Page 55 of The Boss and the Adoption Mess
I swallow hard and try not to think about it further, but my thoughts are boiling. A man like Gabriel will probably never commit to anyone. And if he does, he won’t be faithful. I hate thinking this way—it feels like a compulsion I can’t suppress. I’m annoyed with myself, but I can’t stop.
Right now, I’m the woman in Gabriel’s life who’s closest to him. I’m always near him, and yet I’m also the woman furthest from what I secretly long for, just a little…
Or maybe a little more.
We reach his mansion and get out of the limo. I carry his bag while he powers down the tablet before we reach the door.
"It's perfect. I just sent it off. Thank you. You've saved me hours of work. You freed up my evening."
"That's my job," I answer with a smile, unlocking the door so we can go in. The food should arrive in about fifty minutes. I’m really curious about what this star chef has come up with.
"I noticed we imported Anzer honey from Turkey for her, among other things. Also, pistachios and saffron."
"Yes, exactly. She was one of the first to request pistachios, even before the Dubai chocolate trend went viral. If we’re lucky, we might get some of the confections she made today. They’re in high demand right now."
"I love pistachio ice cream. It’s crazy how everyone’s making something with pistachios these days—creams, pralines. It’s become a real trend."
"Calculated. The harvest was good, and the countries wanted to increase exports. So, they create trends, and suddenly everyonewants a certain product. Right now, it’s pistachios; next year it’ll be something else. Totally normal."
"Oh, really? I see."
"I have absolutely no objection. It can happily continue like this for a while." These green nuts have always been my favorite. Although, if I remember correctly… "Pistachios are seeds, right?"
"That’s right. Many people think they’re nuts, but they’re actually edible seeds of the pistachio stone fruit. Similar to cherries." Gabriel looks at me, astonished. "I’ve never met anyone who isn’t a chef and knew that."
"Well, I’m always full of surprises." Lucky me—I’d read that somewhere once. At least I could impress him a little.
We head to the kitchen, have a drink, and chat about my first day at work. We go over the day until he finally asks, "Have you made a decision yet?"
"Not yet. I haven’t even told my parents or my best friend that I’m here—I want to let it sink in first. Honestly… I already love this job, and the pay is more than generous. But I don’t want to rush anything. And no…" I can’t help smiling. "I don’t want to negotiate or squeeze out more money."
"No? Otherwise, I’d just double your salary," Gabriel says so dryly that I stare at him in shock. "Just kidding."
Him and his jokes. I clear my throat.
"Especially with Rosie, I want to be sure about this. This little girl will rely on me, and I don’t want to let her down by leaving after just a few weeks or months. At this age, kids often see you as a mother figure. If I take on that role, I want to be there for a long time—at least until she’s eleven or twelve and slowly starts to understand what happened. Even then, it’s tough, but easier than at four or five."
"Yeah, puberty’s going to be exhausting," Gabriel says, smiling as he takes another sip of tea.
"So that’s at least six, maybe eight years I’d have to work for you."
"Get to," he corrects, winking at me.
There it is.
Is he flirting? Hard to tell. Maybe he’s just being playful to lighten the mood. But… does Gabriel even understand what a wink means to me? Or any woman? I swallow hard and try to keep my feelings in check while my heart starts pounding.
I swallow and try to steady myself while my heart races.
"Of course," I say. "I also need time with Rosie. Give me a few more days to get everything settled and learn the ropes."
"You’ve got it. I was just curious." Gabriel raises his cup, and I do the same. "But you like it so far?"
"Yes. Very much. It’s truly my dream job."
Gabriel nods, satisfied.
Suddenly, the light outside switches on. We both look through the kitchen window toward the gate at the same time, though it’s barely visible from inside. Too bright for comfort.
