"What?" I quickly stood up, alarmed. Oh my God, this was not happening to me! It's my first job outside the military, and I was getting fired for no reason. "Why?"

"What? You-"

"Why? Why are you firing me? Did I do something wrong?" I stood in front of him, my arms akimbo. "I'm confused. What happened to you last night that made you change your mind overnight? I am doing my best and never heard a complaint from you these past few weeks."

He got up, and I took a step back. He placed his hands on my shoulders, his eyes staring at mine. But it didn't last a second until he burst into laughter. "You're hilarious. Did I tell you that?"

"Why are you laughing? Is this a joke?" I crossed my arms over my chest and stepped back from his sudden touch, causing him to frown.

"You thought I was going to fire you?"

"You told me to pack my stuff."

"So?" he said, casually putting his hands into his jean pockets. "That doesn't mean you are."

"What could possibly mean 'packing my stuff' besides being fired. Cause there's no other way, you know?" Feeling the temperature rising, I took off my coat, feeling Dave's eyes on me, and tossed it on the couch.

"What are you doing?"

"Is it hot in here, or is it just me? Could you please turn the thermostat down a little?" I requested as I sat again on the couch.

"Are you getting hot just by looking at me?" he asked with a grin on his face.

I scoffed at him, wanting to say, 'You wish,' but, instead, said, "Just tell me, please."

After adjusting the thermostat, he sat down in front of me on the light brown shag rug and explained, "As I told you before, something happened at work. More like last-minute planning, so I have to go to Madrid and New York for a week to attend some important meetings and events. Is Ms. Richards happy that I told her another meaning of 'packing her stuff' besides firing her? Cause I don't think that's going to happen anytime soon."

I was so worried about the Michelle thing that I forgot that traveling with him was also part of my job. And just like that, my angry mood changed into excitement just by thinking of traveling for the first time to Europe.

Noticing my reaction, he smiled and started explaining the itinerary, "We're going to stay three days in Madrid and the rest of the week in New York. I have an important meeting on Tuesday, so we're leaving tomorrow at 0800 am."

"Hmm... okay." I was looking forward to my me-time at home and to pick Shannon up from the airport, but since it's work-related, maybe she wouldn't mind. I'll tell Gary to pick her up instead.

"Do you have another date tomorrow?" he asked, playfully moving his brows. He was in a good mood, which meant that he hadn't had any clue about what happened yesterday.

I shook my head. "I already agreed to pick my friend up from the airport, but I'm sure she'll understand."

"I'm sure she will. It's settled, then."

"Yes. I'll see you tomorrow at the airport, then."

The two of us got up at the same time, as he asked, "Don't you wanna come to the airport with me? Together?"

"There's something I got to do first, and I don't know what time I'll finish before coming home to pack my bag."

He walked to the kitchen, and I followed him. "What about after packing? You still have your room here. It's not like it disappeared and went into Howards."

I rolled my eyes. "It will be pretty late then.

"I'll pick you up," he suggested while looking into the fridge. "Want something to eat or drink?" he asked, turning around to meet my gaze. I shook my head and stood still with my hands behind my back in front of the black granite eat-in table. He poured himself a glass of orange juice and said, "Or not. It's Saturday, so you don't have to stay here if you don't want to."

"No, I don't mind staying here," I gave in with a sigh and sat down at the table. "I do have one question. When will we be back? Sunday?"

"Sunday evening, so you can spend the night here instead of going back to your house and come here the next morning."

I texted Aunt Wanda right away to let her know that I won't be here next weekend. She replied instantly.

'I have tons of paperwork to do that weekend, so don't worry about it, sweetie. Take care, and have fun. Love you, xoxo.'

I answered her back with an 'I love you.' and put my phone into my blazer pocket.

"So, that's all?"

"Yeap," he said before drinking the juice in two gulps and sat next to me. "Where were you, by the way? Why are you dressed so formally? You had a date? Another interview I should know about?"

I chuckled. "Cannot a girl dress like this?"

"When people answer a question with another question means that you're either avoiding something or what I said it is true," he remarked with a smirk on his face. "So, you went out on a date, huh?"

I half-shut my eyes and crossed my arms. "Why is that any of your business, huh?"

"Uhh, Allys went on a date," he sung in a childish voice while nudging me with his elbows. "Who is the lucky guy?"

"You mean lucky girl."

"So, you are into women, huh?" he inquired.

"Of course not!" I half-yelled, shaking my head. "I was on a date with my aunt. We went out for lunch."

"Okay, if you say so," he shrugged his shoulders as if he hadn't believed me, and I caught him taking another glance at my outfit. As if he was studying my body, memorizing it.

