“Do you think that will work?” he asks as I’m jotting down my plans.
“I’m not sure, I’ll have to make some calls. But I hope so.”
“Perfect. And we have another month before late enrollment!” He’s beaming at me with his good hearted, shiny smile. His teeth were practically glistening.
We.
The word stuns me, and he probably didn’t intend it the way I heard it. But my brain is triggered, in a good way, by that word.
“We?” I whisper in an attempt to hide the pleasure in my voice.
“We,” he says so confidently, then without hesitation or reserve he wraps his arm around my shoulders and hugs me gently. Leaning down, he presses his forehead against my temple and whispers, “You’re amazing.” His breath is warm and spicy, swirling around me and tingling the side of my face. The moment is quick before he sits up straight, remembering we are in public.
I gaze up at him in awe. He really was so good at this job—caring for these students. And he was makingmegood at it. But more than that, he was so good at making me feelseenandvalued. Without even trying, Benny was filling me with confidence in what I have to offer and what I am capable of when I have been feeling nothing but stuck and overwhelmed. He was filling in the gaps for me so effortlessly, and I knew I had a partner workingwithme. No competition or pissing contests, just putting the client first. The comparison to working with Benny and Liam hit me like a truck, it was night and day difference and I couldn’t imagine it getting any better than this.
The thrill of solving a problem, with Benny as my backup, was flooding my brain and distorting any idea I had had for my future. Moving back to New York, seeing my old clients, going back to my previous life—everything I thought I needed to set my focus on—was fading.
Being a guidance counselor hadn’t felt so exciting until this moment.
And something unexpected hit me . . . I wanted to keep doing it.
Chapter eighteen
Benny
“Areyoufreakingkiddingme right now?” Kate yells at me as we walk up to Frankie’s daycare.
“We just didn’t get to it.” I shrug, holding the door open for her as she storms in like a child.
“What is the matter with you two?” she yells.
Big Red hisses at her from his perch, his hair slowly standing up in the middle.
“She was focusing on the students. And I don’t want to force her into a conversation she may not be ready to have yet.” I was also terrified to admit that what was happening between Ellie and I might not be as serious for her as it was becoming for me.
“How hard is it to communicate your feelings? You see each other everyday!” she yells again. Big Red growls a hiss and stands on all fours.
“Please don’t piss him off,” Clark says behind the counter, without looking up from his cell phone.
“It’s complicated. I don’t know where she stands and for all we know, she’s still heading back north after the term ends.” I sign the checkout clipboard and head to the back room. “And what if I admit my feelings and she feels forced to acknowledge them because I’m her boss. Why make things awkward for her?”
Kate follows me into the playroom and sits on the couch next to Nana. “I’m sure she can handle a conversation about feelings. She’s a therapist for crying out loud.” A few of the cats stop playing and harassing each other to jump on the couch with her. Frankie stays perched on the cat tower, away from everyone. “And who knows, she might feel the same way you do.”
“You think so?” I ask too eagerly.
She smiles at me, a little menacingly. “You’re way too into this girl, aren’t you?”
“What are you talking about? It’s just a crush.” I turn away from her to hide the red heat splotching my cheeks.
“Don’t you lie to me!” The cats meow in an orchestra fashion as she snaps at me, patting their heads aggressively like they’re dogs and not felines.
I can’t lie to Kate, I’ve never been able to.
Letting out a deep sigh. “Fine, I like her.” I pause to pick Frankie up off the tower. “I like her so much, it scares me.”
Kate squeals and jumps up and down on the couch, completely disregarding the temperamental cat that was trying to nap on her lap. “I knew it! It’s been so freaking obvious! I was honestly getting worried you were just all kinds of dumb and hadn’t figured it out yet.” She starts rambling in her usual excited manner. “Like how could younotknow? The fiery tension could set a building on fire! And she for sure has a thing for you. Like major—”
“Let’s not speak for her, we don’t know what she’s thinking,” I mumble, more to myself than to Kate.
