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“Can I trust you, Ms. Hall?”
“I suppose you'll have to make that decision for yourself.”
He looks at me, obviously contemplating something for a long moment. Finally, he leans back in his seat again and speaks.
“I'm going to go out on a limb here and trust you with something,” he explains. “But I need your word that this will stay between us. This is completely off the record. I'm only telling you to help you make good decisions that will keep us all out of trouble.”
“Okay,” I intone slowly, suddenly getting a very foreboding feeling in the pit of my stomach.
He clears his throat and holds my gaze. “I've known Aaron a while now. Believe me when I tell you that although he postures well, he still hasn't gotten over you entirely, Ms. Hall.”
I shake my head, a profound wave of disbelief washing over me. “I'm sure that's not the case.”
Redwood nods. “Believe me. He and I have been good friends for years, and I've heard your name come up in more than a few conversations.”
“You're kidding me.”
He shakes his head. “I'm not. You had a very profound impact on him. I can tell you the way your relationship ended has been like a splinter just beneath his skin this whole time.”
My mind is spinning. I don't really know what to feel, let alone think. I mean, I’d thought that was all ancient history. I’d buried my feelings for Aaron down deep inside me along with my dreams of being a lawyer years ago. I have no idea how to process what Redwood is saying. That Aaron has carried his feelings for me all these years – it's inconceivable to me.
“He may not show it – in fact, I know he doesn't – but he cared about you a lot back then, Ms. Hall. And that hasn't changed. He's a man who operates less on emotion and more on logic, but when it comes to you, he's anything but rational,” Redwood goes on.
“Why are you telling me this?”
“Because I want you to be aware. I don't know how you feel about him, but I would really advise doing everything you can to keep things – professional,” he says. “I would avoid any personal entanglements with Aaron. I really don't see anything good coming of it. If he'd asked me, I would have told him not to hire you for this exact reason.”
I don't know why, but I feel a sudden and intense flash of anger. I feel defensive and upset. This man doesn't know a thing about me but is obviously already passing judgment upon me.
“And why are you coming to me with this, Mr. Redwood?” I snap. “Why aren't you sharing your concerns with him? Why is it my fault if –”
Redwood holds up his hand, a gentle smile on his face. “I'm not looking to cast blame or aspersions upon your character, and I apologize if I came off that way. Believe me. I'm only talking to you about this is because between the two of you, you seem to be the only one thinking rationally,” he explains. “Aaron still cares about you, Ms. Hall. He's not in the most logical or rational of places. Simply put, I need somebody to be a grown-up in this situation and I can't trust Aaron to do it.”
I sit back in my seat, feeling stunned by the revelation and Redwood's brutal honesty. I honestly didn't know that Aaron's feelings for me run as deep as they do. Not back then, and certainly not now. I open my mouth to say something but find I don't have a response. My thoughts are a jumbled mess. I can't seem to make heads or tails of any of them.
“Ms. Hall, my job is to protect this company. And that means I sometimes have to protect Aaron from himself. We all have our blind spots and weaknesses – unfortunately, you are one of Aaron's,” he continues. “That's through no fault of your own, please don't take what I'm saying to mean that.”
“Then what are you saying?”
“I'm just asking that if he crosses a line or a situation develops that is inappropriate, I want you to come to me first,” he replies. “I would like the chance to resolve any problems before they get out of hand.”
“Meaning, you want to be able to fire me before I file a lawsuit for sexual harassment.”
“That's not what I'm saying. That's not what I'm saying at all,” his voice grows colder as he speaks. “But I will tell you that as the head of the legal department, I am the only person in this company with the authority to discipline Aaron for anything. I’d prefer things not to come to that, but please know that you can trust me. Aaron has put everything of himself into this company. He’s worked hard, and my job is to protect that. I think if you and I – and Aaron – keep that in mind, we shouldn’t have any issues.”
“Look, Mr. Redwood, I can appreciate the position you're in. Had I been in your place, knowing what you know, I probably would have counseled him to not hire me either, given the potential issues that could arise,” I reply. “But believe me when I tell you that I'm only here to do a job. My goal is to work hard, to get myself back into law school, and work toward goals I've had my entire life. Getting romantically involved with Aaron Steel is not even on my radar.”
“I appreciate that, Ms. Hall. Like I told you, though, when it comes to you, Aaron isn't exactly thinking clearly –”
“Are you asking me to quit?”
“Not at all. Please don't misunderstand me. I'm merely requesting that you come talk to me first if anything happens that you're not okay with,” Redwood explains. “That's all I want – the chance to put Aaron in his place and get his head on straight.”
I lower my gaze and chuckle to myself. When I raise my eyes again, Redwood is looking at me curiously.
“And you say you're not his fixer,” I quip.
He gives me a wry grin. “I suppose I am.”
