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“Eh?”
“Just paperwork and bullshit.”
Whenever we saw each other on the clock, we just avoided each other. That seemed to be the most realistic reaction after she’d found out about my past. If she believed it, she would want nothing to do with me.
We sat there in silence, just looking at each other.
I debated whether I should say anything, if I wanted to risk losing what we had, but the longer I stayed in that tub with her, the more I was convinced that this was what I wanted. I could look at her all day, and I’d never felt that way about anyone else. “I’m going to be straight with you, baby.”
My words made her stiffen, like she knew I was about to say something important.
“I want to make this complicated.”
Her arms crossed over her chest under the water.
“I think you want to make this complicated too.”
She remained quiet, but her eyes confirmed my suspicions.
“I have an idea…if you want to hear it.”
“Okay,” she said quietly.
“You tell your father the truth. That we’re together and you believe me.”
She looked away.
“He can’t touch me because you’ll know he’s the one responsible if he does. The last thing he’ll do is risk losing you.”
She remained quiet.
“I can’t think of another way, baby.”
After a long pause, she spoke. “If I tell him, then I’ll risk everything I’ve worked for.”
“I know.”
“He might accept it…but he might dismiss me from my position.”
“I know.”
She gave a heavy sigh, her eyes on the wall next to the tub, her thoughts buried deep inside. “I would have to admit I lied to him. That I snuck around. He would probably question my character and my ability to judge the character of others…since he thinks you’re guilty and I disagree. One conversation could impact the rest of my life.”
She didn’t need to give her answer because it was already clear.
“I’ll think about it.”
The disappointment that clouded my chest was suddenly blown away in the breeze. My eyes narrowed on her face in disbelief. She’d pushed me away for so long, made it clear her career was the most important thing to her, but now she’d changed her tune…for me.
“Let’s see where it goes,” she said quietly. “And if we get to that level, I’ll talk to him.”
I stared at her in silence, still unable to believe the sacrifice she was willing to make.
After a moment, her eyes found mine again.
I stared at her hard, knowing she’d just shown me her hand. She hadn’t played games with me, but she’d never shown the depth of her feelings either. But now, she basically told me that this relationship meant as much to her as it did to me, that neither one of us wanted it to end, probably ever. “Baby, get over here.”
A smile complemented her slightly embarrassed look before she crossed the tub and came to my side.
