On His Desk by Mia Faye

Chapter 42

AVA

I'm teary as Michael and I drive off and wave at Alec and Miley. They are staying a couple of days longer before they go off for a one-week honeymoon. Alec can’t take too much time off from work as wasn’t really planned, and Miley doesn’t mind the extra time to figure out her living arrangements.

I imagine how it would be if it were Michael and me who had just gotten married. The thought of seeing Michael first thing in the morning and the last thing when I go to sleep sends an electric current through me. But it’s a far-off dream and one I have little hope it will ever happen.

Best to enjoy the present and not to focus too much on the future.

We said goodbye to my parents an hour earlier and I already miss them. I let out a loud sigh unknowingly.

"Are you all right, sweetheart?" Michael asks.

"I'm fine. Just missing my folks. It was a good surprise to see them here." I make a promise to myself to go home for a visit, even if it’s just for a weekend.

"I had a good time getting to know them," Michael says. “You must be very proud of them. A doctor and a teacher.” There’s a tone of awe in Michael’s voice. People who work in the medical field often evoke that reaction.

“I am,” I tell him. The best thing about my parents though was that neither of them tried to influence me to follow in their footsteps. They wanted me to be happy. To choose a career that would give me a sense of purpose and satisfaction. I think about the next phase of my life. I enjoy being a PA, but I think that I’ve found my calling with finance. I love what Michael does, working with entrepreneurs, and realizing their dreams as well as his.

“Were they strict when you were growing up?” Michael says.

I laugh. “Hardly. They treated me like an adult even when I was ten. I loved it and my friends envied me. What about your family?”

“They were very strict,” Michael says.

We exchange stories about our childhoods and Michael has me laughing as he tells me the scrapes he got into, with his brothers on the farm.

After a while, we grow silent and just enjoy the drive. I feel in tune with my body and my soul. I feel rested and at peace. My body aches all over but in the most delicious way. As Michael promised, we made love most of the night, dozing off and then waking up to ravish each other again.

"Thanks for coming," I tell him and place a hand on his thigh. “It was a wonderful weekend."

"It was for me too," Michael says.

"Have you spoken to Elly?" I ask him.

"No, but I'm sure they’re fine. The network was crap. Paige knows how to find me if she needs me."

"Elly will be happy to see you," I tell him.

“I can’t wait to see her too,” Michael says, a lot of love in his voice.

I lean back in my seat and watch the passing landscape. I feel even more relaxed than when Michael and I flew to Rhode Island for three days. Probably because it’s different between us now and I don’t have to reign in my feelings.

I’d have liked to hear Michael whisper the words I love you into my ear when we’re making love. I immediately chastise myself for my impatience. He’s taken such a huge step in shifting from his just-a-fuck mindset to a committed relationship. That too will come. With time, he’ll become comfortable in sharing his feelings with me. My own feelings for Michael frighten me. They are strong and all-encompassing to the point that most of my waking moments are spent thinking about him, except when we’re together.

I’ve fallen hard for Michael Fowler.

“I had a candid discussion with Paige a few days ago,” Michael says.

“Oh.” My heart pounds. A smile tugs at my lips. I hadn’t expected him to tell her about us so soon.

“She had an idea and it made sense. She wants to continue with the current arrangement so that Elly and I can bond as father and daughter.”

I shake my head unable to believe my ears. I search his face. He must be kidding. “Are you serious?”

He frowns. “It won’t be for long and it won’t interfere with our relationship. I promise.”

How can he make such a promise? Paige is like a pesky fly. I take in a deep breath. I’m angry and jealous and I want to lash out, but I can barely control myself.

“You agreed to this even without speaking to me?” I ask between clenched teeth.

“I didn’t think you’d mind,” Michael says.

All the euphoria I had earlier dissipates. “How did this even come up?”

He tells me about driving to her place after getting suspicious about the roof.

“Weren’t you upset?” I ask him when he finishes the tale.

“I was boiling mad but it’s not about Paige or what she does. It’s about Elly. I’ll do anything to keep Elly with me,” Michael says.

That I can understand. I take a deep breath and tell myself that it’s about Elly.

“I want to tell Paige about us when we’re together,” Michael says. “Come home with me.”

It’s on the tip of my tongue to refuse but common sense and self-preservation win. I want to look into Paige’s eyes when Michael tells her that we’re a couple. I want her to know that it’s serious between us.

"Okay, I will," I tell him, and he reaches out to squeeze my thigh.

"I know it's a weird arrangement but please be patient with me and if something makes you uncomfortable, please tell me and I'll fix it, okay?"

I nod and give him a reassuring smile. It's an odd situation for sure but then again, it's difficult for Michael too to be caught in the middle. He is being forced to be in the same house as the woman who dumped him for his best friend. That can’t be easy. I inhale deeply. I have to be more understanding.

I can feel my eyelids growing heavier, which is no surprise as Michael, and I got very little sleep. It doesn’t seem to affect him though. I tuck my legs under my hips and drift off to sleep.

The next time I come to, it's to Michael softly calling me and gently shaking me awake. I feel groggy as I force my eyes open. To my surprise, we're outside my apartment.

"I thought we were going to your place?"

"I figured you'd want to pop into your apartment first, then we can go to my place after," Michael says. "We can chill out a bit."

I smile at him and cup his cheek. "I don't deserve you."

Michael grabs my luggage from the trunk as I open the front door.

"Hello, house, " I say as I walk in. As great as it was at the lodge, it's nice to be back home. "Coffee?" I ask Michael.

"Yes, please."

