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His voice softened slightly. “As I’m quite aware.”
I couldn’t help but smile a little at that. “You ran out of the restaurant so fast. I wanted to explain—”
“There is no need to explain anything. I saw how Grant looked at you. How he kissed you. I didn’t accomplish everything I have because I’m an idiot. I understand the situation fully.”
“No, Jonathan. I don’t think you do.”
“Don’t worry. It’s okay. You don’t have to continue wasting time out of your weekends to meet up with me.”
My eyes bulged. “Wasting my time?”
“You don’t have to continue this”—he gestured wildly around the office—“charade of ours. You have nothing to worry about. Nothing will change here. You’ve already proven your capabilities. I—we—the entire management team are well aware of your talents and contributions. You have a bright future at Capital Brands by your own merits, if you wish.”
I cringed. This is what he thought? “Good, because I want to work here. But you have everything all wrong.”
He snorted. “Do I? Really? Level with me, then. Are you seeing that guy or not?”
I bit my lip. Counting the birthday dinner? “I went out with him twice.”
“Oh, so it’s a new relationship. Awesome.”
“Again, it’s not a relationship.”
“Please. I saw how he looked at you and how he kissed you. You can label it however you like. It doesn’t matter.”
“Trust me. You’re not as observant as you think, Jonathan.”
“This conversation is pointless. What you do on your own time is your own business. And now, if you will excuse me, I have a meeting with Dick Angellini in a few minutes. You know how important his business is to us.”
“So, you’re just dismissing me? As if nothing happened between us?”
He held up a hand. “Nothing happened between us.”
“Except for spending hours and hours together talking. We shared histories and confidences, hopes, our biggest fears. I’ve told you things I haven’t told another living soul. I felt something growing between us. And you can deny it all you want, but I know you felt the same.”
He stood still like a statue, but the twitch in his clenched jaw made me think I’d hit a nerve.
“I don’t know what’s wrong with me. I should have known better, but I kept thinking…hoping….” My eyes filled with tears, and I reached for the door handle. My voice cracked. “I’m sorry. Never mind. I need to go. You have a meeting.”
He placed his arm next to me to hold the door shut. “Wait. I need you to finish your sentence.”
“But your meeting?”
“It doesn’t matter. I want to hear what you have to say.”
I shrugged.
“Kara.”
“It doesn’t matter.” I repeated his words back to him. A tear rolled down my cheek, and he brushed it away with his thumb.
His voice warm and gentle, he said, “I the fact you’re crying does.”
I didn’t know what to say. I couldn’t allow myself to be more vulnerable.
He moved closer to me, his face now inches away from mine. He glanced at my lips and then gazed into my wet eyes. “I can’t do this anymore. I don’t care if you sue me for sexual harassment, and I lose this entire company.”
“What?”
