Unsure of what she was going to say, I let out the breath I was holding. She told him. Gage now knew we were together. There was nothing keeping us from being a normal couple now.
The relief syphoned through my body, from head to toe. I felt lighter. My lungs filled with air that I could expel completely for what felt like the first time in months. Thoughts of us coming to work together after spending the night at my place filtered through my brain. No more sneaking around while at the office. I could let my feelings for her be known.
The world would know Maryellen McEntyre was my girlfriend.
She started fidgeting with the button on her blouse.
“While I’m not sorry for having the relationship, I do understand it compromises my job, and if that means you no longer want me to work here, I understand.”
“Wait, what?” I called out. “Mare…”
Gage had been standing by his desk, stoic, not reacting to anything. But when she said that, he launched himself forward, closing the gap between them.
“Maryellen, listen, I won’t lie. This does come as a surprise.” He glanced my way, then back at her. “Just because you have poor taste in men is not a reason to leave your job.” He laughed, hoping it would lighten the mood.
It got her to smile, but her buttons still held her interest.
“I couldn’t imagine this place without you.” Gage stepped even closer. His gaze went to her hands, and he seemed to notice her preoccupation with her blouse as well. Suddenly, he motioned toward me with his hand. “So, is this guy treating you OK?”
He may have meant it as a joke or a distraction, but what he witnessed on the elevator was forefront in his mind. I knew that.
“Of course.” Maryellen knew that as well. “I was having a bad morning, and he was trying to cheer me up before, that’s all you saw.”
Enough already.
“Mare, come with me.” With no regard for my brother whatsoever, I guided her from the office. I didn’t stop at her desk. We kept going down the hall and around the corner. She had to hustle in her heels to keep up with my pace. I found the room I was looking for, a conference room I knew would be empty. Locking the door once we were inside, I turned to her.
She was shaking as she wrapped her arms around her middle.
“Shit,” she said and plopped into a chair.
I couldn’t sit. The nervous but excited energy coursing through my veins had me pacing the floor.
Finally, I knelt in front of her and put my hands on her lap.
“I’m proud of you, babe. That took courage.”
Her head fell into her hands as she started crying quietly.
“Hey, it’s OK,” I said as I knelt in front of her. While rubbing her back, her shoulders shook as her tears continued. “Shh, shh.”
When she lifted her head, she looked aimlessly around the room. The tears slid down her cheeks, taking her makeup with them. She couldn’t focus. Not on me, or anything for that matter. Her breaths were shallow, and I feared she might hyperventilate. I knew she suffered from panic attacks and wondered if she was dealing with one.
“Hey,” I said, pulling her into my arms. “It’s OK. I’m here, with you. You’re not alone in this.”
Her arms latched onto me, around my neck, with a strength I didn’t expect. The room became our sanctuary, offering aquietness to digest our new normal. It was a lot to absorb in a short amount of time, considering it went against her plan.
My sudden fear became her deciding she regretted everything she just did, and that was a real possibility. I knew her job meant a lot to her. Working with my brother was important, and regardless of how he handled things, it was up to Maryellen how things progressed from here.
Her body calmed. The shaking of her shoulders lessened, and her arms fell from my neck. She remained curled against my chest, not ready to face anything quite yet.
And I continued to hold her.
“Chase?” Her voice was small.
I kissed the top of her head.
“Yeah?”
