One thing was for sure: I didn’t owe my mother any explanations. “I have to go. Bye.” After hanging up, I silenced my phone. If they wanted to call again, they could leave a hundred messages—I wasn’t going to speak to them again until this was fixed.
I swallowed the nausea sliding up my throat. “How bad is it?” I asked. What if he asked about Mark? If I told the whole truth, he’d know I lied about my previous employment, and that wasn’t good. We both had trust issues, and that might be enough for him to wash his hands of me. And could I blame him?
He typed on his keyboard, then said, “Come and see for yourself.” There was no anger in his voice. It was carefully measured, as if he hadn’t decided how to react.
There, filling the screen, was a picture of both of us leaving his building yesterday morning, which wasn’t evidence of anything inand of itself because we weren’t holding hands or anything. He scrolled across. The next picture was worse, though. Wewereholding hands and smiling as we walked in Central Park. He scrolled to the last picture. My stomach dropped. At the time, I knew it was a bad idea—and I would venture that Curtis did, too—but neither of us could help ourselves. He was so addictive. When he gazed at me with that dreamy look on his stunning face, how could I not kiss him? It was like letting a squirrel loose in a nut farm and expecting it to abstain. Not. Possible.
The text to go along with the incriminating evidence read, “Has New York’s most eligible CEO dipped his pen into the company ink yet again? We understand Faith Emery has moved in with Curtis Knight but is no longer employed at Knight Advertising. According to our source, they’ve been dating for a few weeks, against company policy. What will the fallout be this time? Has Curtis Knight sacrificed all for love? Click for yes and for no.”
In my discombobulated state, I did what I did best—made an inappropriate joke. “Well, at least the yeses are winning.” There were way more hearts than thumbs-up. The general population had more respect for me than my own mother. I should find that comforting. Strangely, I did not. And neither did Curtis by his lack of acknowledgment. I yearned to touch him, comfort him, say something meaningful, but without knowing what he was thinking, I was too scared. Would he blame me? Mark always did, and even though I believed Curtis was different, we’d never been tested.
Stomach muscles tensed, fingertips pressing into my palms, I breathed as quietly as I could and waited.
He finally put me out of my misery. “Fuck.” Anger radiated from his fisted, white-knuckled hand. “Fucking Victoria.”
My breath of relief hissed out of me like the air out of a leaking tire. He wasn’t angry at me. I just had to hope he didn’t ask meanything about Mark. “What has she got to do with this?” I would love to blame her for all the bad things in my life, but she couldn’t take all the credit, even if she probably would want to.
“She came here on Friday morning, just after you left. I thought she seemed a bit… weird. She must’ve seen you leave, then sicced the media on us. Conniving bitch.” The anger in his eyes dimmed as his gaze focused on me. “I’m sorry. I should’ve been more careful.”
I tamped down the murderous urge burning through my veins. Victoria had out-bitched herself. That this sweet man was blaming himself on top of all the other shit he was dealing with. It wasn’t on. “It’s not your fault. I knew we shouldn’t have gone out together for that walk, but I was selfish and wanted to spend time with you not working. And why are you apologizing? This hurts you more than it hurts me. I don’t have an important job to lose.” That was an understatement. It wasn’t just a job to Curtis. It was something he’d worked his whole adult life to attain, and it was tangled up with pride, family, and the need for respect and acknowledgment from his father.
He shook his head and buried it in his hands. I helplessly rubbed his back, my heart burning with the knowledge that he was being vulnerable in front of me—I doubted he bowed his head in front of many people. It was a privilege, albeit one I wish wasn’t happening.
All I’d wanted to do was help him, but now he was in even more shit than before.
Curtis’s phone rang, jolting my heart into a gallop. His head shot up, and he grabbed the cell from the table. His momentary wince was quickly replaced by sternness—he was fortifying himself. He put the phone to his ear. “Yes.” His tone gave no indication as to how he was feeling. His CEO mask was firmly in place. He listened for a bit. “I’ll come. There’s no need to involve her.”Her? Did he mean me or Victoria? I had to assume his fatheror aunt were on the phone, and they’d seen thenews. Fissures appeared on Curtis’s forehead, cracking his mask of control. “You can’t do that!” After a bit, he practically growled, “We’ll be there soon,” then hung up.
Curtis’s free hand curled into a fist, then uncurled. His stormy eyes met mine, waves of rage crashing on the surface. He held out his arms and pulled me into his chest. His nose buried in my hair. “I’m so sorry, Faith. My father demanded to see both of us. I couldn’t say no.”
I wasn’t going to add to his grief and ask why not. I imagined his father had threatened him with something. My arms slid protectively around him. “It’s okay. I’m not scared of him.” I leaned back and looked up into his eyes. “I’m here for you.”
His small smile nudged his anger to the side. “I know, and I’m grateful. Thank you. I’d forgotten what it was like, having someone at my back.” His admission broke my heart. This big-hearted man deserved to have everyone behind him, supporting him, appreciating him. I’d just have to do a good enough job that he wouldn’t need anyone else.
He placed a soft kiss on my lips, which felt like an apology. But he had nothing to be sorry for. We were both in this, freely. We both knew the potential consequences, and I’d already paid the price. Yes, Curtis said I could have my job back if he kept his, but that was probably about to go down the toilet. But I’d expected the worst when I quit, so I was mentally prepared, at least. Maybe this would make us stronger, sticking together against his father? It might be a positive turning point in our relationship. I had to look on the bright side, even if it was dimly lit. And if I couldn’t get another job with Knight Advertising, maybe I’d put my pride aside and ask Curtis if he could recommend another firm. He must have friends in relevant places, and if he wanted us to keep seeing each other, that was incentive. It was worth a try.
For the first time in a long time, I felt like I had a way forward.Maybe Curtis wasn’t the only one fighting for their pride. The last thing I wanted was to call on any favors from “I told you so” Momster.
Through the intense heat of battle, we could forge strength—for ourselves and for each other.
It was time to walk through the fire with the man who could very well be much more to me than I dared imagine.
CHAPTER 32
CURTIS
As Eric drove us to Knight Advertising, Faith held my hand. The traffic was abominable, which gave me plenty of time to replay the conversation with my father over and over. Which wasn’t great for my temper.
How dare he accuse me of further ruining the company’s reputation and demand I see him ASAP as if I were a child about to get a hiding from his father. He treated me as if I were ten, not thirty-three.
And I wasn’t going to forget Victoria’s role in all this.
I squeezed Faith’s hand. She was the only thing keeping me grounded right now. If only I could run away with her to Europe, take her to the places she’d only dreamed about from her favorite movie,Under the Tuscan Sun, and leave this all behind, all the drama, expectations, sabotage. Why did I put up with it all? What was I really fighting for?
I turned my head and gazed at her. She smiled, confidence inher eyes. “You’ve got this, Curtis. Don’t let them make you think you took advantage of me. This last week has been one of my happiest ever. And remember, someone has been working against you. None of the downturn at that company is your fault.”
I leaned down and placed my forehead against hers, hating that I’d put off searching Victoria’s computers. If I’d ordered it, I’d have definitive answers, and I could turn the tables. But I hadn’t. Why?
Because I was weak. I didn’t want to know for sure that someone I’d called a friend for so many years had betrayed me. I was a fool. Maybe my father was right, and I wasn’t cold-hearted and ruthless enough to run a company of this caliber. I leaned back and massaged my temples.
