Matched with my boss

Chapter 16

Chapter 16

Daphne

The workday finally ended, and I felt as though I could finally breathe after a day full of responsibilities. I headed to the supermarket a few blocks from the office, hoping to find something for Sofia and me to enjoy while we chatted. I looked down the wine aisle and chose a bottle of red wine. Sofia always preferred a smooth wine, so I picked one with a fruity, light texture. After selecting a few more items, like some cheeses and savory crackers, I headed to the checkout. With the wine and snacks secured, I was ready to see Sofia’s new apartment.

She had sent me the address earlier that day, with excited emojis that showed just how thrilled she was about this fresh start. I was so happy for her; this move was something she’d wanted for a long time, and feeling that, in some way, I was part of this important moment filled me with pride. The taxi dropped me off right in front of the building; it was one of those cozy places, not too tall or too fancy, but with architecture that showed character and style.

I went up to the third floor, following Sofia’s directions. When the door opened, she greeted me with a huge smile and an enthusiastic shout:

“Welcome, biiitch! Are you ready to see my castle?” she said in that playful tone she always used to make me laugh.

I burst out laughing and hugged her tightly.

“Of course, princess! Show me your empire!”

Sofia began the tour, taking me first to the small hallway that opened up as we entered. It was a narrow entryway, but the light filtering in from the living room at the back made it feel spacious and welcoming. When we got to the kitchen, Sofia spread her arms out, brimming with pride.

“This is my future five-star chef zone,” she joked. The kitchen was bright, with white walls that reflected the natural light. There was a big window by the countertop that overlooked the inner courtyard, and I could perfectly imagine Sofia cooking here while looking out the window. The light wood cabinets contrasted nicely with the stainless steel appliances, and although there was nothing on the counters besides a coffee maker that Sofia had already brought, you could tell the kitchen had great potential.

We moved into the living-dining room, a spacious, rectangular area bathed in the golden light of the sunset streaming through the windows. The living room had nothing but a couple of pillows and a blanket, but I could already imagine the type of decor Sofia would choose. She’d always had a minimalist style, but with pops of color that brought any room to life. The back wall had the perfect space for hanging art, and I had no doubt it would soon hold some of the pieces Sofia had collected on her travels.

“This place is perfect! Do you realize how amazing it’ll look once you decorate it?” I said as I looked around.

“Right? I’m thinking of putting a dining table right here,” she pointed to the space between the kitchen and the living area, “something small but cozy, where we can sit to drink wine, gossip, and laugh about life.”

“I love it,” I smiled. “And today we have the wine, and I brought the glasses.”

Sofia laughed and led me to the bedrooms. There were two doors, side by side.

“This will be my bedroom,” she said, opening the door to the first room. It was small, with a window overlooking the terrace on the side of the building. There was a built-in closet, and the walls were still bare, but I could tell Sofia already had plans to make it her own.

“And this,” she gestured to the other door, “is where I want to set up an office.”

Finally, we arrived at the bathroom, the only one in the apartment. It was small, but spotless and well-designed. The walls were white tiles, and there was a shelf where I could picture Sofia putting all her creams and products. I laughed when I saw a single bar of soap and a toothbrush, the only items on the sink.

“It’s perfect!” I said genuinely. “You’ll turn this place into a home in no time.”

Sofia then led me to the terrace, the last stop on the tour and my favorite spot. The terrace was small but had a special charm. There were a couple of folding chairs and a garden table, and from here, you could see the sunset sky painted in shades of orange and pink. There were also a few small potted plants left behind by someone, but Sofia had already adopted them.

We sat down, and I pulled the glasses from my bag, filling them with red wine as Sofia turned on a string of lights she had hung along the railing. The atmosphere was perfect: fresh, warm, with a sense of calm that was heightened by the sight of city lights beginning to come on.

“To this new beginning!” Sofia said, raising her glass to me.

We clinked glasses and took a sip, enjoying the first round of wine before Sofia gave me a meaningful look.

“Well, now that I’ve shown you my castle, you tell me. What happened on that date with Jake? I’m dying to know.”

I smiled, feeling my cheeks warm up a bit, but I decided to share what had happened.

“Well, it all started off pretty relaxed. We went to dinner, and I swear, Sofi, from the very first moment, there was something between us. I can’t explain it, but it was like all the tension I’d felt before just disappeared, and we let ourselves go.”

Sofia looked at me with wide eyes, taking a sip of her wine and nodding slowly, as if absorbing every word.

“And then,” I continued, “he took me to his car, and we drove around the city. The way he looked at me, Sofi… I don’t know, it made me feel special, like I was the only person in the world.”

“So what happened then? Did you end up at his place or yours?” Sofia asked with a mischievous smile.

I laughed and took another sip before continuing.

