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"It's not a co-worker rule, Eva. You don't date anyone, full stop," Grace points out, gathering her dark brown waves into a ponytail. "Not that I can talk. I was the same before I met Fletcher."
Her face softens, and her grey eyes sparkle as she talks about her man. Fletcher is ex-army and lost part of his leg in an IED in Afghanistan. Like Grace, he's a paramedic. They met at work and, after a bumpy start, fell in love.
"So, how did you not know he was your boss?" Maddie asks, her brow puckered in confusion.
I tell Maddie and Grace everything, from the embarrassing way I met Max to our kisses and his confession.
"Oof. That's a doozy of a situation," Grace says, opening one of the four boxes of chocolates they brought with them.
"Interesting, though. He didn't have to tell you who he was," Maddie observes. "He could've strung you along and carried on doing his undercover thing. The question is, whydidhe tell you?"
"He said he wanted to keep kissing me, but he couldn't without coming clean. I mean, he made no secret that he liked me before all this happened, and I was the one holding him at arm's length, but—"
"But he slid under every one of your defences," Grace finishes with a knowing smile, popping a chocolate into her mouth.
"I didn't even know he had until he dropped his bombshell. And that made me question everything." I sigh. "Every time he paid me a compliment. Every time he asked me a question about the store. Every time he looked at me like he wanted to eat me alive." I groan, burying my flushed face in my hands.
"She's got it bad," I hear Grace say to Maddie.
"About time," Maddie replies.
"This is serious, girls!" I say, grabbing an orange cream and shoving it in my mouth.
"Of course, it's serious," Maddie agrees. "But frankly, it's good to see you finally going ga-ga over a guy. You've been all work and no play for too long. When we met, you were working part-time and trying to take care of your mum. After she died, you threw yourself into your studies and your job. It's about time you had a little life in your love life."
I sigh. "I know he likes me, but I'm pretty sure it's not love on his part."
"I wouldn't be so sure," Grace chimes in. "If he didn't genuinely care for you, he wouldn't have said anything."
"And he risked his whole clandestine operation by telling you," Maddie says dramatically. "He couldn't be sure you wouldn't expose him."
Oh, I want to "expose" him, all right, but not in the way Maddie means.
I fall quiet as I absorb their words. They're right. Max could've carried on regardless, but he cared enough to tell me the truth. "He's still my boss and rich as sin," I remind them. "I don't want any special treatment."
"Do you honestly think he would give you special treatment? Outside of the bedroom, I mean." Grace waggles her eyebrows suggestively.
I chuckle and shake my head. "No. He's not like that. Max Sutherland doesn't strike me as a man who gives free rides."
"Unless your name's Eva Starling." Grace snickers.
I groan. "Your mind is in the gutter, woman!"
Grace grins. "Can't help it. I have an insatiable alpha male at home." Her grin drops, and she reaches for my hand. "Seriously, Eva, we just want you to be happy. If you think Max is the one who can do that, you should grab him with both hands. Literally."
Maddie nods in agreement. "You deserve it, Eva. You've been through so much already. Don't let fear hold you back from something that could be amazing."
I take a deep breath, feeling their support and love surrounding me. Can I take a chance on Max?
"What if it all goes wrong?" I whisper, the fear gripping me once again.
"Then we'll be here for you, no matter what happens," Maddie says softly. "That's a promise."
A sense of relief washes over me. They're right. I can't let fear hold me back from something that could be amazing. And something tells me being with Max would be more than amazing.
"I ... I think I'm going to take that chance," I say, a smile spreading across my lips.
Grace claps her hands. "That's what we like to hear! Now, let's open that second bottle of wine and celebrate the fact that Eva is finally going to get laid!"
