Chapter Five

Genevieve

I wanted to wrap my arms around him and beg him to love me not just in bed, but forever. See? This was exactly what had gotten me into trouble before. I wanted so desperately to be loved and to love someone, I threw out all logic at the first chance.

This time is different.

I gave myself a mental shake. That was the lie my heart was telling me just so I'd open myself up, but I couldn't risk it again. It got harder to sweep up the pieces each time.

Taking a shaky breath, I gripped the blanket tighter against my chest like a shield. "I have to go find some clothes and then work on clearing these boxes out of the house. Tomorrow is my first day of work, and I need to get as much done as possible today."

Patting his cheek, I turned and headed up the stairs to my bedroom. It took almost an hour to find my clothes and personal hygiene items. After a shower, and with caffeine coursing through my veins, I felt ready to face the world.

Heading downstairs, I nearly missed the last step when I found the living room completely empty of moving boxes. "Where did they all go?"

Roam stretched out on the couch. "You said you needed to clear them out. I did it for you."

"Okay." I dragged the word out while taking in the bare shelves and walls. "So where are all my things?"

Roam's forehead creased. "What things?"

I put my hands on my hips, fighting my rising panic. "The things packed inside those boxes that I moved over three thousand miles."

He sat up, rubbing the back of his neck. "Oh. I'm sorry. I should've considered that."

"It's fine." I chewed my lip, trying not to think about the memories those boxes held or the fact I would have to go shopping to replace everything.

For some people, shopping was a high-intensity sport, but for me, it ranked right up there with visiting my gynecologist on the enjoyment scale.

"I'll fix this!" he hurried to assure me, and a moment later, the boxes reappeared in the living room.

Soaking wet.

"Oh boy." I sagged down on the bottom step of the stairs.

Roam looked at the boxes, then laughed. "Hang on. I'll fix it!"

The boxes disappeared, then reappeared. Thankfully this time, they were dry and undamaged.

"I guess my magic is still a little wonky." Roam stood, and I tried not to notice the way his silk pants clung to his muscles. "How about you explain what you meant by clearing out, and I can help?"

I couldn't help but smile at his boyish eagerness to help. The dread that had been hanging over me at the enormity of unboxing my entire life slowly eased.

Pulling my hair back into a ponytail, I grinned. "Let's do this."

That happy, content feeling continued to grow throughout the morning and early afternoon. He made me laugh with his ridiculous antics and his curiosity as we unpacked each box was adorable. Roam seemed sincere in his interest in my life, and I found myself talking to him as though he were a longtime best friend and not a man I'd met only the day before.

With his help, I managed to clear out almost all the boxes in a single day. And by the time we stopped to have dinner that he'd poofed into existence, I found myself holding his hand as we carried our plates outside onto the small deck.

We stayed outside, talking about nothing as the sun set. Exhaustion from the day seeped in and I had to cover my yawn.

"It's someone's bedtime," Roam chuckled as he stood and scooped me into his arms.

"I can walk!" I protested. "And we can't leave the dishes out here!"

"There. I've taken care of them." He winked at me.

I narrowed my eyes. "Took care of them like you took care of the boxes this morning? Or took care of them as in you put them in the sink?"

"They are clean and in the cabinet with the rest of the dishes." He kissed the tip of my nose. "Promise."

I blinked, and he was laying me down on the bed. "Wait! I need to brush my teeth!"

"Done." He lifted the blankets and motioned for me to get under them.

Licking my teeth, I was shocked to find them minty fresh. This magical crap was going to take some getting used to.

I slid under the blankets and he tucked them around me. Leaning down, he kissed the top of my head. "Sleep well, beautiful."

He was gone before I could respond.

I tossed and turned for almost an hour, feeling restless and anxious for the first time that day.

Because he's gone.

Trying to ignore the small ache in my heart, I crawled out of bed and changed into my favorite oversized sleep shirt. For another thirty minutes, I tried to relax and fall asleep, but it was useless.

I didn't have the courage to go find him, but I remembered how he'd heard my wish to wake up being snuggled the night before.

Roam? If you can hear me, I would like it if you'd come hold me. But only if you want!

I'd barely finished speaking before his arm looped around my waist, pulling me to him and turning me into the little spoon. Every muscle in my body melted, and my eyelids grew heavy.

"Thank you," I whispered, interlacing my fingers with his and falling almost instantly into a deep sleep.

