Matched with my boss

Chapter 15

Chapter 15

Daphne

As I settled into my desk, a familiar sound pulled me out of my thoughts. My phone vibrated, and a message from Sofia appeared on the screen. I couldn’t help but smile before even reading it. Knowing her, it was bound to be loaded with excitement and a bit of mischief. When I opened the message, it was exactly what I expected:

Sofia: “b***h! TELL ME EVERYTHING. How was the date? Did you survive? Did he survive? LOL.”

I covered my mouth to hide my laughter, glancing around to make sure no one noticed the smile forming on my face. Memories of the past night and morning flooded over me suddenly. I was so eager to tell Sofia everything that had happened, but at the same time, I knew this wasn’t the moment or place. I couldn’t just summarize it in a text.

Me: “Pfft, Sofi… I can’t tell you over text. It’s too much to fit in here. Better in person. Trust me; you’re going to love this story.”

Not even a second passed before her reply appeared on the screen.

Sofia: “AHHHH, now you’ve got me hanging! I demand you tell me EVERYTHING. Let’s meet today. How about it? I’m getting the keys to my new place today. We’ll celebrate, and you’ll give me every single detail… I WON’T ACCEPT A NO!”

The idea of seeing her and sharing my experiences filled me with joy. Plus, the fact that she was getting the keys to her new apartment was the perfect excuse to toast and have a good time together.

Me: “Of course! Count me in. What time should I come by? I’ll bring wine and everything since we’re in celebration mode.”

Sofia: “At 8, b***h. Get ready to spill EVERYTHING.”

I couldn’t stop laughing at Sofia’s energy. In that moment, I pictured her face, lit up with excitement and curiosity, with that mischievous smile she always had when she suspected there was something juicy to discover.

As soon as the clock struck noon, Tommy popped his head into my office with an expression that left no doubt: he was eagerly waiting for our conversation.

“Daphne, lunch time. And you know, you have to give me all the details. No excuses, alright?”

I laughed, quickly gathering my things. I didn’t have much choice, and honestly, I was also looking forward to telling someone what had happened. As we walked toward the elevator, we passed by Navarro’s office, and I noticed he was focused on some documents, apparently unaware of my late arrival. I felt a relief I couldn’t hide. After all, telling Tommy and Sofia about my adventures was one thing, but facing a reprimand from my boss was another.

When we arrived at the restaurant, I realized Tommy had chosen one of our favorite spots, a little bistro on a city corner. It was one of those places that mixed an elegant atmosphere with cozy touches, with exposed brick walls, hanging plants, and natural light streaming in through the large windows. The place was infused with a tranquility that invited you to linger for hours, enjoying the food and a good conversation.

We sat at a table by the window, from where we could watch the busy street full of people hurrying to and fro. A waitress quickly approached to leave us menus and take our drink orders.

“I’ll have an iced tea with lemon, please,” I said, trying to maintain my composure, even though I knew I’d be spilling everything in a few minutes.

“For me, a strawberry lemonade, thank you,” Tommy ordered, then turned to me with a knowing smile. “Okay, Daphne, we’re here. So why were you late today? Did you have a secret adventure or something?”

I smiled, but before I could respond, Susan appeared at our side. She was always in tune with the office rumors.

“Did I hear that right? Secret adventure?” she asked, raising an eyebrow as she took a seat without even asking.

Tommy and I exchanged amused looks, and he didn’t waste time filling her in.

“Exactly, Susan! Daphne was late, and there’s a juicy story behind it. Don’t you think?”

The waitress returned, and after a brief exchange of laughter and knowing glances, we placed our orders. I went with a Caesar salad with grilled chicken, while Tommy ordered a gourmet burger with fries, and Susan chose a minestrone soup.

“Well, since I have an audience,” I said, taking a sip of my iced tea, “I’ll tell you everything.”

Tommy and Susan leaned forward, completely attentive, and I couldn’t help but feel a bit nervous. It was the first time I’d shared this story aloud, and somehow, it made everything feel even more real.

“I met someone,” I began, choosing my words carefully. “It was through a dating app. We matched there, and from the very first message, there was something… something special. It’s hard to explain, but I felt like we connected right away.”

Tommy raised an eyebrow, intrigued, while Susan let out a dreamy sigh.

“Really? That sounds so romantic!” said Susan, resting her chin in one hand as she looked at me, expectant.

“Yes, I know,” I nodded, feeling a bit overwhelmed by their reactions. “And last night was our first date in person. And… it was perfect.”

