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“Did you not hear the shouting match?”
“I heard Morgan bossing Miranda around. I don’t know where you stand on her.”
“Same place I’ve stood with her since the reunion. I’m leaving her. It’s over.”
“But she doesn’t want that?” Heidi guessed. She picked at her nails and tried not to look up at me.
I sighed heavily and walked around to where she was sitting. I reached out and took her hand in mine. I was surprised that she let me. “Hey, this still doesn’t change anything between us. That’s why I wanted to talk to you.”
“So, you’re not going to dinner with her then?” She watched me, as if nervous that I would lie.
“I don’t know. I wanted to talk to you about that.”
“What’s there to talk about?” She slid her hand out of mine. “You clearly want to go.”
“Hold up. I clearly do not want to go, but she said, if I went, she’d sign the divorce papers. That seems like a good thing for me and you.”
“Just dinner?” she asked suspiciously. “That’s what she said.”
“Yep.”
“And do you believe her?”
“I don’t know,” I told her honestly. “What do you think? Is it worth a shot?”
“Honestly, it sounds like a horrible idea,” Heidi said.
“Then, I won’t go. Easy enough.”
“But,” she said softly. She cringed, as if she hated even having this thought. “I do want it to be over, Landon. I hate hiding. I hate all of this.” She dramatically splayed her hands out. “It sucks.”
I reached for her and pulled her close to me. I hated seeing her hurt. I hated knowing that I didn’t know how to fix all of this.
“Me, too, Heidi. You know I hate this as well. I don’t even want to hide you.”
My lips softly brushed against hers. She dissolved into me for a heartbeat before breaking away.
“Landon,” she hissed. “We’re at work!”
“I know. I’m sorry. I can’t help it around you.”
“You are my boss. I am your employee. There is a line we’re not supposed to cross, and you keep hurdling it.”
“With pleasure.”
She shook her head. “I hate the idea of you spending any time with Miranda. She’s unpredictable, which makes her a liability. However, if you think you can make headway, then go.”
“Heidi—”
“I’ll be fine. I’ll just…go hang out with Em. She’ll understand.”
I winced. Yeah, I’d hurt Emery. I’d been a total dick. I regretted how I’d acted, and I still carried a great deal of guilt over how that had all gone down. But to have Heidi insinuate that Emery would understand because Heidi was feeling the same way Emery had all those years ago? That felt like a punch to the gut.
“I’m not going. Not if you’re hurting half as much as Emery was.”
Heidi sighed. “No, I didn’t mean that with you. I meant, Vanessa,” she said, mentioning Jensen’s ex-wife. “Em goes to see Colton every month and has to deal with her. She can commiserate. Seriously…just go, but don’t enjoy it.”
A small smile quirked on her lips, and all I wanted to do was take them for my own. To take her right here on this very desk.
