Chapter 20: Filthy Rich Bosses: Chapter 20

Tessa stands in front of me, arms crossed and determination written all over her face. For the third time this week, she’s cornered me about taking Zeus for a walk, and for the third time, I’m regretting ever hiring such a stubborn woman.

‘I’m serious, Grayson,’ Tessa says, her arms crossed and her expression resolute. She stands just inside the doorway, blocking my retreat. ‘Zeus needs this. You need this.’

I glance down at the leash in my hand, the leather stiff and unfamiliar. The damn thing feels heavier than it should, like it carries the weight of something I’ve been avoiding for far too long.

“I don’t see why this is necessary,” I say, my voice clipped. “Zeus is perfectly fine in the yard.”

Tessa shakes her head, exasperation flashing in her eyes. “A fenced yard isn’t the same, and you know it. You’ve been making excuses for days, but it’s time. He trusts you now. Give him a chance.”

I open my mouth to argue, but the look she gives me shuts me down. It’s not the first time I’ve faced her resolve, and I’ve learned by now that once Tessa sets her mind to something, there’s no talking her out of it.

“Fine,” I grumble, gripping the leash tighter. Zeus sits by my side, his ears perked and tail thumping against the floor as if he knows he’s won. “But if he so much as looks at me wrong, this is on you.”

Tessa smirks, unbothered by my reluctance. “Noted. Now go.”

I let out a heavy sigh, pulling open the door. Zeus bounds out ahead of me, his energy a sharp contrast to the dread settling in my gut.

“I hate this,” I mutter under my breath.

“Sure you do,” Tessa calls after me, her voice laced with amusement.

The leash feels heavy in my hand as I step out into the crisp evening air, Zeus padding beside me. His nails click-clack on the sidewalk, a rhythm I once found comforting now feels like a metronome counting down time I can’t get back.

‘Come on, boy,’ I murmur, giving the leash a gentle tug. Zeus looks up at me, his brown eyes reflecting the streetlights. For a moment, I see a flicker of the old Zeus—Sarah’s Zeus—before his gaze turns wary again.

We walk in silence, the light breeze ruffling my hair. The scent of blooming jasmine from a neighbor’s garden wafts by, and suddenly I’m transported back to our first spring in this house. Sarah’s laughter echoes in my memory as she planted those very same flowers in our backyard.

‘She’d love how they turned out,’ I say softly to Zeus. He cocks his head, ears perked. ‘The jasmine. Remember how Sarah used to say they’d make the whole yard smell like heaven?’

Zeus whines softly, and I feel a lump form in my throat. I swallow hard, trying to push back the tide of grief threatening to overwhelm me. But as quickly as Sarah’s memory surfaces, another image takes its place: Tessa, her eyes sparkling as she coaxed Zeus out of his funk this morning.

‘You like her, don’t you?’ I ask Zeus, surprising myself with the question. ‘Tessa, I mean. She’s…different.’

Zeus’s tail wags slightly at the mention of Tessa’s name, and I can’t help but chuckle. ‘Yeah, I thought so. She’s got a way about her, doesn’t she?’

As we round the corner back toward home, I find myself smiling. The weight in my chest feels a little lighter, the evening a little warmer. And for the first time in a long while, I’m looking forward to walking through my front door.

I push open the front door, Zeus trotting in ahead of me. The house feels different now, warmer somehow. Tessa’s presence has brought life back into these rooms, filling the empty spaces with her vibrant energy.

‘We’re back,’ I call out, unclipping Zeus’s leash.

There’s no response, but I hear the faint clacking of laptop keys coming from the kitchen. As I round the corner, I see her there, hunched over her computer at the kitchen counter. My heart skips a beat, but then I notice what’s on her screen.

Apartment listings. The sight hits me like a punch to the gut.

‘Find anything good?’ I ask, trying to keep my voice casual even as my insides churn.

Tessa looks up, her eyes meeting mine. ‘Oh, hey. Just browsing, you know. Figured I should start looking. Honestly, I should have started looking two weeks ago.’

I nod, not trusting myself to speak. I’ve been trying so hard to keep my distance, to maintain that professional boundary between us. But seeing her potentially planning her exit…it’s harder than I expected.

‘How was the walk?’ she asks, closing her laptop.

‘Good,’ I manage. ‘Zeus enjoyed it.’

As if on cue, Zeus pads over to Tessa, resting his head on her lap. She scratches behind his ears, a small smile playing on her lips.

‘You two are getting along well,’ I observe, leaning against the counter.

Tessa shrugs. ‘He’s a good boy. Aren’t you, Zeus?’

I watch them together, and the realization hits me: I don’t want her to go. The thought of this kitchen empty again, of Zeus looking for her and not finding her…of me coming home to silence…

‘Grayson?’ Tessa’s voice snaps me out of my thoughts. ‘You okay? You looked like you were a million miles away.’

I force a smile. ‘Just thinking about some work stuff. Nothing important.’

But as I say it, I know it’s a lie. This—her being here, being part of our lives—it’s become more important than I ever expected.