I open the windows to let in some fresh air before going to the kitchen to make the coffee. Michael joins me just as I place the cups on the small kitchen table. We sit sipping our coffee and talking. At some point, the conversation turns to work.

"Oliver and I invested in a cosmetics company years ago," he says. "Lavish cosmetics."

"I love their cherry lipstick," I tell him.

"The company belonged to Charles, Paige's husband and our plan was to take over Lavish Cosmetics." Michael's voice is tinged with sadness.

I'm shocked by the admission. "Revenge?"

He nods. "Yes. I’m not proud of myself."

I look away. “And Oliver went along with it?”

Michael nods. “Oliver is a good friend. In any case, he didn’t really have a choice. If he didn’t want Hyperion involved, I’d have done it myself.”

I don't know what to say. It seems a little much to plan to take a man's company because he stole your girlfriend. Michael must have loved Paige very much. My chest squeezes painfully.

"I know now how stupid a plan that was. I should have just let it go. Anyway, the reason I'm telling you this is so you know that you've made me a better man. Just by being yourself."

Tears jump to my eyes. I'm too choked to say anything immediately.

"You've done the same for me," I tell him. "You made me forget Barry and the pain and humiliation he caused me.

“What will you do with it now that Charles is gone?” I ask him.

“I’m in the process of buying it from Hyperion,” Michael says. “We’ve already found professional people to run it. I’ll make it profitable again for Paige and Elly. She might be the CEO when she grows up.” Michael smiles.

“That’s a good plan. I’m glad you didn’t get a chance to destroy something good.”

“Me too.” He gets to his feet. “I'll clean up," he says, and I go into my room for a change of clothes.

I return to find Michael waiting for me in the leaving room, leafing through some finance books I bought online.

He looks up. "You're really serious about this stuff, aren’t you?"

I nod. "I followed your advice and applied for evening classes. Crossing my fingers that I get in."

"You will," Michael says, his voice brimming with confidence.

He notices my outfit then. His eyes graze over me and I do a little twirl. I chose a knee-length floral dress that is both cute and sexy.

"You look gorgeous. If I didn’t know how sore you are, I'd ravish you before we leave," Michael says.

I believe him and quickly hustle him out of the apartment.

My body is tight with tension as we get closer to his place. Paige makes me nervous. Michael, unaware of what is going inside me, keeps the conversation going. He parks the car and kills the engine.

The butterflies in my stomach flutter wildly. I try to talk myself out of my nervousness. I have no reason to worry about Page. Except something tells me that after Michaels tells her that we're together, she doing to go into war mode. Michael might not see it but her goal when she moved in was not so that Elly can get to know her father. She wants Michael back and I know that as sure as I know that my name is Ava. I've wrestled with this before and I draw the same conclusion. There’s absolutely nothing I can do about it except to trust Michael.

The doorman opens the door and takes Michael’s luggage. "I'll bring this up, sir," John says and winks at me. He doesn’t come in the elevator with us and when it stops in the living room, we find Elly bouncing on her toes.

"Dad!" she yells and throws herself in her father’s arms. Paige appears behind Elly and she frowns when she sees me.

"I missed you, sweetheart," Michael says, holding Elly tight.

"I missed you too, Dad," Ely says, her voice muffled. "Will you take me with you next time?"

"I will," Michael says. "I promise.

My eyes well up at their reunion. Guilt comes over me. I'd been so busy enjoying Michael that I haven’t given thought to Elly, who has just found her father and she needs him.

"Hi, Ava," she says to me shyly.

"Hi, Elly."

"Welcome back," Paige says to Michael. She's dressed to the nines in a casual cream skirt suit, fit for a dinner date in an expensive restaurant. She goes on tiptoe and kisses Michael's cheek.

"Paige," Michael says, his tone even.

She turns to me. "Welcome to our home, Ava," she says. "Will you be joining us for dinner?"

Before today, her little welcome speech would have had me shrinking with jealousy. Not today though. She can play house all she likes but I know that nothing romantic is going on between her and Michael. She’ll soon know who has the title of girlfriend.

"I will, thank you," I say, and my confidence throws her off. A look of confusion comes over her eyes, but she quickly rearranges her face.

Dinner is really good, and I compliment the new chef when he comes to take away the dishes. After dinner, the adults return to the living room and Elly goes to her room to play. Michael pours us all a glass of wine.

It’s awkward and I can’t help but wonder why Paige is still with us if she meant what she said to Michael about being roommates. The reason is simple. She didn’t mean it. That was for Michael’s benefit. Had she been genuine she would have given us space and gone to her room or elsewhere after dinner.

“We’re all adults here and I think we need to clear up a few things,” Michael says.

He places a possessive hand on my leg. That’s the first clue to Paige and her eyes narrow. A boss doesn’t touch his PA in such a familiar manner. She’s not a fool and by now she has an idea where Michael is going with this.

“Paige,” Michael says. “There’s something I need you to know. Ava is not just my personal assistant. She’s also my girlfriend. She and I are in a committed relationship and so when she comes here, I’d like you to treat her with courtesy.”

Her mouth falls open and for a moment I feel sorry for her until she speaks. “You’re having an affair with your employee? I never have thought you’d stoop so low.”

Michael’s features harden. “That’s enough. And that’s the kind of behavior I want you to refrain from.”

Paige lowers her head. When she looks up again, she has a smile. “I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have said that.”

Michael relaxes. “Good. We’ll all be civilized as we figure out how this will work. We’re doing it for Elly, and we have to keep that in mind all the time.”

“Yes of course,” Paige says quickly. “We’re doing it for Elly.”