Page 49 of Cuffed By Love

“I think my assistant has the hots for your assistant.” I claim, leaning forward and resting my elbows against my desk. Mira looks at the door Mark just zoomed out of and back at me again smiling.

“What, how do you figure?”

I smirk lazily and tap her adorable little nose with the tip of my pen, “I could practically see the hearts flying out of his eyes whenever he looks at her. It’s truly astounding the things you can see if you just pay attention, Tinks.”

Mira bats the pen away from her nose and scowls at me, “How about you stop poking your nose where it doesn’t belong and pay more attention on doing your job instead of playing cupid, Casanova.”

I laugh and just as I am about to retort my phone rings alerting me of a FaceTime call from Megan. Shit! I stare at her name flashing across my screen, wondering what in the fuck I’m going to tell her. “Shit.”

Mira looks down at my phone and back at me, “You know you have to push the big green button, it’s not going to answer itself?”

I look over at Mira and she frowns, clearly noticing the hesitation cast across my face. “Uh,” I wince, rubbing my forehead. “It’s my girlfriend.”

“Yeah, I figured from the caller ID. Unless of course you go around saving everyone under ‘Babe’ on your phone?”

I heave a sigh when the phone stops ringing and I set it down on the desk again, still staring at it for a drawn out second before I turn to look at Mira watching me with her brows furrowed. “I’m not entirely sure what I’m going to say to her regarding…this.” I lift up our hands that are cuffed together and Mira’s eyes drop down to look at it, then at me bemused.

“Why can’t you just tell her the truth?” She queries with a shrug.

“Well, for one, I don’t really know how or where to even begin to explain this to her when we can barely grasp the purpose ourselves. Secondly, I don’t want to unnecessarily plant any seeds of doubt in her head about this. It was hard enough convincing her that our relationship wouldn’t suffer with me coming out here and her staying back in Singapore. If she finds out about this, she will blow a fucking gasket, jump on the first flight here, and to be completely honest I’d really rather not deal with the backlash and headache this whole situation would undoubtedly cause.”

Especially if she knows I’m handcuffed to you.

I never brought up Mira to Megan. If anything I successfully managed to evade the inquisition regarding her at family gatherings when my folks would bring her name up while reminiscing about the past. Even when we had the conversation of past relationships and flings, I always made sure to keep Mira out of it. Don’t ask why, I couldn’t tell you. Did I feel guilty about keeping it from her? At times, yes, I did, and every time I convinced myself to tell her, that little voice in my head would convince me not too. Mira will always be my one secret that I will forever keep buried in the deepest corner of my heart.

Mira sighs, leaning back into her chair and regards me seriously, “Devin, you know it doesn’t say much for your relationship when you’re willing to lie to your girlfriend, right? We’re not doing anything wrong nor did we choose to be cuffed together.”

I frown, “I know that and I’m not technically lying to her. Why do you think I’m avoiding her, Tinks? So, I won’t be forced to lie to her,” I clarify and Mira fixes me with a dubious look. “What? Why are you looking at me with those judgey eyes?”

“You’re an idiot.”

I gape at her, “How am I an idiot?”

Mira rolls her eyes, “Because by not telling her about this you’re in effect giving her something to fret about, aren’t you?”

“What she doesn’t know—”

“Don’t you finish that sentence, Devin!”

I wince inwardly because she’s right, and deep down I knew it, but I also know the headache and drama telling Megan would cause. What am I supposed to tell her anyway? ‘Honey, don’t worry, I’m only handcuffed to my childhood best friend and the one girl I have never got the chance to figure out what I felt for, nor ever truly gotten over. We’re only cuffed together so we can figure out our unresolved shit from the past, so that we can actually work together without the urge of ripping each other’s heads off. I mean, we only shared a bed and woke up in one another’s arms this morning, but seriously, you have absolutely nothing to worry about, because you’re the one that I love.’ Yeah, just saying it in my own head it sounds fucking absurd.

“Look, Tinks, it’s just not that black and white, all right, believe me. I have gone over the conversation I would have with her in my mind a thousand times over and each time it comes across even worse.” I explain and heave a heavy sigh, “I know Megan, and this will without a doubt cause a hell of a shitstorm for our relationship, and I’ve honestly got enough going on as it is without needlessly adding to it.”

Mira frowns, “Why would it cause a shit storm?”

I lick my lips and pinch the bridge of my nose, “Well, she will fire a thousand questions at me from all directions—ones I’m just not capable of answering and then she will fume because I’m not giving her the answers she wants and ergo the shit storm.”

Mira opens her mouth to speak but my phone starts ringing again and I close my eyes and curse. “Fuck.”

“Just answer it and tell her we’re working.”

I shake my head and stare at my phone apprehensively, “She’s video calling, and will without a doubt want to see my office.”

“Why?” Mira questions bemused and looks down at my phone screen.

“She’s an interior designer.”

“Wait,” Mira’s eyes widen, “Megan Young is your girlfriend?” I look over at her and nod slowly. “As in business tycoon Duncan Young’s daughter, that Megan?”

---