Read What Brings Me to You for Free Online Page B

Anyway, that’s all. Miss you. Love you. Call me. Muah!   I miss him too, actually, but I’m still not ready to go back to work. I’m going to owe him so much when I do because he’s been covering for me a lot with Brooke. Brooke isn’t a bad boss or anything, I’ve actually gotten to know her really well over the past couple of years, but I know she wants me back and I don’t want to burn any bridges with her. Not when we’re doing so well. I’m just not ready to go back yet. Markus has told me over and over again not to worry about it, and to take all the time I need. God, I love Markus. I love him so much that just knowing he’s out there in the world is making this moment, today, a little less sucky.
                  Despite everything you ever thought, Markus is a really good and honest guy and he  never   had a thing for me. Even if he did, once upon a time, he most certainly doesn't now. With all of your swearing he did you never once offered a shred of evidence. If you were here, I know exactly how you'd make your case.
                  "He's just a friend, babe and he's my business partner. He's being nice. AND HE’S GAY!"
                  "Uh-huh," you'd snort in that smug way that'd make me want to smack that smuggy look off your smuggy face. “He still has a penis and can still appreciate a beautiful woman . He says all the time if he were straight he’d marry you. ”
                  "God," I'd sigh,  “ not this again. I know you love me babe, and I know that I do it for you, but, I don’t exactly turn heads or whatever. So, Markus..."
    Then, you'd interrupt with that smuggy, "I'm-trying-not-to-laugh-because-you're-making-my-point-for-me" face and I'd over correct sarcastically. " Mr. Potter  would just not want me working in this state; I'd scare off  customers  or worse investors. He would want me happy so I'd come back to work because I'm the best he's got. He's nice but this is in the interest of the      business !"
                  Then, you'd start to laugh which would really chap my rear end but you wouldn't spar with me. You'd pick up on the most random thing I'd said:  "I see the way men, including   Markus,  gay as he is, look at you, sweetheart. You turn enough heads. " The way you'd emphasize his name would make me shudder and you'd continue, knowing you'd made a crack in the argument, "You should be flattered. Take it as a compliment.”
                  “Easy for you to say Mr. Big Shot Beef Cake Personal Let Me Give You A Post Work Out Stretch Trainer. Girls are all over you all the time.”
                  You’d just give me a half smile and say: "You know I'm a jealous man, but let them look. You come home with me; you sleep in my bed at the end of the day."   You’d kiss me on the cheek, and then spin me around and slap my ass good naturedly to get me to walk away and forget about it all.
                  We had that routine memorized. You could replace the name Markus with any man I saw regularly. Mailman, garbage man, bag boy at the grocery. We went through it for them all. All except one.
                  Something else that's gone: No one will ever be jealous over me again .
     
    *****
     
                  I decided after all to ditch my "friends" and go with Teddy to get food. I did text, using Teddy's phone, I'd be away, but didn't get a response. Figures. We weren't dressed for anything but lying around on the beach, so Teddy suggested a drive through.
                  We walked in relative silence to his car. Nothing but the crunching sound of our feet across sand-dusted asphalt between us and and panic began to rise in my throat about riding in cars with boys. I was immediately assuaged when that biting, nasty voice started yelling at me:  He's just being nice, Charley. It doesn't mean he wants to marry you. Stop it. He's just