#

Stepping from the taxi, I stared up at the three-story building that housed Motivated Monster Marketing. Pushing open the glass door, I entered the building and headed toward the elevator. Once inside the polished brass elevator, I pressed the button for the second floor where the graphic design team was located and worked to steady my breathing.

"You've got this." My pep-talk did little to calm my first-day jitters, and when the door slid open, I clutched my portfolio to my chest like a shield.

A large half-moon shaped bright yellow reception desk faced the elevator, and a woman with pink hair grinned at me. She hopped to her feet, causing the dangling earrings on her long, tapered ears to swing wildly.

"You must be Genevieve! I've been so excited for you to arrive! Can I call you Vi? Or how about Vivi? Or do you prefer G?" She practically skipped around the desk, grabbing my hand in a vigorous handshake.

"Um, Vi is fine?" It came out more of a question than a statement.

"Oh good! Well, it's nice to meet you, Vi!" She looped her arm through mine and practically dragged me toward a cluster of desks arranged behind a glass wall. "Team, Vi has arrived!" she announced, then whispered, "the human."

I bit my cheek to keep from laughing. Did she think I couldn't hear her? The woman was still holding my arm as though she was worried I was going to sprint away. Three heads popped up from behind large screens.

"Barker! You aren't supposed to say that in front of her!" A giant of a man with green-hued skin and buzz-cut blonde hair rolled his eyes.

"Why? Do you think she didn't know?" The pink-haired tornado still holding my arm laughed, then turned to me. "I'm Barker, and I'm a fairy. Tiny"—she pointed at the giant—"is an orc."

"Nice to have you join the team. Your work is incredible." Tiny's grin was genuine and my nerves eased.

"The guy with the blue mohawk is a merman and we call him Frost because he's a weirdo who prefers to swim in arctic waters instead of tropical." She shivered dramatically. "Bitzy is a chupacabra, and don't worry, her bark is worse than her bite. Unless you're a goat."

"Stop scaring her, Barker!" Bitzy stood, and I was surprised to see she was over six feet tall. She held out her hand to shake. "Our names don't really fit."

Barker stuck out her tongue. "She doesn't need to be afraid of us. It's Rebecca she needs to look out for."

My stomach pitched. "Rebecca? As in, the owner of the design firm? She seemed so nice on the call…"

"She's great." Tiny's chair creaked ominously as he leaned back and stretched. "But she's going through a rough patch and it makes her a little moody."

"Moody? Try monstrous! Pun intended." Barker clicked her tongue. "But don't worry, they only do this every other month or so."

"Do what?" I asked, glancing around as though Rebecca might leap out at any moment.

"Breaks up with her boyfriend. But they'll get back together in another week or so and Rebecca will be back in a wonderful mood and the best boss ever!" Bitzy waved me toward an empty desk, clearly hoping to distract me. "Here's your desk. Feel free to decorate it and make yourself at home."

I placed my portfolio on the desk and sat down, spinning once in my chair. Despite my nerves, this was the job I'd been working toward for so long. MM Marketing was world-renowned for their top-level design work. They kept their team small, but it worked like a well-oiled machine.

The intensity of the interview process had left me crying into a glass of wine and ready to pull my hair out more than once, but it was all worth it now that I was sitting here.

I barely had a chance to take it all in before the door flew open and Rebecca blew in like a storm off the ocean. Her dark, raven black hair sat on top of her head in a haphazard topknot that looked ready to fall with every step she took. Oversized sunglasses covered most of her face, and she wore a wrinkled dress shirt under a large coat.

"Good morning, team. If you've finished socializing, maybe you'd consider getting some actual work done? We have three deadlines this week, and they should have been done last week." She spoke as she walked, not stopping for a second.

Right before Rebecca's office door closed behind her, she called, "Genevieve? In here. Five minutes."

Silence descended as we all stared at her closed door.

"Wow," I whispered.

"Good luck." Barker squeezed my shoulder, then hurried back to the reception desk.

"It will be fine." Tiny sent me a reassuring smile.

Frost chuckled. "Probably."

"Hush." Bitzy glared at him. "We want to keep her, so don't scare her away!"

I stared at my watch, counting as the minutes slowly ticked by. When it was time to go to her office, I felt as though I were heading to my funeral.

"Have a seat." Rebecca waved toward the chrome and leather chair that looked more like a sculpture than a place to sit.

