What did I say?
"Tabitha, we're not dating. We don't date. Hell, we don't even sleep together. I'm not your boyfriend. Remember we put a pin in it?"
Whoa. Overreact much?
Where did this even come from? I start to answer, but he keeps talking. "You know how I feel about dating someone at work. Also, we don't have time to date. I enjoy spending what time we have together, but that's all it is. Spending time together. Talking some."
"Flirting." Our late night phone conversations have definitely included "what are you wearing" more than once.
"Well, sure."
"And sometimes we kiss." As long as we're locked away in his office.
His gaze darts to the door, which I'm sure isnotcurrently locked. "I guess."
"Well, it wasn't someone else's tongue in my mouth."
He stares at me blankly.
"Do you flirt with anyone else?" I don't know why I'm pushing his buttons but I can't seem to stop.
He shakes his head.
"Do you kiss anyone else?" Now he's glaring back at me. Good.
"Then admit that we're something special."
Henderson's mouth opens and closes a few times before settling into a tight line. "This is hard for me."
"You think it's not for me? I don't know how to do this either. I have no idea how I'm supposed to balance being a mom and working and having a personal life. Hell, I don't know if I'm coming or going most of the time. But the only thing I do know is that I've never had these feelings before, and I'm not willing to let that all go right now. So freak out if you want, but get your shit together, Henderson, because I won't wait around forever for you to figure it out. I don't have forever here in Hicklam."
With that, I stand up and storm out.
Like my man Kenny says, you've got to know when to hold 'em and know when to fold 'em. I don't want to fold, but I may have to.
For someone who doesn't like drama, Henderson certainly causes a lot of it himself.
Chapter 38: Henderson
My whole life, I've watched how my mum did things, and then decided to do the opposite. She did such a bang up job with her life that any choices she madehadto have been the wrong ones.
It's been a conscious choice on my part to play it safe. To not take risks—either with my career or my personal life. And certainly never to mix the two.
But now here's this damn woman who's turning my whole world upside down. And I don't know why.
She's just a person, not some sort of magical enchantress.
She just has long legs and a bright smile and sparkling eyes and a generous heart and a sense of humor, and for some reason, she accepts my bullshit.
Or at least she did.
I've always been focused on how my mum clung to each man, hoping he'd be the one, that it never occurred to me my dad was totally afraid of real commitment and real feelings.
I don't have time for this right now. We open in about nine hours. I'm not sure we're even remotely ready. My to-do list has to-do lists.
Thisis why I don't want to be involved with anyone at work. It's splitting my focus that can't afford to be split. Resentment swells in my chest.
Tabitha should've known better. I told her, and I told her why. She should know the show is the important thing.
