“By thirty minutes,” I feel compelled to specify.
“Still counts.”
“Did it happen in Seoul?” Stephen wonders.
I’m about to answer when Mason says, “Nah, it’s been going on for way longer than that.”
Because I’m okay with not answering their questions and letting Mace do it despite how little he knows, I return to my computer, ready to dive back into work for half an hour. And then, lunch with the boss while everyone knows I’m screwing said boss. Ugh, it’ll be a miracle if I have any appetite.
Mace is still entertaining them, leaning against Brian’s desk, when Oli comes to sit in his chair near me. “So, it’s finally official,” he says with a small smile.
“Yeah… Mace and Brian kinda figured it out, which pushed us to come clean to HR,” I explain with a wince.
“How does the hierarchy work? Does dating the boss put you above us?” he asks with unmasked amusement.
“Oli!” I scold him. “Don’t say things like that; I already feel awful about the whole thing.”
He laughs and shakes his head indulgently. Some kind of tense silence falls between us, and I know we’re both thinking about what happened back then.
“I… I’ve been meaning to apologize,” I start, sheepish.
“For what?”
“For what happened that day in Lex’s office.”
“You have nothing to apologize for, Andy. I’m the one who needs to ask for forgiveness.”
I look away from my screen and at him, surprised.
Oli nervously scratches the back of his head, avoiding my gaze as he thinks of what to say next. “I’ve been meaning to talk to you and apologize for weeks, but I didn’t have the courage to do it. Plus, it was pretty clear you and Lex had ended things, and I didn’t want to twist the knife in the wound. Also, I worried you’d think I was making another move.”
“I’ve wanted to come talk to you so many times, too,” I confess. “You were an amazing friend, and I hated lying to you about what was going on with Lex.”
“You didn’t lie, though. You told me you were seeing someone, that it was getting serious, and that you’d never like me that way. And I was an absolute asshole because I was convinced I could make you happier than anyone else. But I should have listened to you when you repeatedly said no. I’m so sorry I didn’t, Andy.”
Hearing all this heals a small crack in my heart that I’ve gotten used to. I still believe I could have handled things better, but hearing Oli take some accountability for all that mess is cathartic.
“I should have apologized after Lex came to talk to me, but—”
“Wait, Lex did what?”
“He came to apologize for what happened that day. Didn’t he tell you?” I shake my head, stunned. “It was maybe two weeks later. He asked me to come up to his office and told me you valued me immensely as a friend and that he didn’t want his actions to end it. He insisted none of it was your fault, and that you never meant to hurt me.”
I don’t know how to process any of that. Lex was alarmingly jealous of Oliver, but in the midst of our painful breakup, he looked out for my relationship with him. Maybe he knew I needed all the support I could get, no matter how much it would hurt him.
“I’m sorry I didn’t talk to you sooner,” Oli insists. “You deserved better from me, especially since you did nothing wrong. I guess it all came crashing down when I saw you with him. The man you were seeing wasLex, whom I idolize and aspire to become. My stupid ego was crushed because it suddenly made sense why you’d pick him over me.”
“I’m sorry, Oli. You’re an amazing guy, and any woman would be lucky to have you. And I wanted to be that woman—God knows I tried. But life had other plans, and I fell in love with the last man I wanted it to happen with.”
He smiles indulgently. “I didn’t get why at first, but the more I thought about it, the more it made sense. You guys are a good match, and I’m happy to see you two are back together.”
My heart warms up at his approval. “You’ll find your match, too. I’m sure of it.”
“I actually met someone,” he says with a mischievous smirk, leaning closer.
“You did?!”
“Well, I guess Istarted seeingsomeone is more accurate—since I already knew her.”
