Suzy waited for me in the car while I went into the Sole office building. She forbade me from going up to see Michael. My instructions were to simply hand Rebecca my resignation letter and leave. We’d decided that the best way of dealing with the situation would be to rip it off like a band-aid.

When I went up to Rebecca at the reception desk, she looked up with worry. “Aria, what happened? You haven’t been at the office all day. Mr. Sole and Silvia are going crazy up there. I don’t know how they managed everything before you joined, but now they’ve gotten used to having you around.” Rebecca could see it in my eyes. Something was wrong.

I handed my resignation letter to her.

“I’m sorry, Rebecca. I’m leaving. I’d appreciate it if you could give this to Mr. Sole,” I told her with a weak smile.

She jumped out of her chair. “Aria, come on! You can’t go! Just give it some more time. Whatever trouble you’re having with Mr. Sole, I’m sure it’ll be fine. He’s not a bad person,” Rebecca pleaded.

Ever since I joined the office, I was aware that I’d made everybody else’s jobs a lot simpler too. I was organized and diligent and kept Michael happy.

“I know he isn’t a bad person. But I’m sorry, I really have to go,” I told her and turned away. She didn’t follow me out.

Suzy was waiting for me in the car and she passed me a sympathetic smile when I got in.

“You’re going to be okay. You have a new life waiting for you in Lake Geneva, honey.” Suzy patted my knee. I smiled at her and nodded.

***

Suzy dropped me off at the apartment building. We had had a long day. It was very kind of her, I thought, to drive me all the way up to Lake Geneva, taking the day off from her work. I’d left my cellphone with Clara. I didn’t want any interruptions from Michael or someone else from the office. I knew I just needed to get things done and move on.

I got the job, just like Janie predicted. I was all set to make the move in the coming week. I shuddered at the thought of packing my whole life up and moving. But this was what I’d always wanted. I wanted to leave Chicago and move somewhere smaller. I wanted to be able to go for long walks in the woods and drink in the natural beauty of my surroundings. My new town would offer me just that. Maybe the quiet of Lake Geneva and the simplicity of life there would give me the peace I was searching for.

I went up the steps to my apartment, and when I put the key in the door, I saw that it was already unlocked. Was Clara at my place?

“Clara?” I called her when I stepped in, but my voice drifted away. My apartment looked completely different.

The whole place was filled with red roses. Every surface, every table, every windowsill was decorated with vases of red roses. Rose scented candles were lit around the living room and along the hallway. It smelled beautiful.

“Clara!” I shouted her name. Why would she do this? I rushed down the hallway towards the kitchen. I could hear her in there. She was cooking.

When I got there though, I didn’t see her. I saw Michael frying something in a pan. He turned to look at me. He’d taken off his jacket, rolled his shirt sleeves up and had my apron tied around his waist.

“You’re home!” he exclaimed.

My keys dropped from my hand. “What are you doing here? How did you get in?” I murmured. I could barely get the words out.

Michael was smiling. He brought the sizzling pan over to the kitchen table. It was set for two, with a luscious rose bouquet centerpiece sitting there. He flipped the battered fish on one plate and then the other.

“Clara let me in. She had a key,” he told me. His green eyes were sparkling, his dark hair falling boyishly on his forehead. Michael, as always, was completely irresistible.

“Clara let you in?” I found that hard to believe. She kept my phone with her because she didn’t want me speaking to him. How had he convinced her to change her mind?!

Michael returned the pan to the sink and brought over the salad bowl to the table. “Aria, will you please sit down with me so we can talk?” he asked.

My cheeks were flushed. I didn’t know what I was feeling. I didn’t want to slip up and fall again. Not when I’d managed to convince myself to let him go. I started backing away from him, trying to escape.

Michael stood staring at me. There was a longing in his eyes. I knew he wasn’t going to be forceful, but I could see the look of desperation on his face.

“Aria, I just want us to talk things through. Before you make any new decisions. Can we do that? Can we just have dinner together? I got this recipe from my mom.” Michael smiled nervously.

I shook my head, my nostrils flared . . . I was trying to control my mixture of rage and relief in seeing him. “I can’t be here right now. You shouldn’t be here! I’ve made my decision already!” I declared.

Michael pulled out a chair and sat at the table. “I’ll wait here for you till you’re ready to talk to me. I refuse to let you walk out of my life without giving me one more chance. I won’t have it!” Michael said. His face was firm. He was determined.

I could just leave. I could just run from the apartment and go to Suzy. How many more chances was I supposed to give him?

***

When I sat down at the table, Michael looked relieved. I didn’t know why I was doing it. It went against all my common sense.

“I don’t know what else you can say to me, Michael,” I said softly. I didn’t want to meet his eyes. I was afraid of falling for him again. I could already feel a tightness in my belly. I was weakening.

