It hadn’t even occurred to her he’d want to. “You do?”
“Nora,” he said, sighing. “That’s ridiculous and you know it. This is more than dating. Didn’t we establish that?”
“Yeah.” She just hadn’t thought much more than two steps ahead. “It was only a few days ago though. I’m still catching up.”
“Run faster,” he said, moving toward her, then leaned down to give her a kiss. “I’ll wait for you and we can walk home together. No arguments. I’ve got things to do right now. We’ll be parting ways toward the bridges anyway.”
“The way you are wrinkling your nose says that kills you to do that too.”
“Yes, it does, but I can be accommodating. I’d rather you came to my place and stayed the night.”
She hadn’t stayed the night once during the week. “Then we’d be arriving the same time.”
“We don’t have to if it’s going to bother you that much. I can run in like I planned. Or we can walk together and run after work.”
“So two nights together.”
“Go see if your father is here before this conversation takes a turn for the worse.”
He walked out after saying that. He didn’t sound mad. More like frustrated.
It was making her not want to talk to her father on top of it.
But she wouldn’t be that coward and got up to walk to the other end of the floor.
The noise level was down, not as many still here at close to six. Liz was gone too, but her father’s door was open and the light was on.
She popped her head in and he looked up.
“Nora, should you be down here? Everything okay?”
She moved into his office and shut the door. “Everything is fine. I just wanted to let you know that I’m tired of dodging questions about you and me.”
“People are asking you directly?”
“They are. I’m sure they won’t to you. I’ve avoided it for almost two months. We knew it’d come out at some point. I feel I’ve proven myself well in my job. I don’t like lying and it feels wrong.”
“You’re not lying, just avoiding. You just admitted that.”
She didn’t understand why this had to be so hard. “I’m done avoiding. I’m firm on this. Ethan and Mitchell are aware I’m letting you know so you’re not blindsided. Maybe now you can come down and say hi to me and not worry.”
Just tossing that out there to see his reaction.
He hesitated. “Do you want me to do that?”
“It’d be nice. I moved here to get closer, but it doesn’t feel as if you’re communicating much. I thought maybe some of it had to do with not wanting anyone to see us together.”
“So you’re doing this for me?” her father asked, the frown on his face not giving her much.
“I’m doing it for me and some for you. I understand people are going to talk, but they already are. If I keep trying to hide this, it could make it worse. The next time it’s brought up, I’ll just answer and move on. Nothing more. I believe people expect that of me. Could be I get it from you.”
Her little bone to see if he took a nibble.
“If that is what you want.”
“It is. I’ll let you know when it happens.” Her father nodded his head. He looked more tired to her. “Are you sleeping okay?”
“Yes, why?”
