I suck in a breath before telling her about the last six months. The reasons behind the fake dates, about my creative slump, and the pressure from my board of directors. How me being in the news kept the stock prices up.
I cringe with every detail I tell her. Is she going to judge me? Look at me differently? The more I talk, the more I look for some sort of tell on her face that she thinks less of me. Luckily though, Maeve’s face doesn’t seem judgmental at all. Or appalled. She actually looks intrigued and a bit concerned. I’ll take those looks any day over one of pity.
“Wow,” she says. “I feel like that’s a lot of work just to create a smokescreen.”
“It was,” I say. “I’m done with it, though. I’m determined to come up with a game, or at minimum the concept of one, by next week. I want to be able to flesh it out and have something big to announce by the Christmas party.”
“You can do it,” she says. “And as my way of helping, I’ll stay away this weekend. I was going to come over and work on some things—Jayce is going out of town with his dad and his new wife—but the last thing you need is me hammering nails into walls.”
Whoa, what did she just say? “I didn’t realize your ex was getting remarried.”
“Neither did I,” she says, reaching back over and grabbing a crab rangoon. “They told me this morning when I dropped him off for Thanksgiving. That’s why I came here. I didn’t know where else to go, and I needed to keep busy. I couldn’t just sit around and stew.”
“Bloody hell, Maeve,” I say. “That’s a fucking bomb.”
She nods. “I know. But what can I do? I can’t control who he dates, or apparently marries, even though I wish I could for Jayce’s sake. And I can’t control that they did it seemingly on a whim, or that I’m unsure if she’s spent more than a few days over the past two years with Jayce. All I can do is sit back and pretend I’m not going crazy on the inside.”
“I believe in you,” I say. “And consider this your open invitation to come over and work whenever you need to.”
“I appreciate that.” She pauses for a second, and frankly, I have no idea what she’s going to say next. “And Logan? Please know that even if your family doesn’t say they’re proud of you, know that people are. That…I am.”
Her words hit me square in the chest. I’ve sought validation from many people in my life—starting with my parents—and I’m not sure if that void has ever been filled.
But those words coming from Maeve? My cup runneth over…
I want to kiss her. I want to kiss her so fucking bad. Bring her into my arms. Hold her close.
But this isn’t the right time. I don’t know when that will be, but I know it isn’t after I dump my trauma on her and she vents about her ex to me.
Even though I want to feel her lips on mine more than I want to bloody breathe.
Luckily, I don’t have to make that decision as the sound of her mobile ringing across the room breaks our trance.
“I should get that,” she whispers.
I lower my head as she stands up and walks across the room.
“I’ve got to go,” she says, not explaining any further.
“Yeah. Of course. It’s a holiday for you and all.”
I stand up to walk her out but she holds up a hand. “Don’t worry about it.”
I take a step back, knowing that’s probably the best idea.
Even though I fucking hate it.
Maeve grabs her bag and starts to walk out of the bedroom before turning back to me. “Logan?”
“Yeah?”
“I meant what I said. I’m proud of you.”
I swallow down the lump in my throat at her words. “Thanks, Love.”
guide to love rule #18
Your family knows you better than anyone. Don’t try to hide anything from them. Including, but not limited to, details of your sex life.
