“But you could get to know her and maybe—”
“It would still be a lie. The only woman I want is you.”
“Zy…”
“I know what you’re going to say, but avoiding the truth isn’t making anything we feel go away.”
It wasn’t. “I don’t know what to do.”
“I don’t, either. A part of me—a lot of me—wants to say fuck the bosses and their rules. We might owe them our nine-to-five, but we don’t owe them our personal lives. That part insists I should just grab you and kiss you, take you home and take you to bed—”
“I can’t. If we get caught… I’m the one they’ll fire. I’m overpaid for what I do, and they could replace me tomorrow.”
“If Aspen, the temp who took over your desk while you were on maternity leave, is any indication, that’s not true.”
“You know what I mean. They could find someone. You’re harder to replace. Your demolitions experience—”
“Isn’t irreplaceable, either. And they’ve made it clear they would unload me, too, if I broke their precious fucking rules.”
It felt hopeless. Even though it was the last thing she wanted, the smartest thing to do would be to put distance between them. How else would they ever survive another two and a half years of this torture?
“I think I should go. It’s getting late for Hallie, and it’s cold out here. You stay with your friends and have fun.”
“Don’t do this.”
Don’t give up on them; that’s what he meant. Her throat closed up as she fought tears. Did he think she wanted to? “I don’t see another way, at least not right now.”
“Tessa…” He gripped her shoulders, staring straight into her eyes, willing her to stay and fight for them. “I love you.”
His words slammed her in the chest, knocking the breath from her. She closed her eyes. So many times she’d hoped he was feeling what she was feeling. She’d even fantasized about the moment they revealed what was in their hearts. In her dreams, she returned the sentiment and they kissed long and deep, an expression of the commitment they shared, before they gave in to passion.
I love you, too. The words were on the tip of her tongue. Everything inside her wanted to say it. But she didn’t. What good would come of it? “Zy, if I didn’t have any other responsibilities—”
“We can figure it out together.”
Maybe they could, but everyone she’d ever trusted to take care of her—Daddy, Cash, even good friends—had eventually fallen by the wayside when she needed them most. If she gave up her job to be with Zy and the relationship didn’t work out, what would become of her and Hallie?
She couldn’t afford to find out the hard way.
“I don’t see how. I’m sorry.”
Barely holding back her tears, Tessa dashed inside, collected Hallie, said her thank-yous and goodbyes, then left before she did something fantastically foolish like change her mind and tell Zy he already had her heart forever.
Congratulations on butt-fucking the evening, champ. Good job.
Zy sagged against the wall of Trees’s place and sighed. His impulsive I love you had been a colossal backfire. Definitely not the reaction he’d hoped for…
He’d never said those three words to any female—ever—and Tessa’s reaction had been to run.
Shit.
The crazy thing was, he was convinced she felt the same. The moment he’d said the words, love had softened her face and lit her eyes. He hadn’t hallucinated that.
Then she’d shut it down.
Zy waited until he heard Tessa fire up her engine and saw the lights retreating from Trees’s yard until she turned and bumped back down the dirt road. His soft curse made a visual puff of air in the December chill before he pushed the back door open and stepped inside. Both Madison and Trees waited for him with pity on their faces.
“Sorry, you two.”
“Want to talk about it?”
Zy was surprised when Madison offered, but why talk through a hopeless situation? Words wouldn’t change anything. “No, thanks.”
“But—”
“They’ll be fired if they get together, and they both need their jobs,” Trees supplied.
Zy was grateful. He didn’t want to be rude to Madison, but he also didn’t want to explain. It would only make everything feel more real and more shitty.
“You two obviously care a lot about each other.” Madison awkwardly cupped his shoulder. “I’m sorry.”
Zy looked at her—really looked—and he saw a compassion he never expected. “No, I’m sorry for the way I treated you before. You were nothing but nice, and I…wasn’t.”
“Trees explained. I understand. I don’t blame you. I felt a little foolish, but the only thing you hurt was my pride.”
Good to know he hadn’t really torn her heart in two, but he also hadn’t helped. “It was never my intention to hurt you at all.”
She gave him an understanding smile. “I know. Want a ride home?”
A glance up told him the table had been cleared, the dishes done, and the kitchen righted. “You’re not staying?”