I Hate You, Mr. Boss-Man [18+]

051

-Jesse-

"What do you do for a living?"

I'm thrown off by the question, my head whipping away from the corridor that leads to the bathrooms. What do I do for a living? Didn't she know?

I only assumed Katherine had told her, but I guess she wanted to leave that up to me. How long does it take for a woman to use the bathroom? "Your daughter didn't tell you?" I ask, swirling my drink around in the ice.

"Vaguely," Olivia rectifies, reaching for her glass of Moscato, swirling it a few times before taking a small sip. "She mentioned that you owned a company. That's about all she said."

"I own a private equity firm," I reply, corroborating Katherine's story. "I buy and sell businesses, whether big or small. It's a lot of work, but-"

"Your firm," Olivia cuts in, my words falling short. "It isn't the same firm that employs my daughter, is it?" She sets the glass down, her glare dead set. "I would hate to think that she got the job for obvious reasons."

My fingers curl into my clutch, tightening under the table cloth, my brows furrowing harshly. "With all due respect, Mrs. Stratford," I spit through gritted teeth, my chest pounding erratically. "It's none of your business. My relationship with Katherine had nothing to do with her getting hired, and it has nothing to do with it now. If I were you, I'd be more concerned about where I've been for the past seven years instead of rudely assuming that my daughter is incapable of being successful without the help of a man."

Nothing could hide the raw shock painting her features. A tight knot roughly swallowed while she stared at me with widened eyes. I may have even gained a small audience-prying eyes glued onto our table. Right now? I couldn't give a flying fuck if everyone heard. It needed to be said. "Katherine is the kindest, most intelligent woman I've had the pleasure of getting to know. You'd have to be an idiot to think the worst."

Her shock quickly subsided, eyes somewhat relaxing-a smile tugging her mouth, proud almost. "I'm well aware of what my daughter is capable of, Mr. Thomas." She was calm, collected-none of which I was expecting. I was a little taken aback by her amicable attitude. "I would never think of Kathy as anything less...I was testing the waters if you will."

My frown softens, my shoulders dropping; relaxing. "Testing the-huh?" I say dumbfoundedly. A test? "Forgive me for not understanding the goal here."

Mrs. Stratford shakes her head, her smile growing more fond of my confusion. "I'm sure you've been made aware of Jacob Heathers, yes?"

I nod in response.

"When Landon and I first met that young man, my husband asked him a series of questions," She chuckles softly to herself, reaching for the glass again. "He used to call it the boyfriend test. You can imagine how that conversation went. Right off the bat, Landon decided he didn't like him. Of course, he kept that to himself for his daughter's sake. I thought I'd keep the test going on his behalf since he's no longer with us."

I swallow hard, nodding again. "I...I'm sorry for your loss."

Olivia shrugs, sending me a sad but appreciative pull of her mouth. "Thank you. It's been a rough couple of years, but we always manage."

"And I'm sorry for earlier," I say. "It wasn't my place to-"

"Don't be sorry," She chimes, shaking her head disapprovingly. "I deserved it, one hundred percent. I told Kathy that I wanted to fix us-make up for the years we lost, and I meant it. And if that means hearing what I did wrong, then so be it. It's going to be a long road. And I hope this dinner is a step in the right direction with her."

I hum, brows furrowing in thought. I couldn't agree more. I wanted them to work it out, and mend their broken relationship. Perhaps it wasn't perfect from the start but, maybe there was something left to redeem. "Can I be honest with you?" I ask, breaking the queue of silence.

She nods.

"I think you being here is enough for her. Look," I straighten my posture, leaning forward at the round table. "I'm not going to judge you. Whatever decision you made or what you said...that's between you and your daughter. And she might resent you for it, but I just know that you showing up after seven years is something she'd been dreaming about for a while. So, I only ask is that you don't break her heart...not again."

Mrs. Stratford leans back in her seat, drawing in her lips-- concurring with a curt nod at my ask. "Fair enough, but," She whispers before meeting my eyes. "You have to promise the same. I don't think she deserves another man to let her down."

"I would never hurt her, Mrs. Stratford. Your daughter..." I trail, gazing off to the side. "Well, she means the world to me. You have to believe that."

She smiles, the lines around her eyes crinkling along. "I do. I think you're a fine young man, and not that you need my approval, but you definitely have it."

I break into a grin, barely noticing Katherine's figure waltzing back. "Glad to hear it."

"What did I miss?" Katherine beams as I go to stand--pulling out her chair for her before we sit down once again.

"Nothing, honey," Olivia waves off, sharing a knowing glance with me. "Jesse was just telling me about your birthday plans for next month, right?"

Shit. I completely forgot that it was coming up but alas, I agreed anyway. "Right, your birthday."

Katherine almost groans, shaking her head in disapproval. "You know how I feel about my birthday, mom." She shoots a glares at her mother. It looked as if they were sharing an understanding--Olivia's eyes immediately holding recognition.

"I know, hun, but-"

"No, buts," She starts, turning her head to look at me. "I don't want to celebrate it. End of discussion."

"Kathy, it's...it's what your dad would've wanted." Her mother cautiously says. What the hell was I missing?

"Drop it, mom. Seriously,"

"Consider it dropped."

>>>>>>>

The atmosphere of the car ride was absolute silence. The only sound that emitted from the cars engine. I steal a glance in her direction, taking note of her body language. When angry, she was a force to be reckoned with. I knew when to give her the space she needed.

"Do you want to me to drop you off at home?" I ask, breaking the quiet--wheels treading closer to her place. "Baby?"

Katherine finally regards me, and she shakes her head, turning back to look out the window. "It doesnt matter. I just want to go to sleep, Jesse."

I dont question her any further, completely rolling past her block and towards my building. I wasn't leaving her alone tonight. Even if I slept in the guest bedroom. "I don't want you to feel like you can't talk to me, sweetheart," I look over at her again. "I don't know why you're upset. Clearly your birthday is a touchy subject. So, when you're ready to talk about it. I'm all ears."

I'm still met with no response. I take a deep breath, and refocus on the streets ahead. I was hellbent on getting to the bottom of it. That was for sure.