Why did I think she’d let it go in the morning?
She’s even more pissed off.
I have some apologizing to do.
I can’t work with her mad at me. I don’t want her saying or doing something to get the staff talking. My relationship with Maddie is none of their business, and I’m eager to keep it private.
I press the intercom. “Julia, send in Maddie.”
I stand facing the door and moments later, she walks in.
Her eyes snag on mine and narrow with annoyance.
I cross the room to stand before her.
“Maddie, I understand that you’re angry—”
“No, you don’t!” she snaps, tearing away from my side and stomping over to my desk.
I turn in time to get a glimpse of her ass and I stifle a groan.
She spins around. “You lied to me.”
“No.” I step forward. “I didn’t lie. I’d never lie to you. I meant to tell them but… but…”
“But what?” she challenges. “What part of Maddie is, in fact, not my girlfriend, is so hard, huh?”
I look down and exhale before meeting her eyes again. There’s no use cooking up tales. She deserves the truth.
“I’m fucking 37, Maddie, and I don’t date. I do nothing outside of work. Work is my life.”
Her face softens. She’s probably remembering Dad’s ribbing last night.
I let her mull on that before I continue, “They’ve never seen me with a woman before and to them, it’s a big deal. I didn’t know they were going to take it so seriously, but they have.”
“So you’re going to allow them to keep believing that when it’s not serious? Hell, it’s not even real!” She gestures between us, her features pinched. “This doesn’t exist. I’m going back and you’re going to continue being here. Being… you.” She swallows thickly and I’m not sure it’s only last night that is the problem anymore.
I close the distance between us as she looks away and catches her breath.
She faces me again, her eyes sad. “Your family’s great and I understand that you don’t want to disappoint them. But keeping up the lie is worse.”
“I know, but what they don’t know won’t hurt them, right?”
She starts to shake her head and look away but I cup her face and turn her back to look at me.
“I know you don’t like this, but I don’t want to break my dad’s heart. I just want them to be happy, even if it’s only for a while.”
“What are you saying?” Her eyes turn hazy as I work a couple fingers into the hair at her nape. It’s soft and curls around my fingers.
“I’m saying…” My throat closes up as her mouth parts. “I’m saying I need you to say you’ll be my fake girlfriend for the rest of the time that you’ll be here.”
Her eyes widen. “You want us to keep pretending.”
“Yes.”
“But…”
I add both middle fingers to the ones caressing her scalp and she moans softly.
