Chapter Twenty

Stephanie

It’s a good thing I had a salad at Alfie’s for lunch, because I haven’t had a thing to eat since then. I can’t believe I just sashayed to his dining room table and handled that negotiation like a boss, all while I was shaking like a leaf inside. Honestly, I don’t know how I managed it.

Since I arrived home, I’ve tried to read, watch TV, scroll TikTok, and tune in to my favorite YouTube content providers. It’s as though I’m sleepwalking. I can’t pay attention to a thing.

When my phone vibrates, I almost don’t look at it. It’s probably my mom asking if I’ve heard back from him yet. Both she and my dad have been amazing through all of this. They just want me to be happy. The way I’ve bragged about Alfie over the last few months, singing his praises about how nice he is, how well he treats me, and how amazing his music is, they have few qualms about me dating him.

When I glance at my phone and see it’s from Alfie, I look away, take a deep breath, and ease onto the couch before I gather the courage to read it. It’s been like waiting for the jury to return after deliberating about a murder verdict. I have a feeling that hearing back so soon is a bad thing.

“No reason to wonder about it when all you have to do is look at your phone.”

It’s a picture of the signed contract. Heaving out a sigh of relief, I allow all the eager expectations I’ve been suppressing all day to escape like they were freed from Pandora’s box. Giddy feelings fly through me.

I’ve never been this excited about a guy before. It’s going to be so fun getting to know him better, going from employee to… well, I don’t know what we’re going to, but I imagine it will involve the exchange of bodily fluids.

When I remember that he was supposed to fill in that blank with the amount of my severance, and I double-tap the screen to scroll to that clause, I shriek, “That’s crazy.” We’ll have to have a stern discussion. I was expecting a month or two of severance, enough to tide me through another job search. This is ridiculous. He may be doing well, but the entertainment business has its ups and downs. He can’t afford to just throw bucketfuls of money at me.

I’ll have a stern talk with him tomorrow. In the meantime, I’ll mentally revisit what we shared in that bed on the airplane. Better yet…

I’ll sign your copy tomorrow, right after we have a stern discussion about the amount in clause three. How about I come over right now???

I wait, hardly able to breathe, but no response is forthcoming. Finally, the three little dots roll, then stop, then roll again. After a minute or more of this, his message vibrates through.

I have a game plan, Stephanie. It requires time and energy. Starting tonight at nine p.m. will increase the level of difficulty and decrease the amount of pleasure. Let’s defer.

Arousal shoots through my body, pooling in my pelvis as I think about his game plan.

You said you watched me closely and knew me well. Did you miss the part where I’m as impatient as a toddler? But, okay, we’ll follow your game plan tomorrow. At quitting time?

Sure, as long as quitting time is no later than five p.m. Certainly, you can’t expect a red-blooded minotaur male to wait longer than that.

It’s a date.