Page 67 of Unlocking my Boss's Heart

“Forgive me,” I said and laughed even harder.

She got up, still holding a bunched-up skirt with one hand. My laughter dwindled down, replaced by a grin so wide, it reached the corner of my eyes. That was funny. Little sparkles like fireworks were still exploding in my chest, and I would never forget the image of Celia in that moment.

I linked her arm through mine, and she let me. I liked that she was a great sport. Just like she’d made fun of me at the bowling alley, we could laugh at each other’s misfortune and still be friends.

We strolled ever so slowly toward the house. I didn’t want to meet the others so soon and break my momentum with Celia.

“Where should we go?”

She threw me a questioning stare. “I don’t know…. You want to stay on the porch?”

“We’ll still get wet there…. I can show you the house.”

“Sure thing. Since you told me of your adolescence, I’d been curious about the things you were interested in.”

A cute flush formed on her cheeks.

“You might be disappointed; I wasn’t a teenager with posters of my favorite bands all over my room or anything like that.”

“Oh? What about action figures?”

I grunted. “Those were collectibles. I couldn’t just leave them lying around in my bedroom.”

“So, where were they?”

“Safety deposit box.”

“You’re joking. What type of collectible would a teenager have that needs a storage box? Toys are usually displayed to impress friends.”

“They were collectibles,” I repeated.

“Yeah, you said that already.” She laughed, tightening her arms around mine. “I’d thought you might be from a different species. Now, it’s confirmed.”

I chuckled.

It was then that the sky opened up in a torrent of rain. We bolted, hand in hand, as the deluge poured in all its fury. As we ran together, soaked and laughing, I realized that with Celia, even the stormiest moments felt like something I could weather. She was becoming more than just a colleague or a fleeting connection—she was starting to feel like something I couldn’t afford to lose.

Chapter twenty-five

Celia

We ran through the rain to the pergola-sheltered flagstone patio. My rain-soaked blouse clung to my torso, and my hair hung in tendrils around my face.

Anton chuckled, wiping raindrops from his face. He looked so youthful and happy. The heart-pounding that had worsened when we disagreed on marriage had changed to fluttering since he burst out laughing at my skirt swirling in the wind. He was such a cinnamon roll when he was this carefree.

“You want to go inside?” he asked.

I shook my head. “I’m fine here.” Even though my breath came out in chilled wisps, I didn’t want to be around anyone but him.

He nodded, gazing out at the garden where the rain had turned the leaves and petals into a flurry of green color. The downpour around the pergola made the landscape look like a hazy watercolor painting.

“I’ve been thinking….”

“Thinking about what?” I prompted when he didn’t continue.

“About you.” He looked steadily at me. “I miss spending time with you like this. It doesn’t matter what we’re doing. I’m happy when I’m with you.”

Butterflies exploded in my chest, and my heart skipped a beat, then started to race. “Me, too.” And I wasn’t just echoing him. I’d missed this, too.

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