Chapter 150

I avoided my boss like the plague. He seemed to be avoiding me, too. All our communication that week went through Edward, or happened in Edward's presence.

My first week was peaceful until Friday, our last workday before the weekend. At five o'clock, I knocked on his office door.

"I'm done for the day," I told Luca after entering. "Do you need anything from me?"

He paused his typing, glanced at his watch, and shook his head. "No, you're good to go. Can you send Edward in on your way out?"

My jaw clenched. "I'm your assistant, too, you know."

"I know," he replied indifferently.

"So whatever Edward can do, I can do," I added.

This made him look up at me for the first time since our encounter at The Blaze. I held my head high, despite his scrutinizing gaze making me want to squirm. Amusement flickered in his eyes as he asked, "Can you?"

"I can," I replied confidently.

"Well, I was about to ask Edward to pick up my laundry on his way out and drop it off at my house."

"Oh," I said, my cheeks flushing. "You make your assistants pick up your laundry?"

"Just Edward."

My cheeks burned even more, but I kept a straight face. "Edward can do that then."

"Yeah?" he teased. "You sure you don't want to do it?"

"I'm sure," I said, feigning confidence.

Luca looked as if he wanted to laugh, but he just shook his head, a smile playing on his lips. "You did a good job in your first week here, Aurora."

"Thanks," I said, fighting the urge to grin. "Good night."

"Good night." A ghost of a smile lingered on his lips as he watched me leave. I walked out feeling satisfied. His previous assistant had been a one-night stand who'd locked herself in the archives on her first day and ruined a deal on her second. Despite all that, he thought I did a good job.

Who was I to question it?

I packed my things and arranged them in my bag. "It's raining outside," Edward told me.

"I don't have an umbrella," I said, shrugging helplessly. "But that's not going to stop me from rushing home."

He chuckled, leaning against his desk. "Any special plans? It is the weekend, after all."

"If watching 'La La Land' for the tenth time counts as special," I grinned. "Oh, and there's going to be mint chocolate chip ice cream."

"Mint?" he frowned. "You like toothpaste?"

I glared at him. "It's a legitimate ice cream flavor."

"No one says 'legit' anymore."

"They do," I retorted, sticking out my tongue. "Your uptight nature is why I'm going home on time and you're stuck picking up the boss's laundry."

Edward blushed and scratched the back of his head. "You really think I'm uptight?"

I studied him for a second, my eyes widening slightly. "Edward, why do you care what I think?"

"I don't!" he defended. "I'm just curious about what pretty women think of me in general. Not you. Just in general."

"You think I'm pretty?" I resisted the urge to pinch his cheeks. Although I hadn't been fond of him initially, we'd become friends over the past week. He'd even sacrificed time with his friends to have lunch with me.

"You know you are," he said casually.

"Aw!" I grinned.

"Well," he licked his lips, "since you don't have any plans for the night, I was wondering if you wanted to grab—"

His pager interrupted him, signaling a call from Luca. He sighed. "Laundry time."

I gave him a sympathetic smile. "You were saying?"

"Nothing," he said with a smile. "See you on Monday."

"See you." I waved before leaving.

It was pouring rain, and no Ubers were available. I hadn't driven my car to work; my flashy pink sports car wouldn't exactly help me make friends. Then again, I wasn't exactly making friends without it either.

After ten minutes of waiting for the bus, a voice interrupted my daydreaming. "Need a ride?"

I looked up to see my boss, eyebrow raised, in the driver's seat of his car.

"Kind of," I said hesitantly.

"Get in." He opened the passenger door, and I hopped in. "Thanks."

"No problem." He tapped the GPS. "Add your address here."

I did, and it showed a six-minute drive. The first minute was silent.

"You don't live with your parents?" he finally asked, breaking the silence.

"I'm twenty-five," I said, giving him a side-eye.

"I just know you're close to your parents."

"I am," I mumbled. "I usually spend weekends there, but I had plans with a friend tonight until she canceled."

"Hm." He cleared his throat nervously, making me look at him.

"I have a strict no-dating-in-the-workplace policy," he added, and my eyebrows furrowed.

"There wasn't such a rule in the three-page form I signed," I said, confused.

"It's a new rule," he added, shifting in his seat, his eyes on the road.

"Okay?"

He cleared his throat again. "So you might want to think again before accepting Edward's dinner offer."

I blinked, stared, and then burst out laughing. "First of all, he didn't even finish his question. Second, I'm sure he meant it in a friendly way."

"Well—" Luca began, but I cut him off.

"No, no, I'm not done yet," I laughed. "Third, are you spying on me?!"

"Not you," he grumbled. "Your desks are right outside my office, and the walls are thin. It's not my fault."

I laughed again. "I'm sure it was friendly."

"Sure," he taunted. "Besides, he's not your type."

"You don't know my type!"

"I know what isn't," he countered. "And that man? Not it."

"Don't be rude."

"Just honest," he replied. "Besides, your father asked me to look out for you."

"Hm," I teased. "Good thing you clarified that, or else I might have thought you were jealous."

"Please," he snorted. "I'm not. But I mean it, don't associate with him personally, Aurora."

"Too bad you're not my father," I grinned as he parked under my building.

"Aurora," he warned.

"Thanks for the ride," I said with a saccharine smile. "And good night again, Mr. Romano."

I rushed out of the car, refusing to let him have the last word—again. I was playing with fire, I knew, but it was unbearably fun.