I LAY in bed thinking about the kiss. I loved it when Ryan kissed me, but he always seemed to end the kiss just when things were getting good.
I heard a noise. I went still, my eyes wide open and blinking in the dark. Was someone breaking in? Was Terrance back to exact revenge?
I crept to my bedroom door and peered into the living room, but all was silent. I looked down the hallway to Ryan’s room. No light shone beneath his door.
I couldn’t help myself. I moved with stealth to his room and knocked on the door.
“Yeah?”
I opened the door. “Are you okay?”
Ryan sat up in bed. “What’s wrong?”
“I heard a noise. I wanted to make sure you were okay,” I lied. Truth was, I didn’t want to be alone.
“I’m okay.”
“Did you set the alarm?” I asked him again. I had already asked him twice, but I couldn’t seem to stop myself.
There wasn’t a trace of impatience to his voice. “I changed the code, and I set the alarm.”
“What if he comes in here?”
“You worried about that?”
“Maybe.”
“I have a hockey stick under the bed.”
“Really?”
“You want to come sleep in here?”
I didn’t need asking twice. I moved to my side of the bed and climbed in. I snuggled deeper under the covers. Now I felt safe. “Thanks.”
He rolled over onto his side towards me. I could see the outline of his face in the dark. “Are you scared?”
“No.” I lied again. “But I’m worried about you.”
I could see his white teeth flash with a smile. “Thank you. You going to protect me?”
“If I have to.”
“What’s going on with Bianca?”
“What do you mean?”
“How bad are things with her?”
This conversation made me feel uncomfortable. “I don’t know.”
“You know you have the right to stand up for yourself.”
“What does that mean?”
“It means, I don’t want you to take shit from her or anyone else. You’re strong, Zoey. Stronger than anyone I know.”
Not taking shit from people was harder than it sounded. “She’s your PA.”
“Not for long.”
My breath caught in my throat. “You need a PA. She does a lot for you.”
“She put you in danger, and that’s unforgivable.”
Something weird happened inside of me every time Ryan came to my defense. It made me feel wobbly and sad. “Whatever.”
He lifted his hand and touched my cheek. “I will never let him near you again, you know that, right?”
I wanted to believe his words, but it wasn’t a promise he could keep. At some point, I’d be on my own. One of these days, I’d get a call back for an interview and then I’d be out in the real world working. Then I’d need to move out. I needed one company to call me for an interview.
Except Terrance had my phone.
I sat up with worry. “Terrance has my phone.”
“It’s okay. We’ll get you a new one.”
“No! I gave out that number for all my job applications.”
Ryan clicked on the light and squinted at me. “You’ve been applying for jobs?”
I lay back down. “Yeah.”
“Since when?”
“I don’t know. For a while. Why?”
“I don’t know. I thought maybe you’d want to go to school or something.”
I snorted. At this point, I had the clothes on my back. I was a long way off from going to school. “One day.”
Ryan clicked off the light. “Is that something you’d be interested in?”
“Yeah. When I can afford it.”
He paused so long I wasn’t sure he was still awake. “What would you take?”
“I should probably do something practical.”
“Forget about practical. What would you study if you could pick anything?”
“Accounting.”
“Really?” He looked shocked. “I thought you’d say something like interior design.”
“I’m good at accounting.”
“Then that’s what you should do.”
I loved how nothing ever seemed to limit Ryan. I couldn’t decide if he earned that attitude when he started making big money, or if that attitude made him successful.
“One day, but first I need a job.”
“Do research.”
“For what?”
“For school.”
I already knew to become a CPA, I needed a bachelor’s degree from a University. Post-secondary education was for wealthy people. It would take me years to save up for school.
“What’s the point?”
“Because even if you don’t know how you will achieve your dream, you still need a plan.”
I lay there thinking about that. “Don’t you think I’d just be setting myself up for failure? To dream about something that seems so far off?”
“Everyone needs a dream.”
“What’s your dream?”
I thought he’d laugh when I asked him but instead, he took my question seriously. “I want to stay in Vancouver.”
That shocked me. “Why would you leave?”
“It’s not up to me.”
“Who’s it up to?”
“The GM.”
I couldn’t imagine Vancouver without Ryan. The thought scared me. He was literally my only real friend. “I want you to stay too.”
I wanted to ask him to cuddle me, but I was scared he’d say no.
“Night, Ryan.”
“Night.”
