'll help release the stress. I got some new tunes last week!"

"That's
great, Mando," I said trying hard not to let his kindness break down my
resolve to stay strong. I knew that if I started crying and he asked why, I'd
tell him. "I'll have to come check it out this weekend."

"You okay,
chica?" he asked.

"Yeah,
fine," I said swallowing hard. "Just a rough day and I'm
starving!"

"Then lay it
on me! Whadda you want to eat tonight?" he challenged.

"Will you
just decide for me?" I asked. "I'm too tired to even choose. You know
what I like, just pick, okay?"

"You are
giving me the choice?" he asked. "I get to choose dinner? Good, then
I know exactly what you need! I'll have it up to you in thirty minutes."

"Great,
thanks Mando," I said. "I'll have cash for the delivery."

"Aw, c'mon,
you know your money's no good with me!" he laughed. There was a beat of
silence and then he added, "If you need me, you know where I am."

"Thanks,
Mando," I choked out before I ended the call and collapsed on the couch.

There was
something about being home that made things feel a little less desperate. I
loved my tiny two-story apartment with the twisty staircase leading up to my
bedroom. The whole place wasn't more than five hundred square feet, but it was
perfect for me. To the left of the entry way was a walk through kitchen with
the bathroom positioned off to the left side. The living room was large enough
to hold a pullout couch, a coffee table and a bookcase. A sliding glass door
led out to a tiny balcony where I spent most of my summer weekends curled up in
a papasan chair that the previous tenant had left behind. Off to one side of
the living room was my favorite part of the apartment. A spiral staircase that
led to my bedroom. The space was so small that I could only fit a double bed
and one nightstand in it, but with the built-in bookcases, I didn't need much
more than that. The whole place was cozy and warm thanks to my ability to find
the perfect mix of modern design and bohemian chic at thrift stores around the
city.

I climbed the
stairs and dug out a pair of sweats that smelled reasonably clean and a
t-shirt. I need to change out of my work clothes and shed the feeling of
overwhelming grief. As I hung up my dress, I noticed my graduation day picture
sitting on the shelf above my bed. I took it down and looked at it closely. I
was shaking hands with the NYU President while Dr. Powell stood ramrod straight
right next to him with his hand extended toward me waiting to congratulate me
on my accomplishment. Just as the tears began to flow fresh and fast, there was
a knock on my front door.

"Echo, dinner
is served!" called a familiar voice. I ran down the stairs and opened the
door. "God, I thought you'd never answer!"

"Cece! Where
have you been?" I cried as I pulled the plump girl in for a hug. She
looked casually glamorous as usual in a low-cut black t-shirt, a pair of tight
black capri pants and open-toed sandals that showed off her impeccable red
pedicure.

"Girl, you don't
even want to know," she said stepping back and rolling her eyes.
"Let's just say it was a long trip and I'm glad it's over."

"I'm so glad
you're back!" I said. "I missed you something fierce, and I know
Mando did, too."

"My brother
didn't miss me a bit," she said rolling her eyes so far back that I was
afraid she'd lose them in her skull. "He doesn't know his ass from his
elbow, forget about him actually knowing enough to miss me."

"Don't let
him hear you say that out loud," I warned as she handed me a brown paper
bag. I unfolded the top and sighed as the scent of freshly made tacos and beans
with rice wafted up out of the containers.

"Oh
please," she said as she reached in and began unpacking the bag for me.
"Get a plate, chica. You're gonna eat good tonight!"

I laughed as I
pulled out two plates knowing full well that Cece would stay and eat with me
because Mando had most likely sent her up to keep an eye on me.
 
As she dished up the food, she eyed me
suspiciously.

"Something's
different about you," she said as she plopped a huge spoonful of beans
onto a plate then added another spoonful of steaming rice flecked with cilantro
and peppers. "What's happened since I left?"

"Nothing
much, just the usual," I said trying to put Dr. Powell's death out of my
mind. "Work, work and more work."

"Don't
bullshit me, Echo," she said as she stacked three tacos on each plate and
tossed some lime wedges next to them. "I know bullshit when I see
it."

"Dammit,
Cece," I laughed. "Let me have some privacy, will you?"

"Never, I'm
the queen of nosy," she smiled as she handed me a plate and then reached
into the cross body bag she was wearing and pulled out two beers and ordered,
"Open these."

"Yes, your
highness," I laughed as I positioned the cap of one bottle on the edge of
the kitchen counter and then quickly smacked down with the palm of my hand so
that the cap flipped off on to the floor. I made quick work of the second one
and before I knew it, Cece and I were sitting on my couch chowing down on the
best meal I'd had in weeks.

"Now, tell me
what's going on," she said before putting a forkful of rice and beans in
her mouth.

"I can't talk
about it," I said as I pushed my food around on my plate. "I was
sworn to secrecy."

