⚠️Warning⚠️
Mature content ahead. Skip by bold words.
*~*~*~*
"Good morning." I greet, shocked by the silence I look around. "Where's Noelle?" I ask.
Mr Grey turns around, "morning señorita, she's at the beach with Nicholas." He explains sliding a bowl of Natillas to me, I mutter a small 'thank you' and dig in, instantly moaning at the different flavours exploding in my mouth.
"Oh my, did you make this?" I ask dumbfounded, a small smile tugs at his lips.
"You still have a lot to learn about me, señorita. I will be in my office if you need anything." He says about to leave, I quickly swallow down the food and stop him.
"Uhm yeah, I was wondering if I could go to the mall, do a little sight seeing if that's alright with you?" I ask, he raises an eyebrow.
"And if you get lost?" I take my phone and raise it waving it around. "Google maps will help." He shakes his head.
"I'm coming with you, be ready in an hour." He instructs, I stare at his retreating back shocked for the hundredth time in two days.
*~*~*~*
A brief knock resounds on my door, tying my sandals I grab my bag then open the door. On the other side, obviously, stands my boss.
I take a second to gape at him, he's wearing a black pair of jeans ripped by the knees, a tight white V-neck shirt which accentuates his built body which I presume is sculpted to perfection.
A small tattoo peaks out on his chest, his hair ruffled up in a badboy kind of way, a whiff of his scent sends my mind wild for some reason; a hint of smoke, after-shave and cologne but the smell of apples overpower the rest.
They weirdly work well together.
He clears his throat directing my attention to his brown eyes which hold a lot of amusement, blushing, I look away.
"Ready?" I nod humming, he chuckles lowly and follows behind me to the black SUV waiting outside.
*~*~*~*
"Catedral basilica menor de San Juan Bautista." I whisper under my breath, the building looks a little worn out than what I've seen from the pictures.
Not waiting another second I run up the stairs; gently open the door and gaze in awe at the beautiful interior.
Beautiful mahogany benches on both my sides, beautiful intricate designs on the ceiling.
A few tourists are scattered around quietly chatting, I snap a picture of the altar. Behind me, Mr Grey is casually glancing around but I spot the twitch of his eye as a group of people laugh loudly.
I quickly snap a picture of him and turn around just as he notices, blowing at the picture I place it in my bag, he walks up besides me and together we just walk down the aisle, my fingers skimming the benches.
"My parents got married here, way before I was born. Then they renewed their vows three years ago but I couldn't come because I had work." I quietly whisper, he stays quiet.
We slip into a lane; sit and stare at the altar. Tucking a strand of hair away I glance at him, his eyes are squinted slightly. A habit he has when he's deep in thought, I stare at him until he finally gives in.
"What happened to your mother?" He asks, I blink away the oncoming tears and suck in a harsh breath.
"You don't have to answer." He adds, I shake my head smiling slightly.
"It's okay, she uhm, she succumbed to cancer a year after renewing their vows. She suffered from it for as long as I can remember, but she died peacefully." I blankly look forward deep in thought.
Memories of that day flash through my mind, breaking my heart piece by piece. "I hadn't seen her in so long. I worked fifteen hours a day to afford the chemo, to help out at home. I was the last to find out about her death, I had been so caught up in trying to help her live that I didn't notice that that's what she wanted.
To stop the suffering, the fear, she wanted to spend her last days happy with her family but I wasn't there. She ended up taking azacitidine, left a letter that explained why she did what she did and how much she loved me." I wipe away a stray tear sniffing.
"I'm sorry." He apologizes.
I laugh quietly, "twice in five days, I'm beginning to think I'm starting to take an effect on you."
He cracks a genuine smile, "we're in a church, it's only the right thing to do." He jokes.
I smile standing, "okay, you ready to go?" He replies by sliding out of the bench allowing me to pass.
For the other two hours we've toured at least three more landmarks and by the time Mr Grey asks about the mall, I was too tired to agree.
Now we're in the car, on the way back to the house. "Tomorrow you will be accompanying me to meetings back and forth." He announces.
I nod my head humming, after half an hour of driving we finally arrive at the house. Giggling echoes throughout the house, we find Nic and Elle playing in the living room.
"Nicky! You can't deny the princess!" Noelle giggles hitting the princess doll in her hand against Nic's.
