She could see it in his eyes.
She could see how deeply he cared for her as she did him.
No, not cared. Loved.
One of them had to be brave enough to voice it.
“It is for me too. Are you as scared of this as me?”
“Deathly,” he said. “I don’t want to hurt you.”
“I don’t want you to hurt me either, but at the same time I don’t want to hurt you.”
“I think we need to stop feeling that way. I love you, Farrah. You opened that door and I’m stepping in.”
“I whipped it open and you’re running in.”
“Are you okay with that?” he asked. The uncertainty again in his voice.
“Not only am I okay, but I’m running right there with you,” she said. “We’ve got this, Jayce. Together.”
“Together.”
She shook her arms out releasing the tension to his laughter and grabbed the shampoo since she was soaked. “I wouldn’t mind some more lunches like this.”
“I could do it daily, but I don’t think you get enough time off between patients.”
“Sadly, no.” She handed the shampoo to him. “But maybe we can talk about you spending the night soon with Archer around. Not sure when, not this weekend, but soon.”
“Soon is good enough for me,” he said. “Because you’ve got my heart and I’ve got yours and the rest will fall into place.”
35
HAD SOME REFLECTION
“There you are,” his father said to him a few hours later. He’d left the office at eleven, then left Farrah’s a little before one. Longer than he’d thought he’d be gone. Not that anyone was clock watching. At least he hoped not, but wasn’t so sure with that comment.
“Everything okay? I had to run an errand.”
His father smirked at him, as if they knew exactly what errand he’d run but wouldn’t admit it.
“Grant and Garrett are going to be here with Richard and Royce in an hour. Gabe will be back and Jocelyn will be in the meeting too. Thought you could join us. We’re going to look at the plans and the work that will start in a few weeks.”
“Sure,” he said. “I’m game for that. I’ve got a few ideas too to get tenants if you guys want me to step into that arena. If you’d rather I focus on McCarthy’s that’s fine also.”
“I don’t have a problem with you drumming up business for open spaces and I doubt anyone else does either. Do you want to share your ideas with me or just wait for everyone?”
“I can wait. Nothing so farfetched unless you don’t trust me.”
“We trust you, Jayce. I see how hard you’re working since you’ve been home. I know this isn’t the fast-paced environment you are used to.”
“No,” he said, shaking his head. “It’s not, but I’m good with that. Maybe I should have been good with it before, but I’m seeing the other side of it. Things are going to get busier. I know that spring and summer are crazy.”
“They are picking up now,” his father said. “Gabe is gone a lot and it’s bothering him with the baby, but he knows the job, just like Elise.”
“I can step in. I mean, it’s not like I’m going to do well as a project manager on site.”
“Your brother would appreciate it. Here is the thing, some of it is managing and organizing teams and employees.”
