Page 112 of Fierce-Hyde

Tori laughed. “I figured you did when you didn’t have a jacket on. Why did you do that?”

“Because you needed me. You never act like you need me. Maybe it felt good. I wanted you to know I’d always be there for you.”

“Thank you for that,” she said. “I felt like a fool after you left and then I told myself not to. I think I like knowing I could call you and you’d be there. I hope you know you can do the same.”

“I do,” he said. “I’m glad you felt that way. What are you going to tell Raina, if you don’t mind me asking?”

“She told you about me texting her about being a fool?” she asked.

“Maybe,” he said.

She laughed. “I hope you don’t think it had to do with you?”

“I told myself not to,” he said.

“Because we are beyond assuming things,” she said. “Good. It only has to do with you in that I’ve been a fool to think the way I’ve been for so long. I’m glad I’m not anymore. That I don’t have to do things alone.”

“I’m glad you’re not either. Now get to work. I don’t want to worry about either one of us getting fired.”

She laughed and hung up.

“No one is going to fire you.”

He looked at the doorway and saw Diane Fierce standing there. Good lord, people were everywhere listening in on his business.

“Oh, I don’t know about that. I think Grant would have done it if I acted here the way I did at my last job.”

Diane walked in and made herself comfortable. Not surprising since he was in and out of her house as a kid doing that too.

“Grant and I would have kicked your ass before he fired you, Hyde. We would have gotten you help and recognized what was going on and told you to stop blaming yourself. I hope you’re not still doing that.”

“I have my moments,” he said sincerely. “It’s not that easy to just wipe out things that happen in our lives when they shaped so much of it.”

“No one expects you to wipe them out, Hyde. But you need to recognize it for what it is and that you made whatever changes you needed to. You learned what not to do again.”

“I did that,” he said. “Glad to know everyone else is seeing it.”

“You should only care about one person seeing it,” Diane said, laughing.

“I do,” he said, smirking at her.

“And you’ll be bringing Tori to my house for Christmas Eve?” Diane asked.

“That is the plan. As long as we don’t get badgered too much.”

“Never,” Diane said, standing up.

“You don’t lie so well,” he said, grinning.

“Or I lie really well and I’m giving you a double bluff,” Diane said as she walked out of his office to his frown.

“What has you smiling so bright?”Grant asked his wife.

“I just confused Hyde. I love doing that to him as much as I do my own kids.”

“Do I even want to know what happened?”

“Just me giving some motherly advice. I’ve got to keep my hand in things because we know you guys aren’t holding up your end of the plan,” she said.

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