"What if I like someone else?" He asks, Noelle places a hand on her chin thinking.
"You are not allowed to." She states, Nic laughs making me smile.
"Can I join?" I ask, both their faces light up and snap to us. The little girl jumps up and runs into her father's arms.
"Daddy! Uncle Nic took me to the beach and we saw the dolphins and then we went to the cinema and watched Encanto then we came home and Nicky made me Tortillas and then...and then...and then..." She rants running out of breath.
This girl's English never ceases to shock me.
All of us laugh as she tries to catch her breath, Mr Grey gives her a kiss on her forehead and smiles at her.
"Seems like you had a pretty busy day, but now it's time for you nap 'kay?" He asks, she pouts and nonetheless nods.
"Thank you Nicholas." Mr Grey says and disappears around the corner leaving Nic and I alone.
I go down next to him and help clean up the toys, "you really love her don't you?" I ask.
He grins at the thought of it, "I was the first person Xander called when he figured her mother was pregnant. I was there with him googling how to change diapers, going to the parental classes, when she started teething and whatnot. You could call me her second father."
The glint in his eyes prove his statement couldn't be a lie, we close up the container and sit on the couch.
"So how'd you enjoy your first full day in San Jaun? I'm betting you took a lot of pictures?" He asks, I give him a pointed look.
"And if I didn't?" He points to my fallen bag with a few photographs spilling out and the camera hanging around my neck.
I quickly reach for the bag and place the photographs back in blushing, he gives me a smirk. Rolling my eyes I take out a few and keeping the rest in the bag.
Okay so what if I wasn't focused on most of the landmarks we saw? And what if I found something better to look at? Can you really blame me?
Nic and I go through the stack I took out, Mr Grey appears when Nic and I are laughing at a photo I took of a seagull hovering over Mr Grey's head who has a deep frown etched onto his face.
Correction, no frown but you can clearly tell he's pissed off...like right now for some reason.
His glare comes to me making me shudder slightly then goes to the man besides me, sensing something going on I take the photo's and stand up.
"I've got papers to go through, it was nice seeing Nic." I smile, he stands up and leaves a kiss on my cheek making me squirm and blush but a little uncomfortable at the same time.
"You too Rose." He winks, I take that as my leave and rush upstairs.
Once I'm in the comfort of 'my' room, I go through the rest of the photos smiling like an idiot to myself the whole time until I actually decide to go through the papers for tomorrow.
*~*~*~*
"He knows. Dirty secrets that I keep, does he know its killing me. He knows, he knows d-d-does he know? Now those hands have touched my skin, I wknt tell where I've been.
He knows, he knows, he knows. It's tearing me apart, and she's slipping away. And I'm just hanging on to all the words she used to say, the pictures on her phone and she's not coming home.
Coming home, coming home. I know what you did last summer, just lied to me there's no other. I know what what you did last summer tell me where you've been. Look me in the eyes as my lover, I know what you did last summer, tell me where you've been
I know, I kno–" my words are cut off once I turn and catch my boss staring at me curiously.
Blushing I place the wet cloth on the counter and take off my headphones, "Morning." I mutter sliding a plate of waffles, bacon and eggs to him.
"Morning senorita."
I think I almost see a small smile tug at his lips making me blush even further, Keepin my head down I clean up the mess I made then sit across Mr Grey and eat my breakfast while silently thinking to myself.
"–hobby?" I look up at my boss dumbfounded, amusement swirls in his eyes.
"Pardon?"
"Your favourite hobby? What is it?" He repeats, shocked at the question I gape at him before pulling myself together.
"Singing, reading and cooking." I state the obvious, he nods and continues eating. I do the same occasionally glancing up at him curiously.
"And you sir?" I ask finally, he stops eating and glances at me.
"We'll be leaving in an hour." My lips tug down slightly, he stands up and disappears around the corner.
Frowning to myself I finish my food and wash the dishes then go upstairs to get ready for the day.
*~*~*~*
It's only two p.m and we've been to at least seven different meetings since eight I the morning.
He wasn't lying when he said back to back.
Right now we're on the way to another meeting in some hotel with yet another important person.
I've realised that most of these meetings we have today, I didn't even know about meaning I get there unprepared and just taking down random notes.