Quitting the Boss by Ann Victor

continued to let his mother’s behavior be a haunting influence on his relationship with Jenna.
    He hadn’t fully trusted her because of something he didn’t understand, something he had interpreted as a betrayal.
    “Do you have a woman, son?” Erik asked, as if he could sense Alec contemplating his own decisions.
    Unsure of how to answer the question, Alec chewed the prime cut slowly, trying to savor the taste but failing as he thought about Jenna.
    She wanted more, but more was complicated. Alec didn’t want to get married. Maybe marriage wasn’t black and white, but what he’d grown up thinking of his parents and what was reality certainly blurred the lines. Jenna hadn’t alluded to marriage when she said she wanted more and given her mother’s history, that likely wasn’t on her mind. He wanted to trust her. In fact, he had no reason not to. What he had believed were betrayals in his parents’ marriage weren’t betrayals at all, just an alternate lifestyle that made them happy.
    He couldn’t continue to let their decisions drive his own. He cared about Jenna, too much to let her go.
    Jenna was strong-willed and he’d hurt her by walking away. She had every right not to give him another chance, but he’d do whatever was necessary to convince her he was worth taking a chance on. “It’s complicated,” Alec finally conceded.
    Erik laughed, easing some of the tension keeping a tight hold on Alec. “Tell me. I understand complicated.”
     

~ ~ ~
     
    Jenna reminded herself that the people in this room were her friends. They cared about her and wanted to wish her well. Even though she’d still be working with them regularly, it would be different and she did appreciate the warm send off.
    She couldn’t ignore the fact that Alec wasn’t there, though. Not only had he called in sick on Thursday, but he remained MIA on Friday. Now here it was Friday evening, the night he’d said he was going to get them a hotel room and replay their first night together. Except he was a no show.
    “Did you ever find out what’s happening with Alec?” Jenna asked Cash as he ordered another round.
    “Nada. He replies to my emails with three word sentences at most. Doesn’t bother responding to the ones where I ask him what’s going on.”
    Sounded like Alec. He didn’t like anyone in his personal business.
    “I can’t believe you’re actually leaving our team. It’s not going to be the same without you.”
    “You’re just saying that because you got stuck with Westville,” she mused.
    “Well, if Alec doesn’t come back soon, I’m pawning that POS project off on Jalen. Don’t know why Alec didn’t give it to him anyway.”
    “Because Alec’s a prick,” Jalen interjected.
    “He’s not so bad,” Cash laughed. “You just gotta know how to take him. Well, that and it helps to not piss him off. What’d you do to get on his bad side anyway?” Cash asked.
    Jenna steeled her expression, hoping Jalen wouldn’t say anything. She wasn’t sure if he thought she and Alec were still involved. He’d kept a tight lid on what he suspected all this time. There was no reason to shed light on it now.
    “I didn’t do anything,” Jalen admitted, pinning Jenna with a knowing glance.
    She smiled her gratitude, unable to say the words with Cash standing there. She’d been hoping she and Alec would go public, but that didn’t mean anyone had to know they’d been involved for almost a year.
    Of course, if things were in fact over, no one needed to know anything.
    “Why are you moping?” Elisa slurred. She’d obviously had one too many margaritas. “This is your party. You can cry if you want to, but I don’t recommend it.”
    “How many of those have you had?” Jenna asked.
    “Too many,” Carly whined, coming up behind Elisa. “I am not holding your hair when you’re praying to the porcelain god tonight.”
    “Hey, that’s part of the roommate deal. If I have to deal with baby bottle paraphernalia and