"It will last longer if you take a picture," I raised an eyebrow, and he immediately looked up to meet my gaze, not embarrassed that I caught him.

"Thanks! I thought you'd never ask," he replied with his phone already in his hand, and I immediately snatched it away from him. "Hey! You told me I could take a picture. What's wrong with you?"

"I don't know if you're familiar with the word, but it was sarcasm," I walked to the living room, grabbed my coat, and marched to the door. "I'm leaving, so see you..., tonight?"

"Allys," he called my name, and I turned around. His body was so close to mine that I could smell his shampoo, his perfume.

"Yes?"

He raised his hand as if he was asking for something in return with his palm open. "Can I have my phone back, or are you just going to take pictures of yourself in your house?"

I blushed with embarrassment and gave his phone back. "Right, sorry."

He smirked at me, "See you..., tonight?" He was mocking me, which made it impossible not to laugh.

After a session with my psychologist, I called Shannon when I got home to tell her that I won't pick her up at the airport. She was not upset but thrilled because I had the chance to do something different and finally move forward. The good news was that she was coming back to New York next weekend, so I was looking forward to exploring the city with her and be there for her birthday and wedding dress fitting. Judy excitedly screamed and cried when I told her that I was traveling for a week with Dave. She desperately wanted me to get out of this city, which was something neither Shannon nor her couldn't achieve.

And maybe they were right. I needed a change of scenery, breath in new air -as most people would say. I needed a different place to have new memories, and Chicago had both good and bad.

***

"Did you not sleep well last night?" he asked. He was seated in front of me with his eyes fixed on the newspaper he was holding.

"Nope." I shook my head and looked out the tiny window. I packed my bags with my most simple and comfortable clothes and shoes, and a few formal dresses, per Dave's request if I was going to one of his formal events.

"Why not? Excited much about this trip?"

"I just couldn't," I shrugged my shoulders.

The flight attendant came and placed breakfast on the table: Benedict eggs, two plates of waffles with maple syrup spread on them, two glasses of orange juice, two banana slices of bread, and fruit salad. Wow! Will we be able to finish them all?

I thanked the flight attendant and sipped my orange juice.

"The flight takes about 8 hours and 55 minutes, so you have plenty of time to rest after breakfast," he explained, folding the newspaper. As he started pricking the Benedict eggs, he continued saying, "You can sleep in the bed if you want. I'll sleep here."

"I don't mind sleeping here. Plus, this is your plane, so it makes much sense that you sleep in the room."

He shook his head. "Please, I insist. What kind of boss am I if I let you sleep in here? You need your beauty sleep and, besides, I'll be working, so no sleep time for me."

"Are you sure?" He nodded with a smile. "Thank you, Dave," I smiled back.

"You're very welcome."

One thing Dave has hired me for was honesty, so I sipped my warm coffee and, clearing my throat, I said, "Dave, there's something I want to tell you or ask you. Well, it's something that I kind of -don't want to at the same time, but I think I must."

He put down his coffee and looked at me, curious and worried, with a deep furrow in between his brows. "Oookay, go on."

"I know you said your relationship with Michelle was complicated but did you talk to her? Like yesterday, for example?" I asked.

"We uhh- don't have a complicated relationship anymore. Michelle and I broke up," he said in a questioning tone. He wasn't even sure if they broke up.

"How could you broke up with her if she wasn't your girlfriend?"

"We had an open relationship," he answered flatly.

"I'm sorry. An open relationship?"

"Our journey has been a rollercoaster. We dated for two years, then broke up, and then again got back together a few months later, thinking that it would be best to see other people while dating. That's why it's complicated."

"I'm sorry. See other people while dating?" And here I thought, they were an ordinary couple. So the way he looked at her sometimes, the sweet kisses they gave each other every time she stayed home, the 'I love you's... was all because of the old feelings they had for each other? I was so confused right now.

"Yes."

"I'm sorry. Are you crazy?"

"Stop saying you're sorry," he chuckled. "And no, I am not."

"H- how could you possibly like that kind of relationship? Of course, that would make things much more complicated. Do you still love her the way you did? Does she love you?" It seemed like inappropriate questions to ask my boss, but I had to know. I felt like Shannon, reading those gossip magazines she liked to read so much.

He paused for a moment and sighed before answering, "Of course I love her, but not in a romantic way like we used to do. I will always cherish the moments we had, and we will always love one another .... as friends," he continued. "I don't expect you to understand it-"

"I'm sorry, but I don't," I bluntly cut him off. "I mean, don't get me wrong. I heard of it, but I never met someone who liked that type of relationship." All the feeling-sorry-for-him feeling was gone and replaced by many questions, but mostly relief. "Well, now that you kindly explained it to me, I should say that she and somebody else had sex in your bed yesterday."

