He smiled, wrapping his fingers in my hair, tilting my head back slightly. “Thank you. I can’t stop missing you whenever we’re not together, Brooke. I want to be able to spend time with you when we’re at the club too. During lunch, or other breaks. I want to take you out on dates and bring you to Friday dinners. I want you to be part of my life in every way possible, and I want to be part of yours too. I want everyone to know I’m your man.”
“Jace, I want that too. All of that. All of you.” My heart was thundering in my chest. I leaned in to kiss him. Everything he’d said just humbled me.
I hadn’t ever felt so adored, and... safe from heartbreak. I couldn’t believe how much Jace meant to me, how far I’d come from the woman who thought love just wasn’t in the cards for her.
I was still a little nervous about Jace and me sharing a workplace. But with this sexy and amazing man on my side, I trusted we’d figure everything out.
Chapter Twenty-Three
Brooke
I talked to Dad first, and then I planned to approach Tina.
; My dad took the news about as well as I’d expected. I took him out for breakfast, and after a hefty negotiation where he said a bit of butter wouldn’t hurt and I vehemently disagreed, I sprang the news on him.
“Livie, are you sure that’s a good idea? I’ve known the boy for years. He’s got a reputation.” My dad only used my nickname when he was worried for me. “It’s true that his behavior has been different over the last year or so. But I’m going to keep an eye on him. Mixing your professional and personal life is never a good idea. Remember what happened at your old job.”
“It’s not the same situation.”
“I know. But you wouldn’t have had to leave your workplace if you weren’t close personally to either Noah or Cami. I just want you to be happy, Livie.”
I gave him a small smile. The last thing I wanted was to let Daddy down.
Later that afternoon, I was tapping my foot repeatedly as I sat in front of my boss. We’d gone through the agenda for the next few weeks, and now that we’d discussed all the open topics, I wanted to bring up Jace. I was a face-to-face kind of gal, and I wanted to clear the air as fast as possible. I was confident in the work I’d done here over the past three months, and I hoped my personal life wouldn’t overshadow my accomplishments.
“Tina, I’d like to talk to you about a personal thing.”
“Sure.”
“Jace and I are seeing each other. It’s not going to interfere with my work in any way, but I wanted you to know.”
Tina, who’d been reviewing one of the contracts as she spoke, looked up suddenly.
“Jace Connor?”
“Yes.”
“Okay. Okay. Well, there’s no policy against coworkers dating at the club, so there’s that. But I would’ve expected better of you, honestly.” She pursed her lips, looking at me with clear disappointment.
I was too stunned to say anything more before leaving her office. I had not been expecting that reaction. I would just have to buckle down and put twice the effort into everything. I was determined not to give her one reason to doubt my work.
I was alone at my desk until lunch, when Veronica and Sheila returned from an offsite meeting. I’d asked Veronica for a sandwich, and I could have kissed her for joy when she set it in front of me.
“Thanks.”
Veronica looked at me funny as she sat opposite me.
“Everything okay?”
“Tina told me about you and Jace. Congratulations.”
Something was off, because Veronica looked as if she wished she could stab me rather than congratulate me.
“Thank you. It’s not been going on for long.” I had no clue why I was being defensive.
Veronica smirked. “Right... those flowers were from him?”