She wags her finger at me. “See, now you’re talking. That will solve all your problems.”
A knock sounds at my door, and Anna turns to leave. Cheryl steps inside and nods at Anna as she passes by.
Walking over to my desk, she lowers into the seat and watches me for a moment.
“I’m better. Sorry about that. I was just having a moment.”
The smile she gives me is filled with sympathy. “You do know it’s okay to not be okay.”
I frown. “Of course I do.”
Leaning forward slightly, she asks, “And do you let yourself? Not be okay?”
I sink back in my seat with an exhale as I’m reminded of the breakdown I had with Chris. Then, the even more epic breakdown where I confessed my darkest secret. “On occasion, I am.”
Cheryl glances down at her hands, studying them,before leveling me with a hard stare. “I knew, Lily.” My stomach drops, my heart stuttering. “I know you thought you hid it well, and for the most part, you did, but my first husband was a lot like Blake.”
I wrap my lips over my teeth to keep my bottom lip from trembling.
“I never liked him, you know?”
I shake my head. She never gave any indication that was how she felt. For all I knew, Blake tricked her as he did me when I was younger, and anyone else he met.
“Any time you brought him to an event, it was just this vibe I got that he wasn’t someone I’d trust with my stuffed cat.”
I tilt my head to the side. “You couldn’t have told me that and saved me the trouble?”
Her smile is all too knowing. “You wouldn’t have listened. Just like I wouldn’t have with my ex. I was more worried about losing you as a friend. I knew you needed me to support you and be here when you finally came to your senses. I didn’t exactly expect things to end up like this.”
Biting my lip, I ask the question that’s been bothering me, no matter how scared I am of the answer. “Would you prefer it if I resigned?”
When she opens her mouth to respond, I hold up a hand to stop her and rush out, “There would be no hard feelings. The last thing I’d ever want to do is tarnish the name of this company you’ve worked tirelessly for years to build.”
“Were you not by my side helping to build this company for the last, what, twelve or so years?”
“Not like you. But regardless of whether I helped, I don’t want to ruin it now. For you, for the employees. For our clients.”
She considers my question, then sighs. “The only reason I’d ever want you to quit is if youwantedto. If I’m being completely honest, if you told me you killed him, I’d still support you. Because I know what’s in your heart. You are a wonderful and kind-hearted person. I know that if it ever got to the point that you felt that was your only option, you didn’t do it lightly.”
Tears prickle in my eyes at her unwavering support, even as my heart trips at her flippant comment that she has no idea how true it is. I hope I never have to find out if she really means that. It’s an incredible feeling to have the people who mean the most to me on my side at a time like this.
“Thank you, Cheryl.”
Cheryl stands and smiles down at me. “Don’t thank me. Just get this all figured out so I can retire for real.”
My smile is watery when I say, “Yeah, right. Like that will ever happen.”
She chuckles on her way to the door. “You’re probably right. I’ll die approving an ad layout for bitches like Tori Black.”
I laugh and shake my head as she leaves my office.
Two hours later, I’m standing on the sidewalk right outside the door to the building, waiting for Chris to pick me up. When his sleek black car rolls through the parking lot and stops in front of me, my heart feels lighter.
Until I see him frowning at me as I climb inside.
“What’s wrong?”
He waits until I get buckled in before he backs out of the parking spot. “Why the hell were you outside?” he snaps.