"Secrets are
what kill us, Echo," she said solemnly. "I'm not kidding. Any time
someone asks you to keep a secret that makes you feel bad, it's a bad one.
Spill it."

"My boss is
dead," I blurted out.

"Wait,
what?"

"My boss is
dead," I repeated. "I don't know how he died, just that he died
yesterday and that I'm not supposed to talk about it because the guy who is now
in charge told me not to."

"Is this the
boss that was at your graduation?" she asked.

"Uh
huh," I nodded as the tears welled up and then started to fall. Cece set
her plate down on the steamer trunk that doubled as my coffee table, and then
put her arms around me rocking me back and forth while I cried harder than I
had in the bathroom at work. "It's not fair!"

"Nope, it's
not," she murmured as she patted my head. "It sucks balls."

"It sucks
balls, indeed," I smiled through the tears. Cece let out a snorting laugh
that made me giggle and before we knew it, both of us were laughing so hard we
had to hold our sides. As I wiped the tears from my eyes, I looked at her and
said, "I don't know what's going to happen now."

"Maybe that's
a good thing?" she offered. "I mean, you've been wanting to get out
of that assistant position and do some real programming work for a long time.
Maybe this is your way out."

"But what
about my job?" I asked. "Now that Dr. Powell's dead, they might let
me go. And if I lose my job, how am I going to afford all of this?" I
gestured around the apartment.

"You're not
going to lose your job or your apartment, silly chica," Cece chuckled.
"You're going to land on your feet; like you always do. And if you need
some help along the way, well, me and Mando are always here and all you ever
have to do is ask!"

"I can't ask
you for help," I said shaking my head. "You guys are hanging on by a
thread."

"Oh please,
we've been in far more precarious positions," she said waving me off.
"We're actually in a good place right now with the delivery service taking
off and karaoke bringing in the late night crowds. Besides, you're family, and
we always help family."

I hugged her
tightly as I nodded. I hoped I wouldn't need their help, but if I did, it was
nice to know it was there.

"So, what's
up with you?" I asked as I pulled back and picked up my plate.

"Girl, you
don't even want to know," she grinned as we resumed eating. Over the next
hour, Cece filled me in on all the details of her current love interests and
gave me the odds on each one and their chance of making it past the initial
dating stage. Cece's love life always amazed me because she managed to juggle
three or four guys at a time, all while never losing track of who was who and
what his status in the dating hierarchy was.

Guys came and went
from Cece's life on a regular basis, but rarely did they leave unhappy.
Sometimes, when things weren't working out with her and a guy, she'd connect
him with a friend she thought was better suited. I often teased her that she
was a one-woman dating site and that she ought to charge for her services. She
laughed it off and said that life was too short to be dating people who weren't
right for her, but she didn't like to see people sad and alone.

"I've got a
guy who might be perfect for you, Echo," she said waving her fork at me.
"He's smart, interesting and seriously hot."

"Yeah, not so
much," I laughed shaking my head. Cece had been trying to fix me up for as
long as we'd known each other. She knew I had a think for smart men, but that
my job kept me too busy to really get out and meet any. She also knew that my experiences
with boyfriends had been less that successful, so she tread lightly and only
suggested guys that she had thoroughly vetted.

"C'mon,
chica," she urged. "You're young and smart and hot! You need to get
out in circulation and meet some eligible men! You need to shake that booty
while you still can!"

"Oh my
God!" I burst out laughing. "It's not like I'm so old and decrepit
that I've lost my chance! I'm twenty-seven! I'm still young!"

"Yeah, but
you're not getting any younger," she said with a sly grin.

"You're
evil!" I protested.

"Be that as
it may, I still think you need to meet this guy," she said as she stood up
and carried our plates to the kitchen. "I have to get going. Got a date
with the hot Italian tonight. He's taking me to a club in Jersey."

"A club in
Jersey? Do they even have clubs in Jersey?" I laughed.

"Pshaw! Of
course, they do!" she said with mock indignation. "There are some of
the finest clubs in the tri-state area in Jersey! Do not mock Jersey."

"I'm not
mocking!" I laughed. "I was being serious."

"Yes, there
are clubs in Jersey," she said. "Not sure how well this guy is going
to work out, but I'm willing to take a chance and see what happens."

"You're so
brave, Cece," I said as I walked over to where she stood and gave her a big
hug.

"So are you,
chica," she said hugging me back. "You just need to use that courage
to get yourself a man!"

"Get out of
here!" I laughed as I pulled back and lightly punched her in the shoulder.
She laughed all the way out the door and down the hallway.

It wasn't until
the next morning that I realized she'd left the money I'd given her for dinner
tucked under the sugar bowl in the kitchen. I grabbed it on my way out the door
and made a mental note to stop and give it to Mando on my way home.