“Showing you how I feel.”
“Well, stop. It’s highly inappropriate. I work for you, which makes you my boss. You shouldn’t be saying or doing things like this.”What the fuck?
“Don’t do that, Em. Don’t act like what we have means nothing and you can just forget about it with the snap of your fingers.” I feel the irritation rising, but I take a deep breath to keep my cool.
Her head finally lifts to look at me, and no matter how hard she tries to keep a blank expression, pain swims behind her eyes. “Had. You mean what wehad.”
Now my anger bubbles below the surface. I feel my nostrils flare as I work my jaw. I don’t want to yell at her, and I certainly don’t want to start another fight, but she’s pushing my buttons right now.
“No, Emma.Have. We had one fight where we said some shitty things we didn’t mean. But that doesn’t mean it’s over, and that sure as fuck doesn’t erase everything else between us,” I say through clenched teeth.
“Watch your mouth!” she hisses, then lifts her finger and points at me with an angry scowl. “And I didn’t say anything, you did! You’re the one who messed up, not me!”
“You’re right, I did. But I’m fixing it.”
She glares for a moment, then refocuses on her food. “Whatever.”
I sigh at her clear indication that she’s done with this conversation. She finishes her breakfast in silence, not once looking at me while I can’t take my eyes off her. Her phone vibrates from behind me with a message from Cecilia.
I pick it up and pass it to her. “Here, you have a text from Cecilia. And if you have one from Gabe, don’t open it.”
“Why?” she asks with furrowed brows as she takes the device from my hand.
“It’s a long story, but you should probably put a lock on your phone. Apparently, he thinks it’s appropriate to go through it when you’re not looking.”
“He what?!” Wide eyes stare back at me.
“Don’t worry, I’ll deal with it.”
Those wide eyes turn to a glare once more. “I don’t need you to fight my battles.”
“Well, too bad, Bunny. You’re stuck with me, which means I’ll fight them for you.” I fold my arms over my chest, showing her that I won’t back down from this.
Her jaw locks as she watches me. Finally, she stands, carrying her plate to the sink, but I grab it from her hands. “I’ll take care of it.”
She nods. “I’m going to take a shower,” she says before turning and heading for the stairs.
“Okay. Oh, and Emma?”
She looks back over her shoulder.
“I love you.”
She swallows, and her eyes gloss over, then she quickly looks away and runs up the stairs. I know getting Emma’s forgiveness won’t be an easy task, but I’m not a quitter. If I have to tell her I love her every chance I get, I will.
I never should have waited so long to say it.
Chapter thirty-seven
Emma
143 Post-its.
~ Four Days Later ~
“How are things with Greyson?” Cecilia asks with wariness and a compassionate smile.
I look down at my wine in hand with a sigh, then at the little girl who makes me tear up every time I watch her for too long. I don’t know how I’ll ever say goodbye to her. It’s like my heart is being ripped out of my chest every time I think about not having her around all the time.