“We ended up at my place. And yes, what you’re thinking happened. It was… how can I describe it? Incredible! He’s incredible, thoughtful, and it wasn’t just physical. There was something emotional, too, like he understood me in a way I hadn’t felt in years.”

“I knew he was a good guy!” Sofia exclaimed, smiling triumphantly. “So, what now?”

After another sip of wine, I decided to be honest with Sofia. I knew she was my most loyal confidante, and I couldn’t hold back from telling her how I really felt.

“You know, Sofi? I think I’m falling for Jake a lot faster than I expected.” My voice came out in a whisper, as if I hadn’t quite accepted what I’d just said.

Sofia raised an eyebrow and gave me a look that was half surprise and half amusement.

“How fast are we talking here? Fast like… ‘tell me all about your childhood,’ or fast like ‘I want to know every little detail about you’?” she joked.

I laughed, trying to downplay what I felt, but finally admitted:

“Fast like… I want to see him every day. I don’t know, there’s just something about him that draws me in differently. He’s thoughtful, and he makes me feel so good. The truth is, he asked me out again tonight, but I’d already made plans with you, and he understood. He told me not to worry and that we’d see each other soon.”

Sofia smiled approvingly.

“That’s a good sign, Daphne. He’s respecting you and not rushing things. And if he makes you feel like this… Well, that doesn’t happen every day.” She raised her glass, toasting to Jake with a playful smile. “To the men who know how to wait and aren’t too intense.”

I raised my glass and toasted with her as we both laughed. After another sip, I relaxed further into my chair, letting myself unwind.

“But, I don’t know, Sofi… I’m also a little scared that I’m getting my hopes up too high. You know I don’t usually get attached so quickly, and this… it scares me a bit. But at the same time, when I think about him, the fear goes away because falling in love with someone like Jake feels right. If it happens, I won’t be surprised. He has everything I like in a man.”

Sofia looked at me with a mix of understanding and determination.

“Look, Daph, I get your fears, but sometimes you have to take a chance. You’ve been closed off for so long, and I think it’s time you give yourself an opportunity. Enjoy the moment, and if things go well, time will tell.”

I looked at her, trying to absorb her words. She was right; as much as the idea of opening up confused me, I also knew that there was something about Jake that made it all worthwhile. Maybe, for once, I should take a risk and see what happened.

***

Sofia and I were still quietly enjoying our wine on the terrace when we heard the sound of a key turning in the lock. We looked at each other, confused.

“Are you expecting anyone else?” She shook her head, whispering, “Who could that be?” and we both stood up, intrigued.

The door opened, and standing in the doorway was a tall man with a serious expression, dark, slightly tousled hair, intense eyes, and a clearly surprised look upon seeing us there. His surprise soon turned into slight confusion, and he frowned.

“What are you two doing in my apartment?” he asked, his tone a mix of bewilderment and a hint of annoyance.

We looked at each other in disbelief. His apartment? Sofia, always quick to react, stepped forward.

“Excuse me, but… this is my apartment.” She held up the key in her hand. “I just got the keys today, signed the contract, and paid the deposit.”

The man looked at us for a moment, clearly processing what Sofia had just said.

“Wait… you signed a contract today?” he asked, somewhat incredulous. “Because I did too… this morning.”

We stood in silence, trying to process what he had just said. How was it possible that they both had a contract for the same apartment?

“What?” I asked, looking back and forth between Sofia and the man, who looked as confused as we were.

“Look, I don’t know what went wrong with the real estate agency,” Sofia said with a hint of frustration, “but I already paid six months in advance. This apartment is mine by contract.”

The man let out an exasperated sigh, then shook his head.

“This has to be a joke… I also paid a deposit for the same period. But well, we’ll have to sort this out with the agency.” He looked at us, and after a moment, extended his hand. “I’m Ian, by the way.”

Sofia crossed her arms, clearly irritated, but finally shook his hand with a resigned smile.

“Sofia. And this is Daphne. You… you surprised us, to say the least.”

I also shook his hand, trying not to laugh at the situation. Ian seemed both amused and annoyed, as if he didn’t know whether to laugh or get angry.

“Well, it seems the agency played us both,” Ian said, letting out an incredulous laugh. “So… what do you suggest? Because it seems we’re in the same mess.”

Sofia looked at him, weighing the situation, and after a few seconds, shrugged.

“Look, since we’re all here and this makes no sense… we can sort it out tomorrow. Tonight, have a glass of wine with us. And if that bothers you, well, you can wait outside.” She ended with a smile that, while kind, had a touch of challenge.

Ian seemed torn between accepting the wine or continuing the argument, but he eventually nodded, laughing.

“Alright, this is too weird not to go along with it.” He followed us to the terrace, where we handed him a glass of wine.

After a while, with a bit of wine flowing through our veins, the three of us began laughing at how ridiculous the situation was. We had one glass after another, joking about the “incredible mess” that had led us to share the same space.