I was used to my dad’s projects, but being this close to one in the dark gave me the creeps. I had to hold him upright with one hand, pushing him all the way against the back wall. There still wasn’t enough room for us both to be comfortable, and his scales brushed against my leg. Ignoring them as much as I could,I pressed my ear against the door, and listened to make sure Graham had left the office. Just as I suspected, he was looking for me.
Graham: “Mabel, did you see Elinora leave?”
Holding my breath, I silently begged her to cover for me.
Mabel: “I-I did. She ran out that door.”
Graham: “I don’t understand how she got out of here so fast. I was right behind her.”
I pressed my ear closer to the door, as his voice was muffled. The door must not have been latched all the way. Before I could stop myself, I tumbled out, dragging the gator with me.
“Ah!” Mabel and the other female with Graham shrieked, while Graham jumped back a full foot.
“Elinora!” Mabel cried as she jumped on her chair. “You have a gator on you!”
“It’s dead!” I called out, before things got out of hand. “It’s stuffed, and I’m mostly okay.” Rubbing my arm where I’d landed, I sat up and slowly raised my eyes to Graham’s, ready to expose him for the cheater he was. My gaze slid to the female, who had high cheekbones and wide eyes thesame color as my mother’s ring…
“You’ve met Hadley before.” Graham nodded in her direction while he walked forward, extending a hand to help me up. “She's here visiting me.”
“Ah.” Heat rose to my cheeks. Of course I remembered Hadley, but I didn’t think for a moment she’d bethisgrown up. “Y-yeah, you are so much older,” I stuttered, making sure my jaw wasn’t flapping down. “H-how are you?”
“I’m good,” she quipped, drawing her attention to Graham. “How do I know her?”
“This is Elinora. You met her when you were little.”
Hadley raised her chin in a long, affirming nod. “The dandelion girl.”
My insides froze. I fought not to look at Graham, but my heart needed his expression, that magnetism that had always pulled us together, and I could see so clearly in his eyes the vulnerability he felt hearing Hadley say that. He didn’t deny it. “Yeah, that’s her.”
The heat on my cheeks flushed even warmer. “Anybody need a gator?” I diverted the attention away from me as I picked up the taxidermied creature and heaved him back into the closet. “It was a present for my office, before that got hijacked.”
“That’s not a bad idea.” Graham playfully glared at Hadley. “What do you think, Hads? If you keep dressing like this, I’m going to need one. Should we put it on our doorstep?”
“You’re so buggin’.” She spun on her heel and marched toward the door. “Are you coming, Dad?”
Graham’s gaze danced around my face. “I wasn’t sure if you were coming in today.”
“I wasn’t sure if I’d come in today.”
“Right.” He lowered his voice, but it was pointless because we both knew Mabel had ears like a hawk. “I need to take Hadley back home to change clothes. When I get back, can we talk about last night?”
I stared, blinking at him, wanting to deny we had anything to speak about. “Ah, sure.”
“Dad.” Hadley’s voice sliced through the tension still growing between Graham and me. “I’m going to miss English.”
He planted a hesitant foot. “Later, we’ll talk.” Then he hastened toward Hadley, calling back, “Don’t go anywhere until I get back.”
twenty-five
Graham
Were pink slips even a thing anymore? Those would be too easy. Nowadays, work separation involved more papers than an international peace treaty. I stared at the papers I’d had Human Resources get ready for Elinora.
I realized something after we kissed last night. I didn’t want her to be my employee. Desperate for her to hear me out, I had clung to the idea that I could force her to see how I had changed. I had been certain that since I found success, she’d forgive me. I was a fool. None of that mattered to her. It only made her hate me more. I needed to let it go. I wasn’t going to force myself on her. That was the wrong way to do this.
Once again, I had gone too far.
I’d been living in the past for too long. I was going to tell her all that. After I thought about it, I realized that even that seemed selfish. A part of me was holding on to her, needing to use any excuse to see her, which wasn’t healthy. She didn’t want to talkto me, or even see me. She’d made that clear. It was time I finally listened and gave her exactly what she wanted.