I take a deep breath, steeling myself for the conversation I know I need to have. ‘Tessa, can we talk for a minute?’

She looks up, her greenish-blue eyes meeting mine with a mix of curiosity and wariness. ‘Sure, what’s up?’

I pull out a stool and sit across from her at the kitchen counter. Zeus shifts, now resting his head on my knee, as if he’s mediating our conversation.

‘I’ve been thinking,’ I start, my fingers absently stroking Zeus’s fur. ‘How are you feeling about your time here so far?’

Tessa tilts her head, her black cherry hair catching the light. ‘It’s been…good. Zeus is making great progress, and I’ve enjoyed working with him.’

I nod, trying to read between the lines of her professional response. ‘And…beyond that? I mean, how do you feel about staying here, in general?’

Her eyebrows furrow slightly. ‘Grayson, is everything okay? Did I do something wrong?’

‘No, no,’ I quickly reassure her. ‘Just wondering how it’s all been for you.” I want to tell her that I’d like her to stay but the words won’t come out of my mouth. I’m afraid she’ll read something else into it, that she’ll realize how I’m dreading her last day with us.

She bites her lower lip, a habit I’ve noticed she does when she’s thinking deeply.

‘As I said, I love working with Zeus…’

I lean forward, feeling a surge of hope. ‘Great…great. I just wanted to let you know that you’re doing great work.’

Tessa nods slowly, her expression thoughtful. ‘Thanks, Grayson,’ she says softly.

As she turns back to her laptop, I stand up, my mind already racing. I need to make a call.

I head to my office, shutting the door behind me. The familiar scent of leather and paper greets me, grounding me for the conversation I’m about to have. Pulling my phone from my pocket, I scroll through my contacts until I find Juniper’s name. She picks up on the second ring.

“Mr. Harrington,” Juniper’s voice comes through, smooth and efficient as always. “Is everything all right?”

“Of course,” I reply without hesitation.

There’s a pause before she asks, “Is this about work or…something else?”

“It’s about Tessa,” I say, getting straight to the point. “I’m considering offering her a more permanent contract.”

The silence on the other end stretches a beat too long. “A permanent contract?” Juniper repeats, her tone carefully neutral.

“Yes.”

Juniper is quiet for a beat too long, then she responds with an edge in her voice. “As in, she’ll be staying in your home? Gray—Mr. Harrington, are you sure that’s a good idea?”

“Not necessarily as a live-in position,” I add quickly. “But I think keeping her involved with Zeus would be good. She’s made progress with him that I didn’t think was possible.”

“Grayson, she showed up here out of nowhere. You’ve barely scratched the surface with her background, and now you’re ready to hand her a permanent role in your life? It’s risky.”

I let her words hang in the air for a moment before responding. “I know it’s fast. But she’s been good for Zeus. And I think she’s been good for me, too. I’m trying to do the right thing here.”

Juniper sighs, a sound that’s almost sympathetic. “I get that, but I’m still not sold. You’re trusting someone you barely know with something so important. If she leaves, how does that affect you? How does that affect Zeus?”

I shift uncomfortably in my chair. “I don’t recall asking for your opinion. I pay you to assist me. So, assist. Please draw up a contract.”

She’s silent for a few moments, and when she speaks again, there’s a reluctant resignation in her voice. “I’ll look into it. But I’m warning you—be careful with this one.”

“I will,” I say, though her warning doesn’t sit well with me. I trust my instincts, even if I don’t always listen to them.

I know Tessa might be temporary. But I don’t want her to be.

I sit at my desk, absently rolling my wedding band around my finger. The cool metal feels both familiar and strange against my skin. I’m lost in thought, weighing the implications of offering Tessa a more permanent position, when a soft knock on the door startles me.

‘Come in,’ I call out, quickly composing myself.

Tessa pokes her head in, her greenish-blue eyes meeting mine. ‘Hey, Grayson. Got a minute?’

I glance at the clock—almost dinner time—and nod. ‘Of course. What’s up?’

She steps inside, her posture casual, but there’s a quiet tension in her voice. “Just wanted to ask…do you have any plans for the weekend? I was thinking it might be nice for us to take Zeus to the park, get him out with other dogs for a bit.’

Her question is so simple, so mundane, but it cuts through the fog of my thoughts like a hot knife through butter. Something about it snaps in me, like a wire pulled too tight. It’s the kind of question Sarah would’ve asked—small, thoughtful, wanting to do something normal, to build a life here, in this house. A life that’s still slipping through my fingers.

For a long moment, I don’t answer. My eyes linger on her, trying to piece together the real reason behind this question. Is she just trying to be nice to Zeus? Or is Juniper right? Is this her way of embedding herself further into my life, making herself more essential to my world?

I look down at the wedding band again, the weight of it on my finger heavier than ever. For a brief moment, I think of Sarah—of how much I loved her, how much I wanted to do these kinds of things with her. And now…now I’m standing at the edge of something I didn’t expect. Something new.

My pulse picks up, but I hold it together. I can’t let Tessa in like that. Not yet. Not when I’m still caught between the past and the present.