Page 22 of Submitting to Them
He’s under so much pressure already, I don’t want to add to that.“Nothing important,” I say.“Not really.”
“I promise to start being more available to you,” he says.“I think I’m through the most difficult part of transitioning Kristin to Joel’s old position.”
“Kristin…” I say.“Is she the one who came out of the building with you, after the bomb threat?”
He nods.Hesitates.Clears his throat.“Listen.I just want everything to be out in the open, okay?”
A heavy feeling thuds into my gut.This isn’t going to be good news.Maybe he likes Kristin more than me.Maybe he cheated—oh, fuck, he cheated and all of these candles and rose petals are an elaborate apology.
“Okay,” I whisper, even though nothing about this is okay.
“Kristin—”
I cover my face.I wish I could cover my ears.
“Come here, little one,” he says, tugging me toward him.
“No, thank you.I need space.Just say what you have to say.”
He lets me go.“Kristin made a pass at me.Looking back, I think she hinted more than once that she was interested in me, but I ignored her signals.Finally, at lunch today, I told her that there couldn’t be any relationship for us, beyond that of colleagues.”
I wait for the rest, but he’s quiet.Waiting for my response.
I peek at him through my fingers.“Is that all?”
“That’s all,” he says, giving me a faint smile and holding his hands out as if to show he’s unarmed.
Horror washes over me as I realize I thought this kind, sweet, and protective man wascheatingon me.Like his no-good son had done.Kingston is nothing like Joel.
Before I can process my thoughts, tears are pouring from my eyes.“I’m so—so sorry—”
“Ella,” he says, wrapping his arms around me.“What is it?You didn’t do anything.I’m sorry I didn’t shut down Kristin’s passes earlier.It was cowardly of me to hope it wasn’t real.I’m so sorry for scaring you.”
“No, I just…for a minute, I thought maybe you’d cheated on me.I’m horrible for eventhinkingthat.”
His arms tighten around my shoulders.“No, little girl.Never.And I’m not mad that you were worried about it.Of course the thought would cross your mind after what you’ve been through.I should’ve stated it from the start.”
“Well,” I say, pressing my head against his chest and taking comfort in his rhythmic heartbeat, “it’s okay.I’m glad you told me, and I’m glad it won’t be a problem anymore.I mean, it won’t be, right?”
“No, it won’t be.Kristin realizes that she and I wouldn’t be a good match, either way.”He kisses the top of my head.“Now.As much as I would like to take credit for the fine Japanese dinner waiting for us in the dining room, I have to admit that I had it delivered, and it’s not getting any fresher.Are you hungry, sweetheart?”
“Yes,” I say, and my stomach growls to punctuate that statement.
Chuckling, he leads me to the candlelit table and pulls out a chair for me.Everything is so beautiful.Even if the food is takeout, he’s transferred it to plates and set the table as if we’re in a restaurant.Of course Kingston wouldn’t have us eating out of foam takeout containers or paper plates.It’s a good thing he’s hosting, and not me.
Rather than sit at the far end of the long table, he pulls out a chair next to mine and starts offering me food from the different platters.
“Sebastian didn’t want to come by for dinner?”I ask.He’s been staying at his uncle’s this week, trying to make sure his uncle has everything he needs, and offer Lin some breaks from hovering.
“He thought you and I should take some time to reconnect, one-on-one,” Kingston says.
“That sounds good to me.”I grin over at him.
We eat and chat.I ask him more about his travels, and am surprised to learn that he spent two years in Australia when he was a kid, because his mom got a temporary job assignment there.
He asks me about my childhood, and I tell him how I loved being on the track team in high school.
“Do you still run?”he asks.
