But Summer knows everything about our employees and she genuinely cares about them and their happiness. She knows who needs what kind of attention and gives it to them. They trust her, love her…would probably crawl through hell to make her happy because they know she will always have their best interests at heart. The people on my staff like me, but they adore her. She's relatable, genuine, approachable. Everyone is so much happier now that she's running things.
She's the best person I know. The most caring woman I've ever met.
"I didn't think about his anxiety," I mutter, taking another step toward her. I should have remembered it though. Maybe I'm getting complacent or relying on her too much. Maybe that's why she's unhappy. Because I'm a jackass. "I just wanted coffee."
"I would have gotten you coffee."
"It's not your job to get me coffee. You already have enough shit to do around here." I rake a hand through my hair again. "Is that why you're leaving? Because I put too much on you?" She's so smart, so capable and dedicated. I never really considered that I might have come to rely on her too much because, to me, she's a freaking goddess who can handle anything.
Shit. Maybe I have taken her for granted.
"You don't put too much on me. I love what I do here and all the people I work with." Her smile slips, sadness sweeping through her expression again.
"Then what is it?" I ask, and then reach out to tuck a strand of hair behind her ear because I can't help it. Because she's beautiful and perfect and she's right fucking there and if she leaves now, it's going to break me in half. I cup her cheek in my palm, tilting her head back until her blue eyes meet mine. "What did I do to make you want to leave?"
I know it had to be me. She loves everyone else.
"You didn't do anything, Dominic," she whispers, blinking as tears fill her eyes. "You're the best man I've ever met. The best boss I've ever had. But I have to leave."
"Why?"
"Because." She worries her bottom lip between her teeth, watching my face. A thousand different emotions flow through her eyes, but I'm not sure what any of them mean. I'm not even sure she's going to answer me. Until she does. "Because I'm in love with you and working beside you every day is killing me when I know you don't feel the same." She gives me a watery smile. "So see? I do have to leave. You've been avoiding me for months. Leaving now will make things less awkward for you. For everyone."
Jesus Christ.
She's in love with me? That's why she's leaving? That's why she looks so sad when she looks at me? Because she's in love with me and doesn't have a clue I feel the same way about her?
I'm an idiot. Or whatever comes after idiot. All this time, all it would have taken to make her happy was to tell her that I'm crazy about her. Instead, I've made us both miserable for months. Made her want to leave.
"Summer, I–"
"I got the coffee pot, boss!"
Summer jumps at the sound of Tomas's voice, her cheeks flushing bright pink. I spin around to tell him to get out, but before I can, he's in front of me, shoving the box into my hands like it's the Stanley Cup.
"I got red because the last one was red," he says. "I hope that's okay. I can exchange it if you don't like it. I made them give me a receipt. I also had them email one."
Summer hops off my desk and squeezes past me, hurrying from the office.
I toss the coffee pot on my desk to go after her, but Tomas thrusts the receipt in my face, waving it like it's a winning lottery ticket. And as much as I want to tell him to get the hell out of my way so I can claim my girl, I can't. Because Summer was right. Tomas has crippling anxiety and developmental delays. He's close to thirty but has the mentality of a teenager. Despite it, he went out on his own and bought me a coffee pot because I asked him to do it. He deserves my appreciation and two minutes of my time.
I give it to him, telling him how proud of him I am and how great of a job he did.
"Thanks, boss man," he says, smiling from ear to ear when I give him a fist bump.
"Here." I grab the coffee pot off the desk and hand it to him. "Why don't you take this to Eva and ask her to help you get it set up? Since you got the pot, you get the first cup."
"Awesome!" he says.
I follow him out of my office, heading left while he goes right. I have to fight the urge to run to Summer's office and walk normally. Once I get there, I shove the door open without knocking. The lights are off and she's not inside. My heart sinks at the sight of the packing box sitting on top of her desk with half her shit in it. Her purse is missing from its customary hook.
"She's gone."
I spin around to see Liberty standing in the doorway to her office, watching me. My heart pounds, genuine fear pumping through my system. "Is she coming back?"
"She
