Page 28 of Hidden Truths

“I think we need to have a strictly professional working relationship,” I blurt out before his words can sway me.

I can’t look at him. My eyes are firmly locked on a very interesting spot on the wall.

“Professional working relationship?” The hurt in his voice cuts through me, but I stick to my resolve. “I care about Cora too much, and I need this job. I can’t risk it just to be another place for you to stick your dick while you wait for someone new and hotter to come along.”

I feel Cal stiffen beside me. He sucks in a shocked breath, and his eyes burn into the side of my head. I can’t look at him. I’ll take everything back if I do.

A tear slips down my face at the realization that there’s truth in what I said. Cal isn’t the serious type of guy. His friends joke about it constantly. But that’s not who I am. I can’t do casual and not get hurt.

“You think you’re just a place to stick my dick?” he asks, anger seeping into his words.

“Aren’t I?” I ask the wall, still refusing to look at him.

He doesn’t speak right away. With every moment that passes without a sound, I get more terrified. Terrified that I’m going to lose this job.

Lose him.

I never really had him, but the thought that I might never be in his presence again is scary. Cal attracts people because he shines so brightly. I don’t want to be without that light again, and I’ll take it in whatever form he’s willing to give.

As long as that form keeps my heart safe.

“Fine. Professional relationship it is.” Cal stands and a moment later, my door slams shut.

I curl into a ball, inhaling the faint smell of him that was left in his wake, and cry until I fall asleep.

eleven

HARLOW

Cal has been avoidingme for almost two weeks now. We speak enough to go over Cora’s day, but that’s it. I can’t even blame him for it.

He’s not being rude or mean. He’s just distant, and I hate it. I’m the one who put the boundaries there, and he’s respecting them.

But I miss him. Fuck, do I miss him. I miss the way he would tease me or sass me right back. The way he would smile when he saw how much fun Cora and I were having playing with him. I even missed the way his lips felt on mine. The heat his touch would leave hours after it was ever there.

“What do you say us girls have a nice day? Maybe go shopping and get cute new outfits?” I ask Cora as I feed her another spoonful of the gross smelling baby cereal. She claps her hands in response, making me laugh. She just learned to clap yesterday, and it’s her new favorite thing to do.

I’ve had this job for almost two months, and I’ve absolutely fallen in love with this adorable little girl. It’s that fact that I hold on to at night when I want to be held by her dad.

I pack Cora up in my car and head to the mall. There are usually one or two paparazzi at the gate to the community. SinceShattered Halo has been working on a new album, and Belle started dating Kai, they’ve been interested in getting a story. But for a rock band, they like to keep things pretty low-key.

It’s nice that the jerks behind the cameras have no idea who I am or that Cal even has a daughter. It allows me to come and go as I please. They just assume I’m some rich housewife that lives here. It helps that Cora looks so much like me. If anyone sees me with her, they assume she’s my daughter.

I mentally add lack of privacy to the list I have running of why being with Cal is a terrible idea. I just wish it was a longer list.

“What do you think of this one?” I hold up a pair of purple overalls. Cora claps, and I take that as her approval. Just like I did when she clapped at everything else I’ve held up in her size. “I agree. It’s Daddy’s treat, so you can get whatever you want.”

Cal gave me the credit card for Cora’s expenses. A shopping spree in this bougie kid’s store isn’t exactly what he meant. Maybe I’m hoping he’ll see an astronomical charge and get angry enough to have a conversation with me.

Maybe I’m regretting pushing him away.

Maybe I hate seeing him every day and not being on the receiving end of his warmth. It’s damn cold where I am now, and I hate it.

“What do you think, Cora girl? Matching shoes and bows for every outfit?”

“Da!” she yells and claps. I look around, worried that Cal somehow found out about my shopping spree already, but we’re the only ones in the store other than the bored-looking teenager behind the counter.

I sigh. “You miss Dada?”

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