Summer told her the whole story, from things escalating with Knox, to him sleeping over for the last week, to the picnic and Jewel and Crushed Beer Can Guy.And Knox’s kiss.
“And you’re totally okay?”
Summer nodded.
“Then that kiss is so romantic,” Lee said with a swoony roll of her eyes.
“Romantic?”
“Of course.He was concerned about you.Then he got carried away and kissed you.How is that not romantic?”
Okay, her daughters had made her see that itwasromantic, but she didn’t want Lee to agree.“But he did it in front of all the other VPs.It could get me fired.And the last time we talked about Knox, you said he was dangerous and that it wasn’t a good power dynamic.”
Lee leaned forward, chin propped on her hand.“That was before I heard you talk about him staying over and saw the way your eyes went all gooey when you said he’d rushed to your rescue.”
“My eyes didn’t go all gooey.”But maybe they had.
Giving her a smug look, Lee merely shrugged.Then she said seriously, “Do you think you’ll get fired?Tell me honestly.Not what you’re terrified is going to happen, but what you really feel deep in your belly.”
Summer sipped her chai, and it went down hard, making her cough.When she recovered, she had to face Lee’s question.“I don’t really know.If I’m honest, it doesn’t look like anyone really cares about dating someone from work.They all do it.And no one said anything afterward at the picnic.My boss seemed more concerned that I was okay.”
“Then maybe you shouldn’t catastrophize the whole thing.”
She tipped her head and gazed at her friend.“Are you saying that because what’s done is done, Knox kissed me and they all know, and whatever will happen will happen?”
Covering Summer’s hand, Lee dropped her voice to a soft note.“I’m saying that what you’ve got going isn’t just phone sex or friends with benefits or plain old hot sex.It’s a relationship.”She let that sink in.“And not only that, you care about him.Maybe you’re even in love with him?”She posed it as a question, but Summer heard it as a statement.
“I don’t want to be in love with him,” she whispered.
“Why?”Lee asked just as softly.
“Because I’m afraid he’ll take over my life like Everett did.”
Lee sat back, looked at her a long moment, then she said, “I know.”She laid her hand over Summer’s once more.“But did you ever think that now you’re strong enough not to let someone do that to you again?”
But what if she wasn’t?
“And you also have to decide if he’s the kind of man that will try to take over.Because if he is, then maybe you’re right and he’s not the man for you.But if he’s not…” She raised her hands in a voilà gesture.“Then maybe you should go for it.”
Everything Lee said stayed with Summer long after they parted.
WouldKnox take over her life like Everett had?Or was she strong enough not to let that happen?
The summons camefrom Holt on Tuesday morning.
Summer’s stomach was simmering when she stepped into his office, and it boiled over when Holt said, “Close the door.”She thought she’d be sick.When he didn’t give her a commiserating look, she knew it had to be bad.
She’d already decided the best thing to do was to say nothing and let him get his tirade over with.
He flourished a hand.“Have a seat.”
When she’d sat and tucked her skirt under her rump, he said, “What you did was incredibly brave.”She went into shock as he continued.“Getting between an angry man and his quarry can be dangerous.”
“I just couldn’t stand by and watch him hurt Jewel.”
“You could’ve called for help.”
She closed her eyes for a moment.She could have called Knox.It would have taken only a moment for him to reach her.“I didn’t think about it.I only thought that if I didn’t step in, he might break Jewel’s wrist.”