“For starters, I had no idea it was your birthday yesterday. Either way, I should have been there after I gave you my word that I would,” Michael said.

I looked down at the fish on my plate. I had no appetite. I couldn’t eat, not when I was feeling this way.

“I should have been there to celebrate with you and your friends. I know that I put my work ahead of you . . . ahead of us, but that is the last time it will happen,” Michael continued.

I jerked my head up to look at him. “I don’t know what you think is going to happen now, but I’ve handed in my resignation to your office already,” I said.

Michael clenched his jaws and nodded. “That’s good, because I don’t want you to be my secretary anymore,” he replied and my heart sank. “You are so much more to me, Aria,” he added.

I felt hot tears pricking the backs of my eyelids. “It doesn’t matter anymore. I’m leaving,” I said.

“That’s okay. I’ll find a new secretary, I’ll make it work. I don’t want you to be in my office, I don’t want to hide it from people. I should be able to flaunt you. We should be able to do things as a couple,” Michael continued.

I shook my head. “I’m not just leaving the job, Michael. I’m leaving Chicago,” I said.

I could see now that Clara hadn’t told him about the new job. His eyes grew wide. He looked confused. “What are you talking about, Aria? How can you leave Chicago now?” he asked.

I stood up from the chair. “Because nothing matters anymore. I can’t be here in the same city as you . . . ”

“But we’re . . . ”

“Not anymore. I made it very clear to you, Michael. I don’t want to be hurt again. After last night, I know that you can’t help yourself. You can’t give me what I want. We can’t be together,” I said and turned away from him. I couldn’t look into his eyes anymore. I knew I was going to break into tears if I did. The worst thing right would have been for him to see how weak I was for him.

“Aria, please don’t say that.” He rushed towards me but stopped in his tracks at the last moment. He wasn’t going to touch me if I didn’t want to be held by him. “Where are you going?” he asked.

“Lake Geneva. It’s a small town. It’s the kind of place I always wanted to live in,” I said.

I could sense him standing behind me. I could feel his warmth close to me, but we weren’t touching. The truth was that there was nothing I wanted more than to be touched by him.

“You’re moving to Wisconsin?” he asked, and I didn’t reply. How did it matter where I was moving? The important thing was that I was leaving Chicago.

“Then I’ll go with you.”

I gasped, whipping around to face him. He was lying! He didn’t actually mean it, just like he didn’t mean any of those things he said to me at his home.

Michael was staring at me, peering into my eyes. I could see he was itching to touch me too.

“Aria, there is nothing more important to me than to make this relationship work. I can’t lose you. I’ll be lost if you leave me now.” His voice was deep but soft. I never thought I’d see him like this . . . Michael was incapable of this kind of emotion!

I opened my mouth to speak, but he stepped up to me, silencing me. I had to crane my neck to look up at him. My breasts were heaving wildly, my breaths ragged.

“I’ll go to Lake Geneva with you. I’m done here. I’ve achieved everything I could achieve. I’m exhausted,” Michael said. He wasn’t lying, I could see the exhaustion in his eyes.

“I don’t know how to trust you, Michael,” I murmured.

He pinched my chin, angling my face up towards his so he could look into my eyes. “Give me one more chance, Aria. Let me win your trust back. Allow me to show you that I can change. I will change. This was not the person I was when I was growing up. This city, this work . . . made me into this monster.” Michael sounded desperate as he spoke.

I lifted up a finger, placing it on his lips. “You are not a monster, Michael. You just don’t know what you want,” I said.

He leaned his face towards me, our lips were just inches apart. “I know now. I want you. I want a life with you, and I’ll go wherever you are,” he replied.

When he kissed me, I felt like I would collapse. I was so sure I’d lost him, that there was no hope for us. But there I was, kissing him, in his arms once again. I could feel his heart beating wildly as my breasts pressed up against him. Michael’s kiss was deep and passionate. He held me tightly to him. I was out of breath when I finally pulled my mouth away from his.

“I don’t want you to be afraid of me, Aria. I promise that I will treasure you,” he whispered, kissing the tip of my nose.

I couldn’t control the tears anymore. They were rolling down my cheeks. What was the point in hiding it? He already knew I was like putty in his hands.

“I asked Clara to organize drinks at MacCauley’s tonight,” I heard him say, and I looked up at him, surprised. “I’m sorry we’re going to celebrate your birthday a day late, but I needed an excuse to meet all your friends,” he continued.

There was a smile on his face as he kissed my cheeks softly. I was smiling too. I was in shock. He was willing to move with me. I was skeptical about the future, but right now, I was just happy to be in his arms. I wouldn’t have traded that feeling for anything.