Tommy let out a small sigh of admiration while taking a bite of his burger.

“So? What’s he like? Is he handsome?”

“He’s… incredibly attractive,” I replied, blushing at the memory of his smile. “But more than that, he’s kind and attentive. I don’t know; there’s just something about him that draws me in like never before.”

“Oh, I see where this is going!” Susan exclaimed, smiling conspiratorially. “Go on, go on.”

I took a deep breath, knowing the next part would make them react even more.

“After dinner, he walked me back to my apartment. I hadn’t planned on inviting him in, but… things just flowed. And well… we spent the night together.”

There was a brief silence before Tommy let out a rather exaggerated “Wow!” and Susan stifled a laugh.

“So, there was action! We barely recognize you, Daphne!” Tommy said, raising his glass in a toast.

I laughed and joined the toast, feeling a bit embarrassed by everything I was sharing.

“It was more than that. It wasn’t just about being together physically… there was something else. I felt such an intense connection that it’s hard to describe. It’s like everything was meant to happen that way.”

Susan looked at me with a mix of affection and curiosity, then reached over and took my hand in a supportive gesture.

“I’m so happy for you, Daphne. Sometimes, those connections appear out of nowhere and change your life.”

“Yes, and it was something I didn’t expect at all,” I replied, remembering the night with a warmth that filled my chest. “And the best part is that, in the morning, he didn’t run off or anything. On the contrary, he seemed like he didn’t want to leave me.”

Tommy let out a small, dramatic sigh, clearly enjoying every detail.

“And that’s why you were late, miss?” he asked, though the answer was obvious.

I nodded, unable to hold back a smile.

“Yes. He took me to breakfast after we spent the morning together, and well… we lost track of time.”

After a lunch filled with laughter, confessions, and more than a few knowing glances, we returned to the office. Tommy and Susan seemed more than satisfied with the information I had shared, although I knew they’d be waiting for more details whenever they had the chance. We walked back down the hallways with a sense of ease that only comes when you share a special secret with friends. Then, suddenly, my phone vibrated in my bag.

I slid my finger across the screen, and there it was—a message from Jake. Just seeing his name made a smile form on my lips almost instinctively.

Jake: “I can’t stop thinking about you. What did you do to me to make it impossible to get you out of my mind?... I can’t wait to see you again.”

I felt my cheeks heat up as I read the message, and before I could react, Tommy peeked over my shoulder and read it with a mocking expression.

“So someone can’t stop thinking about you, huh? Daphne, you’re falling head over heels, and you can’t deny it!” he said, nudging me playfully in the ribs, completely delighted with how things were unfolding.

I tried to play it cool, but I knew it was useless. Jake’s words kept echoing in my mind, and part of me knew Tommy was right. There was something about Jake that made every encounter, every message, have a much deeper impact than I was willing to admit.

As I settled back into my desk, I reread Jake’s message. I knew Tommy and Susan were watching, so I tried to act naturally, but my mind was elsewhere—in the memories of our night together, in the way he’d made me feel so safe and free at the same time.

Tommy passed by my desk once more, chuckling to himself in a teasing tone:

“Oh, Daphne, who would have thought! The girl who opened her dating profile just to get Sofia off her back about finding ‘the love of her life’ has ended up finding something… what do you see in him?”

Yes, it was clear that I had shared absolutely everything at that lunch.

I gave him an amused look, but I couldn’t help his words from making me think. Tommy was right. I had never opened my profile on the app with the intention of finding love or a serious relationship. I did it because of Sofia’s insistence; she always thought I needed to “give myself a chance” and “see what happened.” Of course, I didn’t share her enthusiasm. I had always been practical when it came to relationships—or rather, when it came to the lack of them. But Jake… Jake was changing everything.

As I thought about it, I realized that the idea didn’t even scare me. With Jake, I felt like anything could happen, and I wasn’t afraid. From a simple fling to something deeper, I didn’t fear either possibility.

Jake made me feel good. He made me feel capable of letting go, of exploring whatever might arise between us without fear or reservations. The word “falling in love” had never been something I wanted to consider; I had always avoided it, turned my back on it. But now, with Jake in my life, it didn’t seem so impossible. The thought of falling for him didn’t scare me.

And as I looked at the screen, my response felt as natural as my smile:

Me: “I can’t stop thinking about you either. Shall we see each other soon?”

In that moment, I knew something had changed. And even though I didn’t know where it would lead us, I was ready to move forward, unafraid and with my heart open.