Page 84 of Reckless Temptation

“Just George,” he corrected her.

Sabrina nodded, then glanced up at me. “Our being together is a new development. Just as my decision to drop out of the running for your internship is.”

“No.” George frowned, shaking his head, disappointed.

“Yes. That’s what I wanted to speak with you about yesterday,” she admitted.

“Because of him?” my mom asked, furrowing her brow at me. “Or Tiffany?”

“Because of my passion. I’m not cut out to be a corporate lawyer. Seeing how you represented that client showed me that my interests are not aligned with Lorsen & Spengler.”

George smiled, nodding once. “That’s a brave choice to make.”

“It’s the right one. One I’d make regardless of Nick coming into my life the way he had. I might drop out of the current program and transfer to another school,” she added.

“Oh, honey, no.” My mom winced. “Don’t sacrifice just because of our family drama.”

“No, Mrs. Lorsen,” Sabrina said, all smiles. “I wouldn’t ever let a man make me change my goals.”

It was my turn to grin.

“But I’m growing and learning about myself as I seek my law degree, and I think going into criminal law to be a prosecutor would make more sense for me.”

George spoke a little more with her about her announcement to drop out as an intern, but I couldn’t escape how my mom watched me. Once George and Sabrina concluded their part of this conversation, I raised my brows at her. “Where’s Tiffany?”

George’s calm and slightly pleasant expression fell flat.

“He disowned her,” Mom said, smirking.

“She is no longer welcome here,” George explained. “Not in my house. Not in my classroom. Nowhere. I will not compromise with someone so cruel and manipulative.”

Mom cleared her throat. “She confessed to it all.” With a pained glance at Sabrina, she sighed. “How she wanted to remove you as competition, then started the lies about infidelity…”

“Neither of us has cheated,” George rushed to add. “Your mother and I are faithful, and after a long, hard talk?—”

“Several long, hard talks over the weekend,” my mom added.

“We are in a stronger place with hope for the future.” He proved it by lifting her hand and kissing her knuckles, a rare show of affection when he seldom showed any. “Moving on after grief isn’t a simple thing.”

“But we understand each other. We’re going to start couples’ counseling,” Mom said. “And I’m going to go back to therapy personally.”

I exhaled such a long, hard breath that my shoulders sagged. “Thank God.”

She smiled. “And no matter what, Nick, you haveneverbeen a coward in trying to support me.”

I blinked back the tears.

She had no clue how long I’d waited to hear something like that. Afraid I was a failure and too weak to step in as the man of the family she needed, aside from George, I welcomed the bliss of a burden off my shoulders.

“Oh, Mrs. Lorsen.” Sabrina released my hand and hurried to hug her. “I’m so glad you have help and hope.”

She hugged her back. “Just, Leslie, honey. And I’m so glad my son hasyoudespite all the obstacles Tiffany put between you.”

We talked some more, all aware of how soon three of us would need to get to campus. Since we’d already eaten breakfast at Sabrina’s house, we declined anything more than coffee with them.

Before we all parted ways, though, George furrowed his brow and worried some more.

“Are yousureI can’t entice you to stay in the running for our internship? You’re the brightest mind we’ve got in the program.”

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