Page 96 of If You Stayed

“Did you do it to protect her?” she asked.

I nodded. “I did.”

She darted toward me and pulled me into a hug. I held on to her tightly, wishing I could take away any hurt that was residing in her, too. “Thank you, Boss Man.”

She then headed outside toward the backyard to check on her mom.

I went out the front door and started in the direction of my car.

“Gabriel! Gabriel! Wait up!” Ramona said, darting over to my car as I opened my driver’s door. I took a deep breath and released it through my gritted teeth as I slammed my door closed.

I turned to face her as she stood there combing her hair behind her ears.

I didn’t say a word.

That was until she began to speak again.

“Gabriel, I’m—”

“You’re fired.”

Her eyes bugged out. “What?”

“You heard me. You’re fired.”

“What? I… You can’t fire me. This isn’t a work event.”

I gestured toward her in frustration. “You were fucking our client at our other client’s birthday party, Ramona!” I whisper-shouted, bewildered by her comment.

“But I was off the clock,” she mentioned, shaking her head, seemingly stunned. She seemed shocked that I was pissed off.Shocked that I was raging from the fact. “You can’t fire me because of what I do in my private life.”

“Private life,” I huffed. “Are you fucking kidding me?”

She narrowed her eyes and shook her head. “I’m confused as to why you’re so angry. Are you…jealous?”

“What the hell are you talking about?”

She bit her bottom lip and shrugged. “Are you mad that another man wanted me? That you lost your chance?” The wild appearance of my eyes must’ve given her a big reality check, because she followed it up with, “Okay, it’s not that.”

I took two steps toward her. “Ramona, you fucked a married man at his wife’s birthday party. What the actual fuck were you thinking?”

“He…” She shook her head, looking as confused as ever. “He said they were more like roommates.”

“Who the hell cares what he said? Take him out of the equation. What makes you think that’s okay? How would you like it if someone fucked your husband at your birthday party?” She wasn’t an idiot. Ramona was way too intelligent to be acting the way she had been, and it was pissing me off that she’d do something so cruel and heartless. “Damn, Ramona. You’re supposed to be better than this.”

“I messed up, okay! I didn’t… We weren’t thinking—”

“Was this the first time?”

She went quiet.

She shook her head.

Fucking A.

“How long, Ramona?” I asked, not even sure I wanted theanswer.

“Not long. Like five weeks.”

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