Page 117 of Employing Patience

“Will.”

That’s not the answer I’m expecting. “Will?”

“Keller said he was moving in with you and had a crush, and all I could picture was the two of you growing closer and closer, and … I didn’t like it. So I figured I could either go on pretending this was just a thing we were doing, or I could make it completely clear where I stand.”

“And you sure as fuck overshot it.”

He squeezes my ass. “Maybe. But now everyone knows you’re mine.”

“You know Will doesn’t have a crush, right?”

“Oh, yeah, now it’s wildly obvious. All it took was seeing him and Keller together.”

“Picked up on that, huh?”

“Your buddy needs to work on being more subtle. And his best friend’s dad? That’s asking for trouble.”

“You’re my boss. Most people would say the same.”

Art sighs, and I guess we’ve finally reached the point where we need to address that side of things. “It is an issue,” he admits.

“It is.”

“What do we do about that?”

I wish I had an answer. Instead, I deflect. “Did you actually think I was going to fall for Will instead of you? After I spent so damn long trying to get you all to myself?”

“Well, no, but …”

“But?”

“You’re always disappearing on me. Swapping your shifts. Seeing your girlfriend. What am I supposed to think about all the sneakiness?”

I groan and drop my forehead onto his shoulder. “That … that’s something else entirely.”

“Like …?”

“I don’t want to say.”

“Why?”

I still can’t bring myself to look at him. “Because I lied.”

“About a girlfriend? I certainly fucking hope so.”

“No, I …” C’mon, Joey, get it out there. I pull back to face him. “I never graduated high school. I lied. To get this job. The last few months, I’ve been working on my high school diploma.”

“You …” He blinks at me. “What?”

“My high school—”

“No, I got that.” Art takes a second to process, and his face splits into a dopey smile. “I will never fail to be impressed by you.”

“Impressed? By me?”

“Nothing holds you back, does it?”

“Look who’s talking.”

---