I WOKE up to the buzz of a drill. The bed was empty. In the living room, a man in gray coveralls worked on the lock and Ryan sat at the island reading.
“What’s going on?” I moved to the coffeemaker and poured myself a cup of coffee.
“Getting the locks changed.”
“How come?”
“Just thought it was a smart thing to do.”
The man in the coveralls put his tools away. “I’m all done.”
I watched as he handed Ryan three keys and then he left.
Ryan locked the door and looked at me. “I’m going to shower, you okay?”
“I’m okay,” I lied.
“I’ll just be ten minutes, okay?”
“Okay.”
Ryan disappeared into the bedroom, so I focused on cleaning the already clean kitchen.
I heard someone at the door, but the door didn’t open. Then a knock.
With my heart in my throat, I walked to the door. “Who’s there?”
“Bianca.”
I swung the door open. She pushed her way past me. “Why doesn’t my key work in the door?”
“Ryan had the locks changed.”
She glared at me. “Why?”
I shrugged, not wanting to get into it.
She put her bags onto the island in a huff. “So where’s my new key?”
“Ryan has them,” I mumbled.
“Why didn’t he get me to order the lock change?”
“I don’t know.”
“What do you know?” She was in a fine mood this morning. “All you do is sleep in and eat and waste space around here.”
I protested her accusation. “I’m looking for a job.”
“You mean another drive-thru job slinging greasy burgers?”
“It’s honest work.”
She tossed her purse on the island. “You don’t get it, do you? Ryan is a sophisticated millionaire. He needs a partner who elevates him with looks, style, and grace. He needs someone to make him look good. He does not need you to drag him down. And if you think a haircut and a pair of earrings will change who you are, you can think again. Money doesn’t buy you class.”
You have the right to stand up for yourself. Ryan’s voice played in my head.
“You can’t talk to me like that,” my voice sounded muted. Unsure.
“I can talk to you however I damn well please. My patience is running thin. You’re using Ryan for his goodwill and it’s my job to make sure that stops.”
I felt tears build up behind my eyes. My impulse was to walk away, but I also wanted to be the person that Ryan thought I was. Strong. “My relationship with Ryan is none of your concern. You’re only his PA.”
She stuck her face in front of mine. “I make Ryan’s life easier. He needs me. One day he’s going to wake up and realize how indispensable I am to him. Don’t you forget that.”
“I told Ryan that you invited Terrance up here,” I spoke with a strength I didn’t feel. “And he wasn’t happy.”
“I didn’t invite Terrance up here. You invited him up here. I came home, and you were entertaining Terrance possibly even fucking him. It was hard to tell, but the signs were there.”
“That’s not true,” I stammered.
“That’s what I saw happen. Ryan will not be pleased when he hears what I saw.”
“He won’t believe you.”
She smiled and turned away. “We’ll see. But you better think about moving on, or I will do more than invite Terrance back.”
Fear rippled through me. She could not let Terrance back in here. I knew what he was capable of and if he was up here, he would leave behind him a trail of pain and destruction. I could not let Terrance near Ryan again. Ryan caught him off guard last night. Next time, Terrance would be ready. “You need to leave.”
Her smile dripped with insincerity. “Funny, that’s my line.”
“You’re no longer welcome here.”
“That’s not really for you to decide, now is it?”
I stood up. “You’re fired.”
Where did those words come from?
Her blue eyes narrowed. “You don’t have the authority to fire me, and trust me, when Ryan hears my side of the story, you will be the one packing your bags.”
“He won’t believe you. And he’ll back me up.”
She moved as fast as Terrance. A squeak escaped me when she grabbed a handful of my hair and yanked me towards her. “You will not say anything.”
As much as it hurt my head, I pushed hard against her chest, forcing her to step back and release my hair. We were both breathing hard. “You’re not allowed to touch me like that.”
“You know what?” She crossed her arms. “I’ve just decided that you’re done. Get out.”
“No. You leave.”
“Shut up!” Her hand was like a whip. It cracked across my face, leaving in its wake a burning sensation on my face.
It was more instinct than anything. I punched her as hard as I could in the gut.
The air whooshed out of her, making her temporarily bend over. “You will pay for that.”
She came at me like a wildcat, with her nails scratching my face and arms. I responded with a windmill of punches and hits that left us both breathless.
“What the hell?” Ryan’s voice cracked like a gun.
We both stepped back. Then she dramatically staggered towards him. “Oh, thank goodness you’re here. Zoey attacked me. She lost her mind.”
