Page 99 of Say You Remember Me
“Okay.” Marsha nodded, her expression remaining steady, giving nothing away.
So I continued, explaining how what had seemed like a small, spur-of-the-moment decision had spiraled into something much bigger. How what we’d only thought would be a tiny blip at the conference had turned into the whole spectacle that was now in the gossip news.
By the time I finished recounting everything, my palms were damp, and a knot of tension had settled in my chest. I found myself searching Marsha’s face for any indication of what she might be thinking, but she was an expert at keeping her expression unreadable—probably honed over years of handling situations like this.
“And you said Maddie agreed to go along with this?” Her tone was even, revealing nothing, and it left me feeling as though I were standing on a cliff, waiting to see if the ground would crumble beneath me.
“She did,” I said quickly, but then hesitated, wanting to be as transparent as possible. “I asked her, and she agreed. But I made it clear that she didn’t have to. It was completely her choice.”
“Did she seem hesitant at all?” Marsha asked. “Is there any chance she felt pressured because of your position as her superior?”
The question made my stomach churn. I forced myself to stay calm, though. “No. At least…I hope not. I never wanted Maddie to feel like she didn’t have a choice. I thought it would be harmless.”
Marsha nodded slowly, making a note. “Were there any moments during the summit where Maddie expressed discomfort or reluctance about continuing the charade?”
“No,” I said firmly, shaking my head. “She seemed okay with it. If she’d told me otherwise, I would’ve stopped immediately.”
Marsha’s gaze remained steady, piercing, as she asked her next question. “And your interactions with her—would you classify any of them as romantic or physical?”
My heart stuttered, a quick, uncomfortable rhythm as memories surged forward—the kisses we’d shared, especially the one in my hotel suite where I’d barely restrained myself from taking her to my bed.
“There were moments,” I admitted, my voice low, cautious. “A few kisses. But they were mutual. Consensual. And I was careful to keep things from escalating to a more intimate level.”
Marsha nodded, her pen gliding over the notepad in front of her. “You understand why this situation raises concerns, don’t you?” She leaned back slightly, her calm professionalism doing little to ease my nerves. “The power dynamics alone complicate things.”
“I do,” I said, holding her gaze, hoping she could see the sincerity behind my words. “And I hate that I might’ve put Maddie in a position where her integrity—or her professionalism with the company—could be questioned. That was never my intention.”
“Intent matters, Ian.” Marsha’s expression softened, just slightly. “But so do perceptions.”
“I know.” I sighed. “And I feel bad that this could reflect badly on the company if it got out that the relationship was fake. Really, I had no idea we’d end up here.”
Marsha asked me a few more questions. When we were done, she said, “Thank you for your honesty, Ian. I’ll be speaking with Maddie as well to get her perspective, but your transparency is appreciated.”
I nodded, the weight of the conversation settling heavily on my shoulders. “What happens next?”
“After my interview with Maddie, my team and I will evaluate everything and make a recommendation to the board,” Marsha said. “But I don’t anticipate any drastic measures, as long as Maddie’s account aligns with yours.”
Relief flooded through me, but it was tempered by a lingering unease. “Thank you, Marsha.”
She offered a small smile. “Hang in there, Ian. It sounds like it’s been a long week.”
“It has.” I nodded, though I held back the truth. The last two days had been the hardest—but strangely, the days I’d spent pretending to be engaged to Maddie had been some of the most fun I’d had in a long time. Probably not the kind of confession Marsha needed to hear right now.
I rose from the chair, offering her a polite nod. “Thank you, Marsha.”
As I stepped into the hallway, the tension I’d been holding in my shoulders began to loosen—just slightly. My mom was waiting for me a few doors down, just as she’d promised, her steady presence a welcome balm to my frayed nerves.
“It went okay,” I said, keeping my voice measured, though my thoughts were already spinning in a hundred different directions. What would Maddie say in her interview? Had I done enough to keep things steady for both of us? And, most importantly, had I protected her from any fallout my careless actions might have caused?
I exhaled, following my mom down the hall, praying I hadn’t messed things up for either of us.
36
MADDIE
“Hey, Ian,”I said, balancing the phone against my ear as I folded one of the blankets in my dad’s hospital room. The nurse had wheeled him out a few minutes ago, saying they would be gone for about fifteen minutes to get some fresh air.
“Hey. I wanted to give you a heads-up.” Ian’s voice came through steady, though there was a faint edge of concern. “Marsha from HR might try calling you today. I just had a meeting with her and I think she’s going to want to meet with you when you get back to work in a couple of weeks.”
