After that date, we became inseparable, and here we are three years later. I broke my rule of no office romances, but Dominic and I could be the exception to the rule. Plus, he was only connected to the company—he didn’t work there—so that was my brain’s way of finding a loophole. After graduation from law school, Burke, Wilson, and Talbot, located downtown, hired Dominic. I think about whether I should just swing by his office but decide against it. There have been so many nights spent curled up on the couch in his office with takeout just so that we could spend time together.
Instead of making my way over to Eighth and Townsend, where Dom’s office is, I go in the opposite direction toward our apartment. My best friends, Hadley and Brynn, said that we had rushed with moving in together, but when you know, you know. And unlike Heath Ashby in college, who tried to date both Hadley and me simultaneously, Dominic is the one.
I stop by the local market between my office and our place and grab the ingredients for Dominic’s favorite meal and a new bottle of red wine. When I unlock the front door to our apartment, the lights are already on, and Dom’s work bag is on the bench by the door. Yay! He’s already home. I’m glad I didn’t go to his office. I set the bag of groceries down on the counter and grab two wineglasses and the bottle and go in search of Dom. I hear the shower running, so I make my way to our bathroom. When I enter our bedroom, I hear soft moaning.
“Oh, fuck, yes! Right there, baby.”
Oh my God, is he jerking off in the shower? I slip my shoes off in our bedroom. Well, now that I’m home, I can help him out.
I stop in my tracks when I hear him say, “Suck me, baby, take it all. You take my cock so much better than Lexi.”
It’s then that I hear a second moan, a softer muffled moan, definitely belonging to a woman. Oh my God! I close my eyes. No, this is not happening. I take the three steps to the doorway of our bathroom and come face-to-face with my nightmare—or should I say, back-to-face since Dominic has his back to me while some whore is on her knees, in our shower, our apartment.
Why can’t I move? Why can’t I say anything?
“Get up off your knees and spin around. I want to make you come two more times before she gets home.” This woman knows about me, yet she has no issue with being with a man who has a girlfriend?
It’s as if my life is going in slow motion, and I can’t move, frozen in time. As she stands and spins around, I now recognize the woman to be none other than his secretary, Missy. He tugs on her wet blonde hair, wrapping it around his hand as he slides in her. He was never like this with me.
“Why are you still with her when you love my pussy more? I let you do things to me that she doesn’t even dream of.”
I can’t take it anymore as my boyfriend plows roughly into this other woman. I drop the wineglasses and bottle, cabernet splashing and glass shattering everywhere, just like the pieces of my broken heart.
I quickly back up as Dominic spins around at the commotion, and his eyes meet mine. Shock and guilt fill his blue orbs. I run out of the room, my feet finally moving. I don’t even bother to grab my shoes. I ignore Dominic shouting my name behind me.
“Lexi! Stop! Baby, listen, it’s not what it looks like.”
I spin around to face him, my chest heaving up and down. “You mean it doesn’t look like a humpback whale choking on a sea snake?”
His mouth gapes open. Yeah, that’s what I thought. I roll my eyes and ignore him, grabbing my purse and my keys before slamming the door in his face.
I press the button on the elevator as if pushing it over and over will make it arrive faster. When the elevator dings, I enter and sink to the floor, both thankful and hurt that Dominic didn’t continue to chase me.
I allow the tears to fall as the elevator descends. Dominic Jennings promised me the world, and I was a fool to believe him.
Nine months later…
Knock. Knock.
I look up from my work and find my boss standing in the doorway of my office.
“Got a moment, Lex?” he asks, his hands stuffed in the pockets of his gray dress pants.
I scooch back from my desk and extend my hand, offering him to enter and take a seat on one of the chairs in front of my desk.
“What can I do for you on this beautiful Friday afternoon, Mr. Jennings.”
His smile fades. “How many times have I told you to call me Paul.”
I laugh. “Too many to count, Paul.” I emphasize the use of his first name, and his smile returns. When Dominic and I were dating, I would attempt to call him Mr. Jennings, and he insisted I call him Paul, as I was now part of the family. Throughout our relationship, I spent countless family dinners and holidays with the Jennings family. When we broke up, I was grateful that my relationship with my boss did not change.
When Dominic and I had begun dating, the whispers started around the office. There were those who did not approve of my relationship with the boss’s son, and as my workload increased, the rumors began as well. Some coworkers believed that I had only gotten my new job title over favoritism being the boss’s possible future daughter-in-law, but Paul constantly assured me I earned it by working hard and doing my job well. I was young and vulnerable and spent many nights crying on my best friend’s or Dom’s shoulder over the whispers in the break room.
“I just wanted to let you know how much I appreciate everything you do for this company. Even after everything with my son”—I look down at my hands—“you persevered. You are an amazing woman, and my son missed out. I’m very fortunate to have snagged you right up after WCU. You always go above and beyond what I ask of you, and this company definitely wouldn’t be where it is without you.”
I bite my lip to fight back the tears. “Thank you, sir. Not that I don’t mind the praises, but is everything okay?”
He nods, running his hand through his short salt-and-peppered hair. His appearance has undoubtedly changed over the years. There are more tired wrinkles around his eyes than when we first met. “Never better. I’ll let you get back to your work.”
“Thanks. My boss is a real hard-ass if I don’t get my work done on time.” Mr. Jennings throws back his head in laughter before exiting my office. He pops his head back in. “Oh, and I called a quick staff meeting in twenty minutes.”
I look over at my computer, and sure enough, there is a calendar invite for a staff meeting. 4:00 p.m. on a Friday? That’s strange. I finish reviewing the specs for this year’s Best Of party in a few months. It’s a tradition here at Maritime. Every year, our readers vote for the best of Willow Creek. The categories range from Best Burger to Best Late-Night Munchies to Best Place to Take Out-of-Towners. It’s a big deal and one of the best events in town if I do say so myself.
With a few minutes to spare, I grab my notepad and make my way to the conference room. Of course, I am one of the last to arrive, so I choose to stand in the corner. Lacey, one of the sales reps, offers me her chair, but I wave it off. I have been sitting all day; it feels good to be stretching my legs out.
“Any idea what this is about?” Tiffany, our food and wine editor, asks next to me.
I shake my head. “Not a clue.”
Mr. Jennings arrives and stands at the front of the conference room, looking around at the staff. He smiles and nods. What is going on?