At Her Boss's Mercy

Chapter 25 Long Lost Flame

Gabriel’s POV

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I sat at my desk with Julia’s chair beside me. She was gone barely two days and I was already missing her. The office had sent up a temporary assistant, a Mrs. Edwards. She was nothing compared to Julia he had not meant to compare them but the more the woman stayed around the more he began to miss Julia. She was a short, thin woman with short red hair and glasses. He had sent her for lunch as he sat there just musing over his loss again. Maybe it was the time since she had left or just her not being around but he had been getting a barrage of weird intimate dreams lately and waking up was the worst part. He smirked and then looked up as the door opened. “I got your lunch sir,” the woman said drily. I nodded my thanks as she set it down. Even her “Sir” was different. He still remembered the last time Julia had said it. The way she had said it was soft and lilting and to him it begged him, more like called to certain parts of him. I shook my head and then sighed as my new assistant took her seat on the desk I had had placed to the corner of the room. Even when Julia had left I had not let her desk be occupied. I laughed inwardly and then sighed again. “I miss you Julia,” I thought.

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Julia stared at him as he came closer. He froze on the step before and then looked at her. Julia looked at him a moment before a small smile crept on her face. “Hey Jake,” she called. He forced a smile on his face and then nodded. “Aww who’s the lil cutie?” she asked. The woman with the babe smiled and came closer. “He’s Lil Jake junior,” she said. “Aww,” Julia said, “He does look just like his daddy,” she pressed. The woman beamed at her and then at Jake. Julia smiled at them both and then looked past to see Jenna standing at the back. Her eyes were cast down and Julia knew why. “So who is this fine woman Jake?’ he asked with a big smile. He looked at her and then turned to the woman. “I’d like you to meet Abigail,” he said. Julia smiled and stepped closer. Julia’s eyes widened for a moment before she composed herself. “Hey Abigail, you two must be one sweet couple and with that sweet babe I bet you’ve got the World of happiness at your fingertips,” Julia said. The woman nodded vigorously and then spoke, “Ohh well we haven’t taken the vows yet but I’ve never been happier although lil Junior has his moments he can be a bundle of joy. “Ohh well then my congratulations,” Julia smiled. “I’m very sure you’ll will be the sweetest after all lil Junior has you two wonderful parents.”

She smiled at them once again. “Oh did you come to see father?’ she asked looking at Jake. He nodded, “Yes we heard what happened and Abby’s mom sent us with some of her famous pie for him.” “Oh yes I remember,” Julia said, “Apple-pie fresh from the trees,” I believe. She had always loved Mrs. Tanner’s pie although she did not know much of them she had known Mrs. Tanner because she usually went to church carrying some of her special pie. “I’m sure dad will love it,” she said. She looked at them and smiled before moving off the stairs and heading towards Jenna. She grabbed Jenna’s hand and then started for the kitchen.

“I’m sorry,” Jenna said as soon as they entered the kitchen. Julia looked at her and shook her head. “What’s to be sorry for?” she asked. Jenna shook her head as she watched her sister take a stool. “He was your first crush, your first love…” Julia smiled and shook her head. “He was all that but then he was the first to break our relationship, then the month before I left for my job in the city he told me that, that he was sorry we couldn’t be together, after six years. I was broken but I understood I said maybe it was the distance that would separate us but then when I heard that he had gotten someone new when I left I realized everything,” she said. Jenna’s eyes were wide. “You knew everything?” she asked. “No not everything of course my girls told me but I never knew who it was until now but you know what I won’t hold a grudge let him be happy always.”

Jenna looked at her sister and then embraced her. “I’m sorry sis I know that you hurt when you saw them.” Julia smiled. “I’m ok Jen Bear.” She sat there staring at the counter until she realized her stomach was rumbling. “Ohh,” Jenna laughed, “I’ll get you something.” About five minutes later and she was delving into some noodles that her mother had made and a cheese sauce her sister had whipped up. “Mhmm,” she said, “This is good.” Jenna smiled, “Really?” she asked. “Nah it’s terrible,” Julia said and then laughed as Jenna poked her, “Really it is good.” They chatted about everything which mostly included Jenna’s school and the cute guy in her Math class. Julia smiled as she remembered her days.  She had told Jenna about her boss and what she had done but they laughed it off. Julia told her she did regret a little but she in her mind she knew that she had regretted a lot. She shook her head and let Jenna ramble on about her crush.