I finally made it home, completely drained. My feet felt like they weighed a hundred pounds each. I started talking to them out loud—come on, guys, just get me inside; a nice warm bath is calling your name. Everything happened fast after that: tub, bed, sleep.
The next morning I woke up late—real late—with only thirty minutes to get ready, grab something to eat, and get to the shop. Guilt and fear sat heavy on my mind. What if my boss found out I was his wife's little boy toy? My stomach twisted itself into knots. I kept imagining him walking through the parking lot as soon as I arrived, ready to kill me right there in this Honda. I don't want to die like that, I thought. But what will be, will be.
When I pulled up to the shop, I looked around like a wanted drug dealer, paranoid and alert. I took my time getting out of the car, dragging my feet toward the door. The moment I stepped inside, the boss's head popped out of the office. He waved me in.
My heart started racing. My hands began sweating like faucets, my throat went dry, and I felt like I was about to shit myself. That walk to his office felt like the longest walk of my life.
"Hurry up and get in here," he said, smiling. "You wouldn't believe the weekend I had. What's wrong with you? You look like you're coming down with something. You okay?"
"I'm good," I said, trying to sound normal. "How are you?"
"I'm great," he replied. "My wife was super relaxed when I got home. That trip was sweet. That girl did things to me a guy like me can only dream of—she sucked me dry."
My mind was spinning.
Then he continued, "My wife said you did an amazing job making sure everything was handled correctly in the shop. She was very impressed with your attention to detail. She thinks I should consider giving you the promotion to general manager."
I sat there, frozen in the chair, my thoughts exploding. This is one dangerous woman.
He kept going, praising my work, then said, "Next weekend I'll be leaving the island again. If you keep this up, you and my wife can run the shop together while I open another location for expansion. Just keep her happy, busy, and stress-free. She really enjoyed working with you."
Still stunned, I nodded. "Absolutely, boss. I won't let you down."
"Feel free to leave early today," he added, handing me a phone. "This will be your company phone."
"For real?" I asked.
"Yes. Normally my wife would be upset with all these trips, but this time she was understanding. She told me not to rush home, to take my time, and said the growth of the business is all thanks to you."
I couldn't believe it. "Wow. Okay, boss—you know I'm the man for the job. I'll make sure she's completely stress-free, and I'll put my best foot forward."
I walked out of that office feeling like a freshly printed hundred-dollar bill—clean, sharp, powerful. Like my eyes had been opened to a part of the world I never knew existed.