65

Ava sat in the backseat of the car and could barely keep her eyes open. Last night hadn’t given much room for sleep. But Ava wouldn’t have traded it for all the sleep in the world. The moments she and Zane had shared after he had taken care of James had been profound in a way Ava never had experienced, or thought she would get to share with someone. It felt like they had connected and forged a bond. Ava didn’t want to delude herself by thinking it was love. That was just her wishful thinking. But it was definitely a strong friendship.

“Are you okay, Miss A?” Ryder asked from the front seat.

“I’m fine, Ryder. Just a little tired,” she told him.

“Did the boss keep you awake?” Carlos asked.

“Carlos! You keep your mind on the road, mister,” Ava huffed. The two men laughed and looked back at her through the rearview mirror.

“I would have suggested you sleep a little, but we will be there in two minutes,” Ryder then said.

“I’ll be fine, but thank you.” Gabriel had his offices on the twenty-fourth floor. It was the one below the top floor. The office took up the entire level and had several offices and meeting rooms, a front desk, and a lunch area.

“What are you going to do with all this space? A new office each day of the week?” Ava asked as Gabriel was giving her the tour. Ryder and Carlos had taken up seats on the sofas in the lobby, watching the only entrance.

“I’m going to hire people. I’m not going to be a one-man firm for much longer. There are plans and ideas in motion,” Gabriel told her as he showed her his office, the biggest corner office with an on-suite.

“That’s ambitious of you.”

“Thank you. I have to confess I had an ulterior motive for inviting you here today,” Gabriel told her and showed her to the couch. “I want to talk about the future.”

“The future? Are you proposing to Ryder? You know I love him and I think you two a great together, but it is a little too soon, don’t you think?”

“Whoa, darling. Pull the emergency brake on that brain of yours. I’m not… doing that,” Gabriel said, looking at the door to make sure it was closed. “I really like him. But it is too soon. You saw how we courted each other. We have barely made it into the start-up phase. There needs to be a little more time before I can think about… that.”

“Good,” Ava said with a smile. She secretly hoped Gabriel and Ryder would someday tie the knot, but they had issues to sort through before then.

“No, I wanted to talk about our future,” Gabriel specified.

“Our future?” Ava asked, sounding as confused as she felt.

“Yes. We need to talk about what happens when your contract with Mr. Velky ends.”

“Gabriel, that is three years in the future.”

“Or sooner if the debt is paid off,” Gabriel pointed out. Ava laughed.

“There is no chance of me paying of three million any time soon,” she said.

“You could win the lotto,” he said.

“I don’t play lotto. I’m pretty sure it is a requirement for winning.”

“Maybe your best friend will pay it off with all the earnings from his new business?”

“Gabriel, no. I could never ask you for something like that. I hate borrowing money for a coffee from friends. Three million is too much.”

“Who said it will be me?” Gabriel asked with a smile.

“You are my only best friend, its slim pickings my friend.”

“Well, maybe I just would like to see my friend living a free life. Maybe I have ulterior motives. Regardless, there will come a time when you won’t be under the contract. I want you to come and work for me,” he told her.

“I’m not an accountant, Gabriel,” she objected.

“I know you’re not. But what will you do? Go back to the hospital? You are an amazing nurse, but you are wasting your talents there, darling. The reason you are an amazing nurse is because of your people skills. I could use you. I need someone who can be responsible for my new employees and to help me woo customers. You would be amazing at it,” he told her.

“You have really thought about this.”

“I have. And I need your help with something else. Your idea for Zane to use his money toward charity had me thinking. My dream is for us to use at least fifty percent of the profit from my business towards opening a home for LGBTQ youth. I was lucky, I had my grandmother, but there are many who doesn’t have that. I need someone I know is as passionate as me to help me run the project.”

“I love the idea, Gabriel. Okay, I’ll agree. When my contract is up, I’ll come work for you,” Ava said and gave her friend a hug.

“And don’t worry, Ava. If you feel you don’t want to work with Mr. Valky or anything that has to do with his organisation, I will make it happen. I also want you to think about not going back to your house. I know you love the house, and it has sentimental value. But I hate the thought of you moving in with those people again. You should come live with me,” Gabriel offered.

“I think you are right about the house. I went back there a couple of weeks ago and it didn’t feel the same. But I can’t just move in with you. You and Ryder need some privacy, and who knows, in three years you might live together.”

“I don’t care. You are the closest thing to family I got. No matter if Ryder and I are living together, or are married, or I’m dating someone else. You will always have a place in my home.” Ava looked at her friend and felt herself tear up. He was an amazing friend. They hugged, and Ava promised she would think about it. She still felt like it was far off into the future. But it felt nice to at least have a plan for what she would do. She admitted to herself she didn’t like the idea of going back to the hospital.

“Don’t think I don’t know that you did something which helped Ryder and me along. I don’t know what you did, but whatever it was, it made that big goof of a man take a step in the right direction. It was all I needed to go for it. And you were right,” Gabriel told her.

“Of course I was. I always am. About what?”

“He has a gentle soul. A real teddy bear at heart,” he told her with a huge grin.

“I’m happy I was right about him and about the two of you,” she said.

“I have to show you one last thing,” Gabriel insisted, and dragged her to her feet and headed to a door they hadn’t looked through before. It connected Gabriel’s office with another one, a mirror of his. “This is your office,” he told her.

“Gabriel, you can’t give me an office when I’m not even working here,” Ava objected.

“I’m the boss. I can do whatever I want. It will wait for you.”

“Well, I love it. And now I have to treat you to lunch, lets splurge and go some place fancy. What are you in the mood for?”

“I say we go to In Cavea Aurea. I hear the food is divine and I still haven’t been,” Gabriel suggested as they walked to where the boys sat.

“I love the idea, but I don’t know if we will get in without a reservation,” Ava said. The restaurant had always been full when Zane had taken her there.

“Don’t worry, miss A. They know who you are, and they will make sure you get a table,” Ryder said as he and Carlos escorted them to the car.

“See, you can never go back to being a simple nurse after this,” Gabriel told her cheerfully and placed his arm around her waist. He was right, she thought. Zane had opened her eyes to so many new things. Her old life would feel grey and confining if she tried to step back in it. Ava didn’t like to think about a life without Zane, but she realised she needed a plan. When she left, she needed something to look forward to, to deal with her heartbreak. Maybe she would look into selling the house and buying an apartment. She could rent it out while her contract was still in effect and then move in when she had to move out of the mansion. It seemed like a long time until then, but time moved fast, and Ava hadn’t told Gabriel about the clause which said she would be free if Zane tired of her. That could happen any time. Ava decided to talk to Zane about putting her house out for sale.