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

Never Again

The kiss lasted a little longer than expected. 

In fairness, Paul's lips were soft, and his breath tasted like champagne mixed with vanilla cake. But he kissed me as if he was struggling with me for air, and there were a few times when it felt like he was going to bite me in the most inappropriate way. Not to mention that he was my direct supervisor...

Shit. Eloisa and I weren't due to move out for another month. That meant Paul was still my direct supervisor at the bakery. 

I broke the kiss right away. "This isn't right." 

He stared at me, dazed by my sudden reaction. "I'm sorry, Monica. I got carried away." 

"Same here." I was still holding the champagne glass in one hand and my camera phone in another. "We shouldn't have done this, Paul." 

"Can't say I disagree with you on that, Monica." He took in a few deep breaths. "You're not going to tell anyone about this, are you?" 

"Too late," I spat out. "We are in the middle of a wedding, for chrissakes." 

"If anyone asks, just say we were carried away." 

At least he was willing to acknowledge that it took two to tango, even if he threw himself at me first. "Eloisa is going to kill me if she finds out." 

"Not before she kills me." He began to turn away. "You won't say anything, would you?" 

I did not know what to say. I could count this as sexual harassment on his part, but I couldn't say that I didn't provoke him either. "It was an emotional moment for you."

"Not as emotional as it would have been for you." 

I stood away from him, as if he was made of radioactive material. "I don't think I'm going to see Eloisa for a while." 

"Neither am I." Then, without missing a beat, he added, "I want you to take a few days off." 

"But Paul -"

"I'll explain everything to Eloisa," he insisted. "Once we have it all ironed out, you can join her again, but by then you'll both be working on the new place and you won't see me for a long time." 

I wasn't optimistic about wanting to see him again, either. "Is this your word against mine?" 

"I would never do anything to hurt you. Professionally." 

"And personally?" 

"Monica, will you please let me work this out with my sister first? I already don't know how I'm going to make this up to you." 

My eyes began to water. 

"Please, Monica, don't cry." 

"I'm not crying, Paul." But I was angry, for sure. I just hadn't decided if I was angry at him, or myself. 

He shook his head, letting strands of his hair fly off in different directions. "Take a break, why don't you? I'll figure something out." 

That sounded more like the Paul Carreon I knew - the big brother who insisted on doing things his way. "You're the boss, Paul." 

"I know." But he could not look me in the eye as he said those words.