“Nor would I tell you. Like any other relationship, you two have to navigate it. I trust that whatever it is or happens, it stays out of this office. It wouldn’t be good for anyone if there were drama here of that nature.”
She was shaking her head. It was a subtle warning that she didn’t need to have voiced. “Trust me, I know. That’s one thingI don’t want to happen. As I told Ethan, he’s the boss. No one would say anything to him about it... other than you.”
Mitchell smirked. “Don’t be so sure, but he doesn’t let it get to him. My biggest concern is that if it bothers you, he’s going to speak up.”
It was a strange comfort, knowing someone was willing to stand up for her, even when she didn’t ask for it.Especiallywhen she didn’t ask for it.
For so long, she’d been the one to smooth things over, to keep the peace, to swallow her pride in the name of avoiding another confrontation.
Ethan didn’t play by those rules.
He’d step in. He’d take the hit if it meant shielding her from one.
That scared her almost as much as it made her heart twist.
Because she wasn’t used to being defended.
She wasn’t used tomatteringthat much.
And that might be the most concerning thing of all.
25
STILL QUESTION THIS
“It’s not a big deal,” Ethan said as they waited at the docks. He could see that Nora was nervous, but he wasn’t sure the cause.
The helicopter ride that she’d never taken before. Or meeting his mother and siblings.
“Not for you,” she said.
He pulled her close and tucked her under his arm. Her head swiveled around quickly to see if anyone was looking while he hid his sigh.
The only person in the office was Egan’s staff at the desk. He didn’t give a fuck if they knew he had a girlfriend. It’s not like anyone here would know Nora was his assistant and they were bound by confidentiality over who was on the flights anyway.
“Is it the flight? It’s not even twenty minutes long. Maybe fifteen. I don’t know that I’ve clocked it that often.”
“That’s a little scary. I’ve only flown once in my life and it wasn’t fun.”
“What about it wasn’t fun?”
He hadn’t known that. She said she didn’t have a problem traveling for work. It’d been asked during the interview.
“It was windy and the plane moved around more than I thought. People were gasping and others were crying.”
“Sounds like you had a bad one,” he said.
“There was talk that it was the worst flight many had been on, so yeah, not the best experience to have.”
He licked his finger and held it up. “Well, you’re in luck, no wind.”
“Very cute. We’re inside.”
“But it made you laugh. And I’d do the same if we were outside. Lincoln is great. He’s funny. He’ll take your mind off of it.”
“Lincoln is Egan’s best friend? Is he like the fifth Bond son since you said Griffin is the fourth?”
He rubbed his hand on her arm. “Yes, but not the same as Griffin. Griffin has no family. Or hadn’t for years, but his sister lives on the island now. Lincoln is close to his parents and sees them as much as he can, taking a helicopter at off times to make it quicker. They live in Pennsylvania. But he’s a great guy and was welcomed in the Bond house.”
