15-05-2021-052358It-Ends-with-Us

She scrunches up her nose and says, “If it isn’t fair that we can’t go
back there because of the owner, how is it fair that the owner gets to
come here?”
What?
I close my laptop and stand up. “Why would you say that? Is he
here?”
She nods and slips inside my office, closing the door behind her.
“He is. He asked for you. And I know you’re with my brother and I’m
with child, but can we please just take a moment to silently admire the
perfection that is that man?”
She smiles dreamily and I roll my eyes.
“Allysa.”
“Those eyes, though.” She opens the door and walks out. I follow
behind her and catch sight of Atlas. “She’s right here,” Allysa says.
“Would you like me to take your coat?”
We don’t take coats.
Atlas glances up when I walk out of my office. His eyes cut to Allysa
and he shakes his head. “No, thank you. I won’t be long.”
Allysa leans forward over the counter, dropping her chin on her
hands. “Stay as long as you like. In fact, are you looking for an extra
job? Lily needs to hire more people and we’re looking for someone
who can lift really heavy things. Requires a lot of flexibility. Bending
over.”
I narrow my eyes at Allysa and mouth, “Enough.”
She shrugs innocently. I hold my door open for Atlas, but avoid
looking directly at him as he passes me. I feel a world of guilt for what
happened last night, but also a world of anger for what happened last
night.
I walk around my desk and drop into my seat, prepared for an
argument. But when I look up at him, I clamp my mouth shut.
He’s smiling. He waves his hand around in a circle as he takes a
seat across from me. “This is incredible, Lily.”
I pause. “Thank you.”
He continues smiling at me, like he’s proud of me. Then he places
a bag between us on the desk and pushes it toward me. “A gift,” he
says. “You can open it later.”