Maybe he needed to leave too. I wasn’t sure about the country’s laws or rules or what might happen.
As my heart pounded, I said, “She thinks her lawyer will be able to prove you’re mentally unfit.”
He nodded. “So she wants to disgrace me. I’ll handle it.”
“I suppose,” I said though his calm prickled against me.
He sat back. “I don’t care if there are whispers about my mental fitness.”
I rocked in my seat. “There seriously shouldn’t be. You’re brilliant.”
As we made it back to his house, I said, “That’s good to hear from you.”
He stepped out, and I followed. Once we were back inside, I took off my heels and asked, “Why aren’t you more upset?”
We walked to the sitting room near the door as he said, “Because I’ve been thinking I can just pay her off and not stress.”
“That goes against everything.” I stood and crossed my arms, knowing we were caught. I swallowed and asked, “What was the point of all our subterfuge? Why are you changing your mind?”
He stared right at me. “I’ve been thinking. Maybe growing up and seeing our lives as we thought weren’t what they seemed. I think I’m over all of it.”
My heart twisted, and I closed my eyes. We’d lied to everyone. I was probably lying to myself.
Unable to look at him, I said, “I need to go home, I think.”
“We’re here. We’re safe,” he said.
I shook my head. This isn’t my life. This is someone else’s. I wasn’t meant to be a princess. “No, I mean to New York. I can get another job. I’ll figure something out.”
He stood and took my hand. “Don’t be rash.”
How his skin brushed against me sent a shock through me. I ached to be his right then though that was crazy.
I shook my head and tried to reason with myself and him, saying, “Maybe you’re right. I’m panicked because I thought I was helping you here, and now I don’t know.”
“You are helping. Let’s make decisions with clear heads.”
If I stayed, I’d be tempted to question my own motivations for being there and whether it was just to protect him. I cupped his face and wished all our lies might be fixed somehow.
“You’re right,” I said. “Let’s sleep on it and make decisions when our choices are logical and safe.”
“Or we admit our feelings.”
I narrowed my gaze and hugged my waist as I stepped back. “I’ve been honest with you.”
“I believe that.”
I nodded as at least we were honest with each other. “Good, as I hate lying, which is funny because it’s all we’ve been doing.”
He kissed my forehead. “Let’s get you something to eat.”
My stomach grumbled. “I hate that you know me this well, and I need to change too.”
He ordered food on his iPad, and we headed to the stairs, where he whispered, “I thought we were at least friends and partners.”
Tears burned my eyes. If only we had a change.
But as I walked upstairs, I said, “I don’t know about anything right now.”
