HER ONLY EXCEPTION

Chapter 17- JUST HAVE FUN

Back at work, Andrea lasted exactly twelve hours before she called Mindy. She'd tried to play it cool, tell herself it was just a work trip. That Paris didn't mean anything.

But by Thursday afternoon, sitting at her desk and staring at the email Henry had sent with hotel details and meeting schedules, she couldn't take it anymore.

She pulled out her phone.

Andrea: are you free to talk?

Mindy: always. what's wrong?

Andrea: can I call you?

Mindy: yes! calling you now

Her phone buzzed seconds later. She grabbed it and headed to the women's restroom, locking herself in a stall.

"Okay," Mindy said the moment Andrea answered. "What happened? Did he fire you? Did Lindsay do something? Are you okay?"

"I'm fine," Andrea said quickly. "I just... I need to talk."

"Okay, I'm listening."

Andrea took a breath. "Henry and I are going to Paris."

"PARIS?!" Mindy shrieked so loudly Andrea had to pull the phone away from her ear. "Andrea! Oh my God! That's incredible!"

"It's for work," Andrea said quickly. "Some business meetings with investors. It's not—it's not like that."

"Uh-huh. Sure." Mindy's tone was dripping with skepticism. "And does this 'work trip' happen to involve romantic dinners and long walks along the Seine?"

"Mindy…"

"I'm just saying, Paris is literally the most romantic city in the world. You can't go to Paris with a hot billionaire CEO and pretend it's just business."

Andrea pressed her hand against her forehead. "It is just business."

"Then why do you sound so freaked out?"

Andrea hesitated because Mindy was right. Why was she freaking out?

"It's just, things have been...weird with us lately," Andrea admitted quietly.

"Weird how?"

Andrea bit her lip before telling her everything about the study incident, the teasing, touching him, the way he'd looked at her like he wanted to devour her. And how he'd been distant ever since barely speaking to her, avoiding her, acting like she was just some assistant he barely knew.

When she finished, Mindy was quiet for a long moment.

"So let me get this straight," Mindy said slowly. "You teased the hell out of your hot boss, left him standing there all worked up, and he's been avoiding you since then?"

"Yes."

"And now he's taking you to Paris for a week."

"Yes."

"Andrea, honey. He's not avoiding you because he's mad." She chuckled

Andrea frowned. "Then why…"

"He's avoiding you because he wants you and he doesn't trust himself around you." Mindy's voice was matter-of-fact. "Men like that powerful, controlling men who are used to getting everything they want, when they finally meet someone who gets under their skin? They don't know what to do with it. You're driving him crazy."

Andrea's chest tightened. "I don't know what to do, Mindy. I'm so confused. One minute he's acting all possessive and intense, the next he won't even look at me. I don't know what he wants. I don't even know what I want."

"Okay, stop." Mindy's voice turned firm but kind. "You're overthinking this."

"How can I not overthink it? We live together. I work for him and If this goes wrong…"

"Andrea." Mindy cut her off. "Listen to me. You need to stop worrying about what could go wrong and just have fun."

"Have fun?"

"Yes. Fun. Remember that? That thing you haven't let yourself have since Caleb destroyed your faith in men?"

Andrea winced. "Mindy…"

"I'm serious. Look, I know what happened with Caleb hurt you. I know you decided after him that love wasn't real and you were never going to let anyone in again. But Andrea, that's not living. That's just... existing."

"I'm not ready to fall in love again," Andrea whispered.

"Then don't," Mindy said simply. "Don't fall in love. Just have fun. Enjoy yourself. Let yourself feel something—attraction, desire, excitement without overthinking what it means or where it's going."

Andrea was quiet, her throat tight.

"You're going to Paris with a gorgeous man who clearly wants you," Mindy continued. "A man who looks at you like you're the only woman in the room. A man who bought you an entire wardrobe, took you to a charity gala for the first time in his life and moved you into his penthouse. Andrea, stop thinking about Caleb. Stop thinking about commitment and love and all that heavy stuff. Just... explore this. See where it goes. Let yourself have a little fun for once."

"But what if…"

"What if what? What if you enjoy yourself? What if you have an amazing week in Paris? What if you sleep with him and it's incredible?" Mindy's voice softened. "Babe, you don't have to marry the guy. You don't even have to date him seriously. But you're allowed to want him. You're allowed to act on that. You don't have to analyze every feeling to death."

Andrea closed her eyes, her hand gripping the phone tighter.

"I'm scared," she admitted quietly.

"I know. But being scared doesn't mean you shouldn't do it. It just means it matters." Mindy paused. "Look, I'm not saying throw yourself into something serious. God knows I don't do commitment and I'm perfectly happy. But you? You've been holding yourself back because of what one asshole did to you. Maybe it's time to let yourself feel something again. Even if it's just physical. Even if it's just fun."

"Just fun," Andrea repeated softly.

"Yes, just fun," Mindy confirmed. "No pressure. No expectations, just see what happens and if it doesn't work out? At least you got a free trip to Paris out of it."

Andrea laughed, despite everything.

"There she is," Mindy said warmly. "So what do you say? Are you going to spend this whole trip overthinking and freaking out? Or are you going to let yourself have a little adventure?"

Andrea took a shaky breath. "Adventure," she whispered.

"That's my girl."

They laughed and talked for some time before hanging up.

That night, Andrea stood in her room at the penthouse, staring at her open suitcase on the bed. She'd been packing for the last hour, and her hands kept trembling.

“Just have fun. Don't overthink it.”

Mindy made it sound so simple.

But nothing about Henry Moore was simple.

Andrea folded the emerald dress he'd bought her for the gala: the one that had made his eyes go dark when he saw her in it and placed it carefully in her suitcase.

Just in case.

Then she packed the other outfits; her makeup, everything she'd need for a week in Paris.

Her stomach twisted with nerves and something else. Excitement. Anticipation. Fear.

Andrea zipped up her suitcase and sat on the edge of her bed, staring at it. Tomorrow, everything could change.

And for the first time after Caleb, she was going to let it.