"Thank you again for the opportunity," I gushed as I sat down.

Rebecca waved her hand. "You don't need to thank me. Your skills got you this job, and the firm is pleased to have you as our newest asset. If there is anything you need to streamline your workflow, please let me know and it will be taken care of."

"That's really generous." Some of my nerves settled at the reminder of why I'd wanted this job so badly. This company wasn't just the best in terms of what they offered to clients, but also in how they treated their employees.

"I'd like you to shadow the other employees this week. Watch how they work together, and how they prepare for client meetings. You are welcome to offer input, but mostly I'd like you to just observe." She rested her elbows on the table. "Once we finish up with these clients, you will start working with the team on our upcoming projects."

"I'm eager to get started." It was the truth.

Many people looked forward to the day they retired, but I loved working. It fulfilled me.

Plus, it's the only thing I have in my life…

Shoving aside the depressing thought, I smiled at my new boss. Her lips tightened in what I thought was a smile, but since she hadn't taken off her glasses, I couldn't be sure if it went all the way to her eyes.

"Is there anything else, or should I get to work?" I asked, sitting on the corner of the uncomfortable chair.

"No, I'm glad you're excited to get started. Go ahead." She flipped open her laptop, effectively dismissing me, and I hurriedly left the room, fighting the ridiculous impulse to curtsy or something equally embarrassing.

"She's alive!" Tiny whisper-shouted to the others as I emerged from the office.

"Hold up your arms and let us check for bite marks," Bitzy ordered. When I hesitantly lifted them, she laughed. "I'm just messing with you, girlie. Now come on, let me show you what I'm working on."

The hours passed quickly as I rolled my chair between desks, watching my talented coworkers as they finished preparing for an upcoming client presentation. I remained quiet unless they asked my opinion, and by the end of the day, I felt comfortable enough to join in with their banter.

"Alright, monsters—and human—it's time to head out for the day!" Barker clapped her hands and twirled.

"It's a crime for anyone to be that energetic at the end of the day," Bitzy grumbled, saving her files and powering down her computer.

"Agreed," Frost huffed, throwing a backpack on his shoulder. "See you losers tomorrow."

"I'll walk out with you." Tiny rose, his height dwarfing the desks.

Eager to get home and see Roam, I grabbed my portfolio and quickly told the girls bye. At the last minute, I decided to stop in the ladies' room.

I'd just finished using the toilet when the door opened and someone came in. Instead of taking the stall next to me, I heard the rustle of fabric as they headed toward the sink.

My hand froze on the toilet flusher as loud sobs bounced off the copper-plated bathroom walls. I recognized the heartbreaking note in the woman's cries and my chest tightened with immediate anxiety.

Not wanting to intrude on a private moment, but not wanting to make it weirder by lurking in the stall and possibly being caught, I flushed. I took my time leaving the stall, giving her time to escape if she wanted.

But when I opened the door, I found Rebecca still leaning over the sink. She'd taken off her glasses, and was wiping at her eyes with a monogrammed paper towel.

"I didn't realize anyone was still here. My apologies," she murmured.

When she looked up at me, her eyes were red and I knew it wasn't just from this most recent cry, but from hours of crying.

"I swear I'm usually far more put together." She gave a dry, humorless laugh. "But it's hard when I've struggled to eat or sleep the last few days. Frankly, I'm surprised I still have tears to cry."

With that, she placed her glasses back on her face, flipped her hair over her shoulders and walked from the bathroom with her chin held high. She was trying her best to hide her pain, and the memories of having my heart broken and my world flipped upside down came rushing back. It hit me like a punch to the gut. My throat tightened, and I struggled to breathe. I couldn't do that again.

It had been far too hard to pull myself together and show up for work. And it had taken months to find joy after my breakups. I was too sensitive and found it far too easy to blame myself for things not working out… even when my therapist was trying her best to help me see I hadn't betrayed my partners.

I'd worked hard on myself, and I was finally happy again.

Yet, I'd been rushing home, not because I was excited to sip wine and watch the sunset… but because I wanted to see Roam.

Last night, I hadn't been able to sleep until he'd come to hold me. And this morning, I'd pretended to still be asleep so I could enjoy being snuggled.

I was losing my heart to him, and I knew if it didn't work out, I might lose myself again. It was a risk I just couldn't take. Not when I'd worked so hard for this fresh start. I had to do something before it was too late, and I had to do it fast.