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"I'm sorry. I'm just trying to collect my thoughts," I tell her. She sighs and locks eyes with me.
"Jeffrey, if you've been avoiding me out of guilty towards Mildred, you should have had the decency to tell me,” she says firmly.
"Mildred? No, it's not about that." I respond.
She studies me intently, searching for something unsaid.
"Then, why?"
"I needed time to think. To process everything that's happened between us." I explain.
Phebe seems to consider my words, because she nods and says,
"I see."
"I don't regret what happened between us," I add, my gaze never leaving hers.
"But I need you to know that I'm not the same Jeffrey I was before. You left me years ago, and I can’t forget how unforgettable that time was for me. I am not sure how we ended up here, but we can't go back to what we were all those years ago."
Her response is a measured nod.
"Jeffrey, I understand. I didn't expect things to go back to the way we were before. We've both changed."
A faint smile appears at the corner of her lips, showing a hint of understanding.
"I agree. We can't change the past, but we can navigate the present."
The air between us grows heavy. I can't help but admire how beautiful she looks, even tonight. My desire threatens to come to the surface.
"Oh, so what happens now?" She asks.
"I don't know," I reply. She gives me a nod.
"Jeffrey, must I continue pretending to be your girlfriend around Mr. Lucas? Is it necessary to maintain this façade?”
I pause, momentarily forgetting about the arrangement. A reminder of the call I received from Lucas earlier this evening resurfaces in my mind.
"Yes, we have to. That is, if you still want to proceed with it."
"Sure, I don't have an issue with that."
Her answer brings me relief. Not because she agrees to continue the act, but because it means I’ll be closer to her.
"You should know that you don't have to keep up with this if it makes you uncomfortable."
Phebe's response surprises me.
"No, Jeffrey. I agreed to this and I'll see it through. Once my work here is done, I'll leave, and we won't have to deal with each other again."
Her words hit me hard, a realization of the finality that awaits us. She's planning to leave. Of course, we will have to end this once our work here is done. It's a reminder that I can't afford to let myself be vulnerable again like I did all those years ago. Yet, as I look at her, the notion of her walking away weight heavily on my heart. I can't quite explain it, but I desire for this to last as long as possible.
"Sure," I reply just seconds before Mrs. Brown and Matilda enter the room to serve our dinner.
After they leave, I interject midway through our meal, "Lucas wants to meet with you. Apparently, news of me having a fiancée has made him reconsider my proposition,"
"Oh, that sounds good. I guess our charade will be over faster than we think," she says, and I pause. Her eagerness to endeavor reveals all I need to know. Nothing has changed. Phebe remains the same, and it is in my best interest to protect my heart.
"Sure, it is. Dinner is tomorrow evening. Do you think that works for you?" I ask and she shrugs.
