The simplest solution is to back off and maintain some distance—keep things strictly professional or friendly. That means setting some clear boundaries with her, starting with the kinds of questions I ask as we continue our game.No more deep talk, Jason.
It’s as if I conjured her out of thin air. I hear the unmistakable sound of her laugh behind me, and when I turn around, I immediately spot Mila sitting at a corner table with a woman I don’t recognise.How did I not notice that she was even there?
She’s off from babysitting tonight, as it’s Elena’s week to have Jake. She hasn’t seen me yet, and I’m not sure if approaching her is a good idea if I’m trying to keep some distance.
I quickly spin around to face Chris and Gemma, who have just finished whipping up another cocktail from the menu and arenow cleaning up. “Looks like you’ve got everything under control here. I’m going to head back to the office. Give me a shout if you need anything.”
With a brief nod from Chris and a subtle wink to Gemma, I quietly slip away to my office, silently hoping Mila won’t stay for too long.
I’m powering down my laptop for the night when a faint knock sounds at the door. Gemma’s soft, muffled voice comes from the other side. I call for her to come in, and she slowly pushes the door open, pausing at the threshold with a trace of shyness and nervousness in her expression.
“Sorry to disturb you, but Chris said that bar is pretty quiet tonight, so I can head home early. I just wanted to come in and say goodnight, and that I’ll see you tomorrow.”
“Perfect timing actually. I’m just finishing up myself,” I say, slipping my work laptop, keys, wallet, and phone into my backpack. “How about I walk you out to your car?”
She gives me a slow nod. “Oh, okay,” she replies, her voice soft as a whisper.
We walk out together through the restaurant instead of taking the back exit, giving me a chance to see if Mila is still around. A quick scan of the room reveals no sign of her, and I breathe out a quiet sigh of relief.
As we reach Gemma’s car, she unlocks the door and stands in front of me, nervously fidgeting with the strap of her bag. “Well, this is me,’ she says, gesturing to the grey jeep parked in front of the restaurant. “Thanks for walking me to my car, Jason.”
I give her a brief nod and open the car door for her. She gracefully climbs into the driver’s seat, tossing her bag into the passenger’s side before fastening her seatbelt.
Crouching slightly to meet her gaze, I decide to use this opportunity to ask the question that I’ve been meaning to ask. “Hey, so about my offer to show you around town—are you still interested?”
The surprise flickering across her face suggests she either thought I’d forgotten about the offer or assumed I hadn’t really meant it. “Oh… I didn’t think you were serious about that,” she confesses, confirming my suspicion.
“Why wouldn’t I be serious? You’re new to the city, and I’ve got some spare time.”
Her mouth opens and closes a few times, as if she’s not quite sure how to respond. After what feels like the longest pause ever, she finally answers. “I’m definitely interested. But are you sure?”
“Absolutely, I’d love nothing more than to show you the best of what Sydney has to offer,” I say with a broad smile. “I’ll be busy for the rest of this week, but are you free next Sunday morning? I can arrange for my sitter to work a few extra hours so we can enjoy some early sightseeing.”
“That sounds great, and yes I’ll be free next Sunday,” she says enthusiastically.
“Alright then, Ms Wright, it’s a date. I’ll see you tomorrow here at four. Have a good night and drive safely.” I close her door, then lightly tap the roof of her car, stepping back to give her space to reverse out of the parking spot.
Dating one of my employees isn’t something I’d usually entertain, but my schedule leaves little room to meet anyone new. It’s been over two years since I’ve been with a woman, and maybe, just maybe, this is what I need to finally loosen Mila’s grip on me.
Smiling, I turn to head towards my car, only to come face to face with the woman herself.Dammit I thought she left already!
“Hey,” she says softly, her expression shadowed by weariness.
“Mila. I didn’t know you were here,” I lie. “Were you here for long?”
She doesn’t answer immediately, her eyes fixed on mine, yet there’s a faraway look in them. After a moment, she shakes off the daze and forces a smile, even though it looks a little strained.
“Umm… Yeah. Sofia and I were at the bar for a couple of hours. I just came from the restroom and was about to leave when I saw you talking to someone out here.” She glances over my shoulder towards the spot Gemma’s car was just parked, then looks back at me. “I didn’t even know you were here tonight. I never saw you.”
I rub the back of my neck and let out a nervous chuckle. “Yeah, I spent most of the evening in the office, just catching up on some paperwork,” I explain, omitting the one bit of detail about briefly being at the bar and seeing her.
She seems to accept my answer for what it is, offering a smile that’s a little more genuine this time. “Well, that’s me over there.” She gestures towards something behind me, and I glance over my shoulder to find her Corolla parked in the space next to where Gemma’s car was.
“Do you need me to walk you over?”
She quickly shakes her head and adjusts her bag on her shoulder. “No, I’m fine, thank you,” she murmurs. “Have a good night, Jason. I’ll see you next week.”
Before I can respond, she brushes past me in a hurry, hops into her car, and waves goodbye through the window with a quick flick of her hand before driving off. The last thing I hear is the gravel crunching beneath her tires as she disappears into the distance.
