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He nods. “I was trying to show my appreciation for your good deeds with a romantic gesture. When I told a friend of mine what I had done, she said it was ‘creepy’ and that I should ‘man up’ and introduce myself. So, here I am, doing just that. But I don’t regret what I wrote on the note when I said, ‘My life belongs to you.’ You saved my life, and I owe you the same.”
My brother and Trey both step in front of me protectively, but it’s Sebastian who pipes up. “You know that a ‘life debt’ isn’t a real thing, right? No one expects you to follow Leanna around until an opportunity presents itself for you to save her. Trust me, her life isn’t some romantic suspense novel with danger and intrigue around every corner.”
Now thoroughly embarrassed by my brother’s words and behavior, I do a quick introduction before kicking them out of the room.
“Joe, this yahoo is my oldest brother, Sebastian. The man beside him is my partner and a family friend, Trey.” I begin herding the two of them toward the exit and try to salvage something of this conversation with Joe.
“There is no way we are going to leave you alone with a man you’ve never met before,” my brother says adamantly.
“Yes, you are. You can eavesdrop from the other side of the door, but at least give us the illusion of having a private conversation.”
“She’s got a point,” Trey says, pulling my brother out of the room. “The acoustics are pretty good out in the hallway.”
Turning back to Joe, I say, “I’m so sorry for all of that. Where were we?”
“I was declaring my undying love for you through inappropriate and anonymous gestures while dedicating my life to your happiness and safety,” he says with a wink.
It finally dawns on me who the man is, and a snort escapes me at the ridiculousness of the situation. “All Joe King aside, there’s no need for all that when breakfast will do. There’s a great little café just down the street, and I get off at eight in the morning.”
He chuckles at my play on his name. “I’ll be here with bells on.”
Chapter twelve
Carter
Onthedriveintothe city, I debate whether or not I should turn around and go to Leanna to explain everything. I want to erase the hurt look from her face after she learned that I had been holding back a significant part of my past. If only she knew that I keep my shame and failure hidden from everyone, not just her.
I can count on one hand the number of people who know that I had once been engaged. My boss, Ben, knows because he was my closest friend at the time of Melissa’s abrupt departure and the one person that I had to confide in. Although Ben never shared my story with his sister, Amelia, she is also well aware of what happened because she needed to know my background as a matchmaker. Although I only used her services once, she is forever bound to secrecy by “client-matchmaker” privileges. My other boss, Ethan, knows because he had uncovered it in a deep-dive background check before agreeing to hire me at Shining Knight. And lastly, there is my friend, Callum, who only knows that I loved and lost, but none of the details.
Ultimately, my sense of duty wins out, and I continue onward, arriving at the Shining Knight corporate offices with nearly 20 minutes to spare. I’m pouring myself a cup of coffee when Ben walks into the breakroom. With one glance, he knows without asking that something is bothering me.
“Do you want to talk about it?” he asks. Without waiting for an answer, he shuts the door and engages the lock to give us some privacy.
I arch an eyebrow in his direction, “Don’t we have a meeting in ten minutes?”
He waves his hand around. “Ethan and I were just going to tell you all that the remainder of the week will be dedicated to training on your own time. With the recent addition of a fifth team, we can start giving you more time off between jobs. You’ve all earned it. Unless a last-minute job comes across our desk, there isn’t anything on the books for your team for almost a week. The newer guys need a chance to work together and develop their team dynamics.
“The reason Ethan and I established this company was so that we can do what we love and still devote time to our families. We want you all to have the same opportunity.”
“That’s an admirable goal, but not all of us have families to go home to every night. You have Claire, and Ethan has Amelia, but no one on Team Alpha is married or in a relationship. We’re all single with nothing to tie us down.”
“And that won’t change if we fail to create an environment that fosters a work-life balance.” Ben walks over to the coffee pot and pours himself a mug. He leans against the counter and takes a sip before asking, “So, are you going to tell me what’s bothering you? And don’t you dare say everything is ‘fine.’ We’ve worked together every day for six years, and I know all of your ‘tells.’ Like now—when your earlobes turn pink—it means your mind is somewhere else, and your body is itching to follow.”
I sigh. “You’re right. It’s been an interesting morning.” I tell him everything that happened from when Melissa recognized me at the conference center and then cornered me in the parking lot to the moment he cornered me here in the break room.
“What do you plan to do about the ‘Melissa’ situation?” he asks, concerned about my well-being.
“Nothing. It took me a long time to get past what she did, but I eventually got over it. Melissa may want a second chance and even think she’s entitled to it, but that doesn’t mean she’ll get one. I’ve already been down that road with her once, and it was enough.”
“Good for you. And for what it’s worth, I agree with your decision. So then, what are you going to do about Leanna?”
“I don’t know. I should at least tell her about Melissa and who she was to me. You didn’t see Leanna’s face, Ben. She looked so hurt when she saw us together.”
“I’m sure you can understand why, Carter. You claim she’s your best friend and would do anything for her, yet you’ve hidden a very important part of yourself. She’s only gotten to knowhalfof you while you’ve gotten to knowallof her. It’s an uneven trade, and I’m sure she feels cheated. Wouldn’t you if the roles were reversed?”
“I see your point,” I tell him.
“Okay, then I’ll ask again. What are you going to do about Leanna? Will you trust her enough to remain your friend after telling her about your past? Or will you continue to assume that she has the same quality of character your mother and Melissa had? Because if that’s what you think, then why are you friends with someone like that?”
