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Stella grips my hand over the table. “Is your boss a creep?”
“What? No... why?”
Stella laughs at my wide eyes.
“Well, if he’s not a creep and ‘work something out’ is not code for you selling your body, why aren’t you snapping his hand off?”
I slouch back in the chair, placing my phone face down on the table.
“Because...” Both of my friends give me expectant looks. “He’s my boss.”
“And?” It’s Nat who raises the question.
I shrug. “It doesn’t seem ethical.” I huff out the words. Knowing I sound stupid. “Gabriel’s kind and thoughtful. I don’t want him to feel I’ve taken advantage of him.”
“Gabriel pays your wages?”
I give Stella my best, really look, and she laughs.
“Well, it’s not like he doesn’t know what you earn,” she adds.
“I hate to agree with her,” Nat says, smiling, as Stella shoves her shoulder. “But Stella is right. He knows what you earn. He knows what you can afford.”
I shake my head, wrapping my arms around my churning stomach.
“Look,” Stella says. “How about accepting it, in the short term? Move out of Vince’s. Give yourself time to breathe, regroup.” Stella leans over and grips my forearm, pulling it away from my body and clasping my hand in hers. “Let someone do something nice for you. Gabriel is trying to help. Is that so wrong?”
I huff out a breath before scooping up the last piece of chocolate cake and stuffing it in my mouth.
“Fine,” I say when I finish my mouthful. “I’ll take it, but only to get myself out of my current predicament. When I find somewhere else, I’ll move out.”
Stella and Nat clap hands. “Well, that’s a relief. I’m not sure I could take any more viewings,” Stella adds.
While Stella and Nat order more drinks, I drop Gabriel a message.
ME:
Are you sure?
GABRIEL:
Have you ever known me to do anything I’ve not thought through?
ME:
True
ME:
Okay.
I pause, not sure what to put next. Three dots appear to let me know Gabriel is typing.
GABRIEL:
You can view the apartment tomorrow. 2 pm?
ME:
