Future Boss Wife

Mel looks at me expectantly.
“Come on, Amanda, it's obvious! She's flirting with you!”
I remind her unnecessarily, “Stop it! She's our boss!”

We sit in our office chairs facing each other, leaning forward so our heads are almost touching. We don't want anyone to hear us.
But we're probably not really succeeding with this attempt. The office has thin walls and we're not alone in this room either.

I've been working at this company for about two years. Mel has been here longer. We're both in marketing and we often have time to chitchat. Far too much time.
And the job gives us plenty to talk about, there's no other way to put it.

“Well, so what? That's the most normal thing in the world! Why don't you take a shot? Talk to her!”
That's easy for her to say, mother of two and wife of some guy I've never met.\ I roll my eyes.
“That's easy for you to say! Sorry, but I'm not willingly risking my career just so you can entertain yourself with my life.”
She laughs. “Is that career in the room with us right now?" I nudge her jokingly on the shoulder, causing her chair to roll back a few inches.
We both giggle.
Mel: “This isn't about me! What if you miss the true love? What if you're soul mates? That would be tragic!”
Mel continues to tease me:
“And think about her too! Poor woman! She has to play the role of an emancipated, strong boss every day. That's exhausting. She must be longing for true love! Who are you to deny her the great happiness of finally getting to know you properly?”
We laugh too loudly and some of our colleagues turn to us, annoyed.

“That's extremely selfless of you, Mel.”
“You know me. That's just the way I am.”
I shake my head, laughing.
Mel is not giving up.
“Just imagine it: A white beach, the blue sea of Thailand, and you're standing there in the warm sand, with flowers in your hair, saying 'I do'. And I'm sitting in the front row because I always believed in you guys and supported you from the very beginning!”
Wow, Mel is on fire. If only she put this energy into her work ...
I wave her off.
“Nah, she's not a beach person. She prefers the mountains.”
Mel grins and waggles a pencil in front of my face.
“See just how well you already know your future wife!”
All of a sudden she gives me a playfully skeptical look and adds:
“Didn't you go hiking in the mountains last fall ...?”
I laugh.
“That was here! You really can't call that mountains!”
She shakes her head.
“It's too late. Destiny has spoken. I have spoken. You're meant to be together! Just accept it already, Amanda!”

I'm done for the day. Finally.
I've been chatting so much with Mel that I had to stay a little longer to finish my work. There's almost no one left in the office.
I grab my bag and my jacket and get up.
And get startled big time, because at that very moment my boss walks in.
We both take a step back.
Boss: “Sorry, I didn't mean to scare you.” I manage to pull myself together and gasp.
“It's fine, nothing happened.”
I try to laugh in a relaxed manner to lighten the situation.
We stand there for a moment, no one says anything.
I can feel my ears getting warm. I hope I'm not blushing! \ Why has she come?

“Are you finally going home?”
I try to make small talk a little awkwardly and gesture unnecessarily at the jacket and handbag hanging over her arm.
She has an uncharacteristic expression on her face that I can't quite read. Is she ... insecure?
Boss:
“Actually, I wanted to ask you something.”
I wait.
“Will you have a drink with me?”
What?

My mouth drops open.
Me: “When? Now?”
Boss, uncertain:
“Yeah? Do you feel like it?”
“Well, I actually wanted to go home ... It's been a long day at work. I don't want to keep myself busy with work tonight, to be honest.”
She raises her hands dismissively.
She says: “No, no. This shouldn't have anything to do with work! It's entirely private. And only if you really want to, of course.”
I'm not used to her being so soft.
She adds more quietly:
“I'd just like to get to know you better. But I didn't mean to throw you off guard. Maybe it was a mistake. I'm sorry. I'll ...”
I interrupt her:
“Let's go.”
She stares at me in surprise.
“Are you sure?”
I grin.
“Yes, but you have to buy me my first drink.”
Her insecure smile slowly grows into a wide one.
We stand there like this for a good few seconds, it feels like an eternity.

Then we start heading out.
In the stairwell, she turns to me:
“Oh, one more thing. I'd like to keep this between us for now, is that okay? I don't want any gossip in the office about me.”
Oh.
I clear my throat and mumble indistinctly:
“What? Of course! I won't tell anyone ...”