Chapter 48

“Ava I’m so sorry!” Olivia grabbed a blanket that was sitting on the sofa in Ethan’s office, and used it to cover her chest and waist.

I stare back at her, mouth slacked and eyes wide.

I couldn’t say anything, there was nothing to say.

“Please, this isn’t what it looks like!” She pleaded with me to stay and listen to her. The blood rushing in my ears kept me from actually hearing her as she spewed nonsense about it being all a misunderstanding.

I kicked the files on the floor away from me, and turned to march back downstairs and out of the building. I had no right to be angry, I knew that, but it still didn’t seem fair. Ethan was breaking his own rules, keeping secrets, and honestly making me look foolish by cheating.

If anyone else found out about him and Olivia, they would absolutely spread the gossip and we’d look like a weak couple. If anyone else had walked in-

The media would have another go at me for doing something wrong to make him cheat. Oh, I saw red with anger as I stormed back into the elevator and onto the first floor. I was almost to the giant glass doors when Ethan caught up to me and blocked me.

“Ava!” He cocked his head to the side and looked me in my eyes. His expression fell when he saw the look I was giving him. “What’s wrong?”

“What’s wrong?” I repeated with a spiteful laugh.

Ethan genuinely didn’t seem to know. If that was the case, and Olivia was here to surprise him like that, then he could find out on his own.

“I’m going to the cafeteria, just hungry.” I mumbled and pushed past him towards the dining room.

Ethan didn’t follow. He knew I needed some time to be alone, at least he figured that much out. I sat down at a table for a few minutes until I was sure he was gone, and I walked out the doors and onto the city sidewalk.

I didn’t know where to go, I was too angry to think clearly. I bit my thumb, looking around for a place to hide out and cool my head, but nowhere looked appealing.

The bakery, though, was right next door and I hadn’t been in weeks now. Alright, I decided, I’d stay there, check up on things, and wait until it was time to go home. I didn’t want to go back to the house angry and alone - the vultures would talk.

I opened the door to the bakery, the bell above the frame chimed, and I was greeted by the same staff that was there before.

“Boss!” Kylie, a waitress, perked up and rushed over to me. “We’ve missed you!”

I forced a small smile on my face. Kylie was sweet, she was probably the nicest of the bunch.

“I’ve missed working here, too,” I told them all as they started to gather once they heard I was in. “After the election and the media dies down, I’ll be back.”

A few people smiled, others probably didn’t care one way or the other, but no one seemed upset by my return. That was a small comfort in all that happened today.

“Kylie,” I whispered to the waitress, “I’m going to hide in that back corner. Just bring me a sample of everything so I can make sure it’s all still good. I may want to update the menu soon, my taste has evolved.”

Kylie gave me a sly smile and disappeared into the kitchen.

I walked to the darkest booth in the whole dining room, and slunk down into the cushioned seats to sulk.

Nothing was going right, even when I thought it was going to be a perfectly content day with my husband. Fake husband, but still.

Kylie came back with a plate of samples. She had a pleased look on her face.

“I made sure no one knew they were samples for you so they are the same stuff we’re handing out to customers,” She winked. “For quality assurance.”

I smiled gratefully at Kylie. Like I said, she was good.

I spent a few hours in the booth, trying the cakes and desserts. I wasn’t happy with the coconut creme or the lemon wedge cookies. I made a mental note to talk to the appointed chef about the quality later when I wasn’t so angry with Ethan.

Was I even angry at Ethan? Or was I angry at myself for being upset about it all?

I was sulking for a while. The store was almost closed, when Ethan barged through the doors. He was heaving, sweaty and flustered.

I tried to hide behind a menu, but he spotted me immediately. Well, I was the only one left in the dining room. The only body in sight wasn’t impossible to notice.

“You,” Ethan growled and strode towards me, “Cannot run and hide like that for hours at a time.”

He placed both hands firmly on the table, towering over me in muscles and height.

Despite the fact that I should be scared of his strength and the look in his eyes, I didn’t back down.

“Why do you care where I went?” I mumbled looking down and picking at my napkin, “When you’ve got Olivia waiting for you in her nighty all sexily draped across your desk.”

Ethan held my gaze, his eyes hard with emotion. He watched me, observing my face.

“What are you talking about?” He asks, voice low and dangerously calm. He was simmering down, but a layer of anger still sizzled under the surface.

“Olivia. She was laying on your desk in a lingerie desk waiting for someone. It was your office so obviously she was waiting for you!” My voice rose into a bit of a whine. I didn’t like the way I sounded like that.

I tried to calm myself down.

“You’re reading into it.” That was all he said.

“I’m reading into it?” I demanded, choking back a disbelieving laugh, “How exactly am I supposed to read that situation, Ethan? She was practically naked!”

Ethan blushed a little at the mental image, I saw the pink rush to his ears and the apples of his cheeks. He rolled his eyes, but didn’t acknowledge what I said.

“Ava, let’s go home,” He took a deep breath and sighed. “We can make dinner and have a nice time together.”

“No,” I pouted and slunk further down into the booth.

“Ava, stop acting like a child.” He scolded lightly, starting to sound the slightest bit amused.

“No, I won’t. I want to stay here.”

“Fine,” Ethan shrugged and leaned down, wrapping his arms around my waist.

I shrieked as his grip tightened and I was lifted into the air. Ethan draped me over his shoulder so that my head was upside down along his back, and I was hinged at the waist.

He had one arm holding the back of my thighs in place, the other gathered my things from the booth and he walked the both of us out of the restaurant.

“Good night, thank you guys!” Ethan called out to the closing staff. A few chuckling goodbyes were thrown our way and he carried me to the car.

“Ethan, I’m serious,” I warned him, trying to lift myself off his back.

“So am I, don’t ever run off like that again I thought-” His breath hitched and he dropped me into the car. He was choking back a lump of emotion forming in his throat. “I get scared when you disappear.”