“At least you bought me a pretty dress and shoes,” I said, remembering how frustrated I’d been when he announced our plans for the evening and then brought out the wrapped box. It was an incredibly sweet gesture, and I’d probably thanked him a dozen times since then even if the shoes had given me blisters the size of Gobstoppers.

“I did,” he said, pulling back just enough so that I could see the dimple forming in his cheek. “Just remember that on your way to work,” he suggested.

“You had to mention work, didn’t you?”

He turned me around to face the door. The sound of the TV next door now blaring through the walls, we walked arm in arm to the front of the apartment. With my hand on the door handle, I turned.

“Good luck, babe,” he said, fixing the strap of my purse so that it lay flat on my shoulder. “And, hey, there are plenty of other great jobs in the city!”

“Thanks,” I said, shaking my head. “Thanks a lot.”

I was so getting fired.

I took the long way to work, getting off an entire subway stop early just so I’d have time to think. What I hadn’t anticipated was how much it would hurt to walk that far in heels and how oblivious every other female on the street seemed to be to this revelation.

Also, the blisters. The freaking blisters.

By the time I reached Cavenaugh Investments, my feet were screaming. Why couldn’t Tyler have gone to school on the West Coast where casual attire was the norm and flip-flops were considered fashionable?

I’d thankfully left early enough and had the blessing of the subway gods to arrive to my second day of work on time.

No grim looks from the evil woman at the front desk.

Finding my way to the glass elevator, I entered the code I remembered from yesterday and made my way up to the top floor.

I was nearly shaking by the time the elevator dinged, and the doors pushed back. I looked around, like a convict on the loose. I didn’t know where I expected to find him. Maybe lurking in that dodgy plant in the corner? Or maybe underneath my desk?

I was perhaps a bit paranoid.

He was the owner of a mammoth company. I was sure he had better things to do than stalk his soon-to-be former assistant.

Oh God, when will this be over?

This was worse than the time my dog, Casper, had shown up in my living room during one of my first dates with Tyler, proudly dropping a used pad he’d managed to dig out of the bathroom trash.

I’d thought for sure my life was over in that moment.

But, nope, I’d managed to live on… until this very moment.

Awesome.