“I did not attack her,” my voice shook. “But I fired her.”
Ryan’s eyes met mine. “You fired Bianca?”
I swallowed so hard I thought my throat would stick close. This was it. This was the moment he would finally be pissed at me. “Yeah.”
His eyes narrowed on Bianca’s face. “Bianca, thank you for your contributions here, but your time here is over.”
My mouth dropped open. What? I expected him to try to smooth stuff over with her.
“Excuse me?” Bianca stopped walking. “You’re going to choose her over me?”
“I trust Zoey’s decisions, and if she has reason to terminate your employment then that’s all I need to know.”
I watched with bated breath.
“No!” Her voice became harsh. “You don’t know what I know. She slept with a man in your apartment. His name was Terrance. And she brought him up here and she is treating your place like a whorehouse.”
“Enough!” Ryan’s voice dropped several degrees.
“She’s a tramp,” Bianca continued as if she didn’t hear him. “She’s using you.”
“Bianca, a minute ago, you were in a fistfight with Zoey. Nothing you say will help you keep your job.”
“She started that fight!”
“I need to ask you to leave.”
“You’re not supposed to fall for her,” she pointed at me. “I’m the one you’re supposed to fall in love with. Me. Not that trashy little tramp.”
What was she talking about?
“And you were supposed to be someone I could trust,” he shot back.
“You can trust me, Ryan. I promise you can.”
“I need you to leave, Bianca.” There was a finality to his tone.
She brushed past me and grabbed her bag. Without looking at either of us, she strode out of the apartment.
I moved with wobbly legs to the stool and climbed on. My body shook so hard from the adrenaline, I felt light-headed. “Sorry.”
Ryan stood looking at me. He looked pissed but I couldn’t tell if he was pissed at me or at Bianca. He ran his hand through his damp hair. “She doesn’t know what she’s talking about.”
And I had no idea what he was talking about.
“Okay.” I gingerly touched my face, feeling the puckering of skin from where Bianca clawed me. I had been in a physical fight. I wanted to cry.
“Hey, are you okay?” He crossed the room lifting my chin up. “She scratched you.”
The shock of being in a fist fight was receding and being replaced by pain.
“I’m fine,” I lifted my chin in defense.
“Hang on,” he disappeared momentarily from the room and returned carrying antiseptic and some cotton pads.
“This might sting,” he said, wetting a cotton pad with the medication and then slowly dabbed my face.
It stung. I studied Ryan’s face as he concentrated on mine and momentarily wondered if he had always been this good looking?
He appeared surprisingly calm.
Still, I asked, “Are you mad?”
“About what?”
“About me firing Bianca.”
His blue eyes met mine. “Why would I be mad about that?”
“Because it wasn’t my place to fire your employee.” Nerves flooded my body. “I overstepped a boundary.”
“Give me your paw,” he instructed, taking my hand in his big one. I watched as he dabbed medication on another scratch on the back of my hand. “I’m proud of you. You stood up to her.”
I watched through my eyelashes as he lifted my hand to his mouth and slowly blew on my scratch. It was an intimate act that made my stomach pitch. The kind of act that made me think of kissing. I tugged my hand away. “I should have asked you first.”
A smile teased his lips. “You can ask me next time you want to fire one of my employees.”
“Ryan!”
He sat down on the stool beside me. “So, we need to talk.”
I sensed some bad news. “What?”
“I’m going on the road tomorrow.”
Fear clenched my stomach. “For how long?”
“Ten days.”
I looked around the apartment. I wouldn’t leave the place. I could set the alarm and not go outside, and I would be safe in here. Still, anxiety made my vision cloud. “That’s a long time.”
“Krista has offered for you to stay at her place while I am gone. Or she can move in here.”
The pent-up air escaped out of my lungs. Krista. My lifesaver. “That’s nice of her.”
“Which one do you want?”
Terrance wouldn’t know where Krista’s place was. I might be safer there. “I can go there.”
“Okay. Pack up today. I’ll drop you off on the way to the airport tomorrow.”
“Thanks, Ryan.”
“Can you be ready in 15?”
“For what?”
“We need to buy you a new phone.”
I cringed when I thought of adding that cost to my list. “I don’t really need one.”
“Are you kidding? Who’s going to take care of my Instagram account if you don’t have a phone?”
“It’s too expensive.”
“I’ll write it off as a business expense. Go get ready.”
