Page 27 of Happily Ever Maybe

She stopped, and I realized I might’ve actuallysaid the right thing this time. “I want you, Jen. I’ve wanted you for ahell of a long time. It took me way too fucking longto realize that, to get the words out. But I do. I want you. And the onlyreason I stayed back, the only reason I wouldn’t let myself say how I felt foras long as I did was because I respected you. I respected who we were at work.We thought it was too complicated for us to be together while working. But theproblem is, I don’t want to wait anymore. I want you, Jennifer. I want tofigure this out. Ford and Noah can figure it out, why can’t we?”

“Ford and Noah are the bosses. They make the rules.”

“And both of them told me flat-out that we could betogether.”

She whirled on me before standing and beginning to pace.

“You talked to them about this?”

“I didn’t tell them anything, not that we’ve been together,and especially not about the baby. But I assume Daisy knows.”

“I made the same hand movement that I did to you. She puttwo and two together. I don’t know if the guys know, but they will as soon as Ihave that meeting. But first I need to figure out what the hell I’m doing.”

“Okay, then let’s figure out what the hell we’redoing.”

“We?”

“Of course, we. I want you, Jennifer. We could make sure wedon’t work side by side if it’s a problem. Then I wouldn’t have to choosebetween you and the client because I wouldn’t be beside you. Though it willkill me not to be able to protect you.”

“Again, I only need you as my partner when we’re on a job. Idon’t need you to protect me.”

“But I want to. Just like I want you to protect me. That’swhat partners do.”

“But it gets complicated when you add feelings into it.”

“We’re not automatons. Of course, there’s going to befeelings.”

“Then we need to make decisions past that. Figure out whatthose feelings mean.”

“I’m sitting here. Looking at you. No—wanting you.”

“And this baby? It changes everything.”

“You’re right, it does.” I stood up and faced her. When Ipushed her hair back from her face, she sucked in a breath.

“Gus, I’m worried.”

“About what?”

“This is already going to change everything. I don’t want tolose you as my friend.”

“We’re having a baby, Jennifer. I think everything’s goingto change no matter what. But I want you. I want to be with you. Letme be with you. Let me show you that, yes, the complications are hard, but wecan make it work.”

“Okay.”

I stood there, blinking as I tried to absorb exactly whatshe’d said.

“Did you just say okay?”

She burst out laughing and took a step back. I slid my handdown her shoulder, taking her fingers and squeezing.

“Yes. Okay. Do you realize how hard it’s been this past yearwanting you and not being able to do anything about it? I thought we were justfriends.”

“We are friends. And maybe that’s the problem.”

“True. We have this chemistry and connection, and I want tosee what happens. But I don’t want to screw everything up at work. And the factthat—oh, my God, we’re going to be parents. This doesn’t even seem real.”

“It doesn’t feel real.” I paused. “Did you make anappointment with your doctor?”