Page 120 of Last First Date

“Yes, he is. I think he’s going to be back on his feet in no time.”

“This was a wakeup call,” she replied. “I always knew he was pushing himself too hard. I should have been paying closer attention.”

“You got him help when he needed it,” I told her. “He didn’t know he was going to have a stroke. You couldn’t have possibly known.”

“When he gets home, he’s going on a strict diet,” she said firmly.

“Oh no,” I groaned playfully. “I better hurry and find a house if I want to be able to drink coffee and finish my day with a drink.”

She waggled her finger at me. “You should see this as a lesson for you. You need to take care of yourself.”

I patted my flat stomach. “Trust me, I do,” I said with a wink.

They both laughed. I was glad I could bring a little levity to the situation.

51

WAVERLY

The office buzzed with the usual activity as I walked in, my steps determined but my heart heavy. I was so worried about Richard. I hated to think he had waited too long to retire. It wasn’t fair. He worked so hard all of his life. He deserved to enjoy his golden years. I was pissed at fate for stopping his vacation in its tracks. He had been looking forward to that trip and it was jerked away.

I wasn’t sure if Knox was going to be coming in today or not. If he did, I decided to confront him about Benjamin’s words. I couldn’t keep avoiding it. I hated the black cloud hanging over my head. I needed to clear the air. He didn’t get to treat me like shit or make bets or whatever. If he actually bet Benjamin he could get me into bed first, he was going to know exactly how I felt about that. Not that it would change anything, but he needed to know it was fucked up. It was wrong. A decent person didn’t do that to anyone, let alone someone that had treated him with nothing but kindness and respect.

When I moved to my desk, his office door was slightly open and the light was on. I could smell the strong coffee he was never without for long.

I casually walked by and saw him immersed in some paperwork. I took a deep breath, steadying myself for the conversation that needed to happen.

I couldn’t back out. It was now or never. This thing between us was like a festering wound. I had to handle it now before it got worse and it required major surgery to handle. In this situation, surgery meant amputation, which translated to me walking away from the company.

I knocked on the door and stepped inside. “Knox?”

He looked up, appearing startled to see me. “Waverly. I didn’t know you were working in the office.”

“I have been,” I replied coolly.

“Of course. I’ve been away dealing with a situation.”

“I know Richard is in the hospital,” I said gently.

“Oh, yeah, sorry. Of course. I saw the arrangement the office sent. Can you write a card or put a memo out thanking everyone from the family?”

“Yes,” I said, nodding.

I had come in cold and confrontational, but when I looked at him, something in me hesitated. His usual confident demeanor was replaced by a look of sadness and vulnerability. It struck me that he was affected by Richard’s condition. We both loved him, after all, and the worry for him had cast a shadow over the office.

The words I had rehearsed faded away.

“Waverly.”

I had a feeling I knew what was coming. I didn’t want to have the conversation. It was too messy, and with the situation as it was, my hurt feelings would have to wait. “Is there anything I can get you? Coffee, maybe?”

His eyes met mine, and for a moment, I saw a flicker of surprise. It was as if my offer to get him coffee had caught him off guard. I brought him coffee all the time. It was my job.

“You’ve done enough, Waverly,” he replied, a hint of gratitude in his eyes. “You deserve to take some time off. Richard would want you to take care of yourself.”

His words surprised me. Knox suggesting that I take time off? It was a rare moment of vulnerability from him. Maybe it was the shared concern for Richard that softened the edges between us, or maybe he didn’t want me in the office. Maybe the choice to quit wasn’t mine. He might decide to can me.

Regardless, I didn’t want to look a gift horse in the mouth. Time off would be nice.