Page 99 of A Bossy Surprise

Arthur sighs. “So your dad really is moving forward with this?”

“It would appear that way. He’s called the board meeting. So we only have a matter of weeks to give GNN a total makeover.”

“All right. I’ll sign on withMore Bold, but one of these days I’m going to put my foot down,” Arthur says as he walks out of my office.

I get back to work and I’m totally absorbed by it until about an hour later when my phone rings.

I look at the display and can’t recognize the number. Normally, I wouldn’t answer an unknown number, but these days potential advertisers call me up directly. I don’t know how they get my number, but I’m not in the habit of looking gift horses in the mouth. So I answer.

“Hello?” I say.

There’s a pause before I hear, “Adam?”

My blood runs cold as I immediately recognize the voice.

“Rachel,” I say her name flatly.

“Yes, it’s me,” she answers. “It’s been a long time. How have you been?”

“I haven’t heard from you in years, ever since you left me at the altar. Why are you talking to me like we are pals?”

She goes silent. The only reason I know she’s still there is because I hear her breathing on the line. “I’m sorry. I am a little nervous. This is all so awkward.”

I sigh and close my eyes. “What do you want, Rachel?”

“I heard you’re in Cleveland now?”

“Yes, I am. Why?”

“I’m in town for a conference, and I was wondering if we could meet.”

“No,” is my answer as soon as the question leaves her lips.

“Come on, Adam. Enough time has passed. We should be able to sit down and talk all of this through.”

“The time to have talked all of this through was years ago. Not only did you cheat on me, you ran off with the man you were having the affair with, and humiliated me in the process. Excuse me for still being a little salty about that.”

“Adam, please. After we talk, if you never want to see me or hear from me ever again I will respect that. All I’m asking is that you give me a little bit of your time.”

She sounds sincere enough.

For a while after things ended between Rachel and me, I spent all my time obsessing about being able to talk to her. To get closure on everything. As time passed and I never heard from her, I resigned myself to that never happening. However, that day has finally come, but now that it has, I don’t know if I want to hear what she has to say.

However, if I’m being honest with myself, there’s a part of me deep down that hasn’t put that relationship to bed. Perhaps hearing her out will allow me that.

“Fine. We can meet.”

“Thank you. Where is your office? I can drop by right now if that’s not too short notice.”

Although I have nothing to hide, I think it would be wrong to have her come here. I don’t want her to run into Kayla before I have an opportunity to talk to her.

“No, don’t come to my office. Have you heard ofTavola Italiana? It’s a restaurant in downtown Cleveland. We could do lunch.”

“No, I haven’t,” she says. “But I can find it.”

“Good. I’ll see you in an hour.”

“See you then.” The line goes dead.