A chill ran on my back as I said those words out.

He burst out laughing, calling her names that I never thought I hear from someone who loved her. "Well, it's not like I didn't do it in hers. We both agreed as long as we don't tell each other whom we did it with."

Questions started to fill my mind, but they were very personal that I didn't want to intrude more than I was in his personal life. Was it a thing nowadays dating someone while seeing and sleeping with other people? The idea of it made me want to puke all I ate, and I for sure would never be in one. The thought of Jared being in another woman's arms would kill me and destroy me. Why would someone want that kind of relationship? You honestly do not date if you wanted to see other people.

"Did you change the sheets?" Dave asked, pulling me out of my thoughts.

I scoffed. "Yes, I changed the sheets and whatever else they touched right after they finished and made them dinner," I sarcastically said. "Are you out of your mind? All I could think about was that she was cheating on you!"

"She would never do that to me. That's what an open relationship means. And you kept it to yourself? Is that why you couldn't sleep? Wow! Why?"

I could notice the awe in his tone of voice as if he couldn't believe what I did. I was good at keeping secrets -that's one of the many things Shan liked and didn't like about me.

"Because it's none of my business. Besides, I was worried that you would fire me for making something like that up. And because I don't know you that much to tell you things like 'Hey, I caught your girlfriend cheating on you in your own house. Have a nice weekend. Bye.' I- I don't want to lose this job."

He chuckled and tilted his head. "You won't. I know we haven't had much time getting to know each other because of work, but I hope we can do it this week. I don't want to be the type of boss who doesn't interact with their workers and get to know them because they're inferior. I'm not like that. I'm a friendly boss type, and I want us to be friends."

I gave him a small smile without saying anything and finished breakfast, still the unanswered questions dancing around my mind.

"Have you ever been in love?" he asked after a few minutes of complete silence.

I looked at him. "Yes. Deeply."

I didn't want to tell him that the love of my life had died in front of me, especially to someone who I barely knew and trusted. I was still in love with Jared even though he was already gone. He was everything to me. He changed my life, he made me the happiest girl ever, even in the circumstances we were in, and my feelings toward him would never, never go away. How could I tell Dave that I was still in love with someone who was no longer in my life?

"What is the lucky guy's name?"

"Jared." I felt my tears trying to come out as I felt a twinge of pain in my heart, not because I was not over him, but because Dave thought I was in love in this present moment. With someone alive.

"He is lucky to have you," he smiled, and I looked down at my lap without saying anything. I couldn't agree more with Dave, but I also thought that I was the one who got lucky. "You look tired. You should go rest."

"I will once we finish all this."

He started telling me stories about his favorite places to travel as we finish our breakfast. Since I had nothing much to say, I just listened to his words, curious and amazed at how much he knew, explored, and experienced. He loved traveling.

***

"Since you're still up. Wanna watch a movie?"

I sat next to him on the spacious grey couch. "Sure. Which one do you have in mind?"

"How about a comedy movie?" he suggested while scrolling through his iTunes movie library on his laptop. "Uhh, I never watched this one. Have you?"

"Blended? I never heard of it."

"Blended it is, then," he placed the laptop on top of the desk and pressed play.

The flight attendant gave us each a blanket to keep us warm from the cold. We found ourselves bursting into laughter, enjoying each other's company by commenting on certain scenes. It was a rom-com movie, so I found myself uncomfortable by Dave's side when a romantic scene came onto the screen. We each glanced at each other from the corner of our eyes and fixed our eyes on something else.

There was still half an hour left when I felt my eyes starting to close from exhaustion. I tried to keep them open, but I couldn't, and my head automatically fell on Dave's shoulder.

"Allys," he called out my name, moving his shoulder to try to wake me up. "Are you already bored?"

"What?" I whispered in a sleepy voice. "I'm tired." My legs wouldn't even respond to my command to go to bed. It was like I had no strength at all.

"Tired of me?" he chuckled, and I heard him click to pause the movie.

"I'd rather... sleep... the couch."

"Are you drunk or tired?" I heard him laugh. "Come on. I got you, Allys."

I felt his arm around my legs and the other behind my back, my head lying on his hard chest. He lifted me and carried me bridal style and dropped me off slowly on the comfy bed. Shortly afterward, he took my shoes off and pulled the blanket up to my neck.

The next thing I heard before finally falling asleep was him saying, "Good night, Allys."

XOXO