Autumn - In Love With My Boss (An Office Romance)| Completed

Chapter 6 - Autumn

The drive takes about 30 minutes and neither of us says anything. I just stare out the window and watch the street lights fly by. Until there are no street lights anymore. There is absolute darkness around us now. I have to laugh; it is too fitting.

"What's so funny?" Mike seems annoyed.

"Nothing," I tell him and surprisingly, he seems to be satisfied with my non-answer.

Finally, he pulls into the parking lot in front of the park and kills the engine. He's good at killing things that are running well, you know.

So here we are. Slaughterhouse for the little sheep. Everything inside me is reluctant to go out there but I do it anyway. It's not like I have a choice.

"There you are." Out of nowhere comes Mr. Marlow. He is suddenly right beside me, startling me to death. "Sorry, I didn't mean to scare you."

I lift my head to look up at him and immediately, I wish I hadn't. Even though it is pitch black, I can see the deep steely blue in his eyes. I guess I would recognize it anywhere.

"It's okay," I manage to breathe. Ugh, Autumn, could you be any more obvious?

I hear Mike getting out of the car. He stops right next to us.

"Good evening." He sticks out his hand, waiting for my boss to accept his formal greeting.

Seconds tick by, and nothing happens. Mr. Marlow just eyes him frostily. Then, after what feels like an eternity, he shakes Mike's hand.

"James Marlow." His voice couldn't be icier. Wonderful, he is in a great mood. No wonder, after what I did last night.

"Mike Durell. Nice to meet my baby's boss after all that time."

Mr. Marlow raises an eyebrow. "So, you're the boyfriend?"

"Yeah." Mike possessively puts his arm around my shoulder. "I damn well am."

Another cold stare, another silent break.

"Well," Mr. Marlow finally turns to me. "We've got work to do. Shall we?" He stretches out his arm as to define the eerily black park in front of us as our work space.

I nod and free myself of Mike's uncomfortable embrace. "I won't be late," I hear myself say. That's ridiculous. Mike won't be home before tomorrow morning and I try to reassure him?

Pathetic.

"Me neither," he says and kisses me briefly. "Give me a call when you're done and I'll pick you up."

With these words he retreats to his car and drives off.

I watch the tail lights disappear into the night, when Mr. Marlow's voice suddenly interrupts the quiet.

"Is that him?"

I look at my boss, not understanding his question. "What do you mean?"

"I mean," he pauses for a while as if he tries to look for the right words. Then, finally, he continues. "The guy who cheats on you. Is that him?"

God, I'm so glad it's dark because I can feel my cheeks flush with blood. Lots of blood. They're burning.

"Uhm," I stutter helplessly, staring at the ground between our feet.

Right now I wish the earth would eat me. Seriously. Earth, open up and devour me, please! This would be so much better than having to respond to that question. What am I supposed to say? Exactly, that's the bastard the text was meant for? Unfortunately, it ended up with you, the man of my most secret dreams?