A Slice of the Pie (The Turnover - Old Version)

Intimacy

A few moments later, we watched Sean seize Eloisa in a passionate cinch, which ended in what seemed to be yet another fevered kiss. 

"Those two have no shame," Paul sniffed. "This is Hazel and Vinny's wedding, and they're already acting like they're headed for the honeymoon suite." 

"Did Sean tell you that he was in love with your sister?" 

He paused, taking another sip of champagne. "I didn't say he wasn't." 

"Figures." 

I then noticed Sean whispering something into Eloisa's ear. They seemed to be in the middle of planning something... intimate. 

That was something I did not want Paul to notice while he was halfway through his glass of champagne. 

"Paul," I asked, trying to sound casual, "have you ever been in love?" 

He nearly choked on his champagne. "What kind of a question is that, Monica?" 

"I'm just curious," I answered. "Eloisa never mentioned anything about you having a girlfriend."

"That's none of your business."

For the first time, I noticed that Paul looked nothing like Eloisa when he got angry. His cheeks puffed up and turned red, like he had eaten something that he was allergic to, and his nostrils flared up as if he needed more air. It was a shame, since he shared the same cheekbones as Eloisa, and the same mahogany tan coloring as their Pappy.

"I am still your direct supervisor, Monica," he said to me. "You have no business getting into my business."

"I just wanted to know why you're so worried about Eloisa and Sean, that's all."

His color continued to rise. "You don't know anything, Monica. You have no idea how it feels to run this business. You have never gone to business school so you could manage the bakery."

"So you always say."

"No, you don't know me at all." Another gulp of champagne made its way down his throat. "You don't know how it feels to drop everything and take care of this family. Do you have any idea how many times I've worried that Mom's arthritis is going to flare up and she'll end up dropping  something while she's baking? Or that one day, Pappy would die in his sleep the way Lola did?"

"You worry too much, Paul."

"To you, that's too much. To me... did Eloisa tell you about what happened in Singapore?"

I gulped. That was the most personal story that Eloisa had told me about her life, and it already said a lot about the relationship between these two. "She was working too hard."

"She was suicidal. That's a fact." 

Now I was beginning to hate Paul, even more than I already did. "You're an arrogant bastard, Paul." 

"What?" His jaw dropped open. 

"Look, I may be your sister's assistant, but I am going to tell you this right now. You, Mr. Paul Carreon, are the most arrogant piece of shit that I have ever met in my life." 

"Don't talk to me that way, Monica." 

"But I am talking to you, Paul. And I am telling you exactly what I think, right now, because I will not let you speak ill of your own sister - who, by the way, is my direct supervisor - and that I will not listen to you rant and rave about how you're doing all of this for your family, blah blah blah..."

"Monica!" 

His pained tone of voice startled me. "Why, did I hurt your feelings?" 

He shook his head. 

"I'm just saying, Paul." 

"You didn't have to." 

Then, in a fluid motion, he drew me closer to him - and before we knew it, we, too, were kissing.