Dare Me Not | 18+ ✔

42. Answers (Xander)

Emma is already standing by the door when I stride toward her store, wearing her blue dress — which used to be my favorite — with a bright smile on her face.

"Did Sam drive you here?" she asks, glancing at the street.

"No. I drove my car today." When she's in a good, flirtatious mood like this, I usually get carried away easily, but I don't think her mood affects me this time. I have too much going on in my head, and the only reason I'm here is the answer to my question.

Emma pushes the door open and holds it for me. "I've been waiting to show you how I transformed the second floor."

I follow her to the door behind the checkout counter and climb the stairwells wrapped in red carpet. For some reason, the pinch of sweet scents from the flowers on the display racks annoys me, even though it never bothered me before. Maybe I'm not in the right mind to talk today; it has been a long day. But when she opens the painted white door on the second floor and throws another excited smile at me, I know I have to do it today.

"Tada!" she squeals. "So, as you can see, this was a storage room with a little office desk in the corner. Now it turns to my cozy little living room slash bedroom."

Emma has an artistic touch. I give her that. All the stupid racks that used to cram up the room are gone, replaced by a queen—size bed with a fluffy baby—blue duvet, matching the color of the wall. A two-seat couch is placed on the other side, facing the TV monitor on the wall.

"This is amazing. You did a good job," I say and genuinely mean it. "What about the other room?"

"The pantry room is pretty much the same. I just added a little of this and that." She saunters to the loveseat and runs her fingers over the headrest's velvet material. "Why don't you sit here and I'll grab you a drink? No alcohol, right?"

Staying in a living room — slash bedroom — with my ex doesn't sound like the smartest idea. "Let's just go to the pantry. We need to talk."

Her smile drops. She hates rejection. "Fine."

If her bedroom screams glamour and coziness, her pantry is all about function, maybe because it needs to be accessible for her employees. The kitchen counter stands on one side, while a medium round table with four seats is on the other. At least, this feels safer and not insinuating intimacy. I take the chair by the window, my usual spot, as my eyes follow Emma. She hasn't asked me about what I want to drink, but she heads straight to the counter to start up the coffee machine. My stomach churns, thinking about how easily we fall into our old routine.

"I handed my resignation to Tim today," I start.

"What?" She freezes before turning her head at me. "Why? What happened?"

"Tim found me and Parker in my office."

Emma sucks in her breath, snapping her eyes shut. "How could you be so careless?"

"It just happened." I shrug and glance at the street. Stores are closing and eating places are beginning to have visitors. "I've been considering leaving in the near future, anyway."

Once the coffee machine is on, she turns around and leans back to the counter, her arms crossed over her chest. "I didn't know that. As far as I remember, you were pretty content working for Tim."

"It doesn't mean I don't want more."

"You basically run that company, Xander. Tim listens to you as if you're the CEO instead of the COO. Parker doesn't want the job, and it's just a matter of time before she screws up, and you will be the only candidate to take the top seat." She shakes her head. "I really don't understand this decision."