Page 54 of Unraveling the Truth About Love
Chapter Twenty-Three
IT WAS THE week before Christmas and the week of the trade show. Days had passed in a flurry of preparations, and by the time Friday arrived, Riley felt like she’d sailed through the week on a cloud, so happy in her personal life that the business of the show preparation barely scratched her elated surface. The trade show was taking place Friday and Saturday, and on Sundayshe and Josh would fly home together and spend their first Christmas as a couple in the homes of their parents.
She couldn’t imagine her life being any more perfect. The only hindrance was keeping their relationship a secret, and they’d become a bit lax with covering their tracks outside of the office. Jay usually picked up Riley and then swung back to pick up Josh, but on rare occasions, liketoday, when they were running late, they rode to work together.
“Do you worry about showing up together?” Riley asked. They’d spent most of the previous weekend in bed, and when they weren’t in bed, they were christening one of the other rooms in his apartment. Marking each one with their lovemaking. Claiming each piece of furniture with intertwined bodies, breaking the formality of each piecewith every loving caress, every ravenous kiss.
“After the weekend we just shared, nothing worries me,” Josh said.
She knew that wasn’t true. They’d both vacillated a hundred times about telling the staff of JBD about their relationship. It had become the most painful decision Riley had ever had to make, and she was still on the fence.
“Josh, I’m not kidding,” she said.
“Riley, we just spentdays memorizing every curve of each other’s body. Over the past week we’ve had picnics on the living room floor, moved your stuff into my place.Ourplace. Let’s not bring the what ifs into our lives just yet. Can’t I just revel in this happy place for a while longer?” Josh stroked her cheek. “I feel like we’re finally having a seminormal life, babe. I’ve never kept pictures of women in my apartment.And now we’ve got that picture of us in our Mets hats from last weekend on the mantel and another in the bedroom. I love how our lives are coming together. I don’t want to think about how arriving at work might rock the boat.”
They’d taken the picture in Central Park the previous Sunday evening, wearing their sweats and Mets caps. Josh had held the camera at arm’s length and they’d smiled likefools. She loved that picture, but she loved the one in the bedroom even more. An eight-by-ten framed photograph of the two of them, their heads angled toward each other on their pillows, fluffy white sheets surrounding their sexually sated faces as they gazed happily into his iPhone camera.
She looked out the window, thinking about how the work week had flown by, with days spent trying not tolet their raging hormones give them away and working late into the evenings until they were sure the other employees had gone, then making out like kids on the couch in Josh’s office. As much as she wanted to enjoy the last few days, she felt haunted by their secrecy, and at the same time, afraid to expose it.
Josh cupped her cheek and drew her eyes to his. “I love seeing your perfume bottlebeside my cologne in the bathroom. And I love that even though we have two sinks, our toothbrushes hang side by side. I care about all of the rest—I really do—but all I want is to not think about it right now, okay?”
How could she ask for anything more?
WHEN THEY ARRIVED at the office together, no one seemed to notice,and for that Riley was thankful…sort of. She was about ready to just tell everyone they were together and throw caution to the wind, but Claudia had been more pleasant to deal with lately, and from what Josh had told her, Claudia’s efforts were paying off.She’s giving you some fierce design competition, he’d said. She was happy for Claudia. She understood being competitive, even if she didn’tthink Claudia handled things in the most appropriate manner. If she could progress on her own merits, then she deserved to, and that’s what she’d told Josh. Everyone deserved a chance. The only chance Claudia wasn’t going to get was a chance with Josh. He was one hundred percent Riley’s.
“It’s like a fairy tale come true, Jade.” Riley paced the ladies’ room floor Friday afternoon. “We couldn’tbe happier in our personal life, and I must be doing a good job at work, because he gave me a key to the office last week so I no longer have to ask someone to be there when I want to work after hours or on the weekends.”
“So we’ll be sisters-in-law one day? Awesome,” Jade said.
“I don’t know about all that, but…” Every time Riley thought of how close she and Josh had become and she began tothink of a future together, she made herself stop. She didn’t want to jinx their relationship.
“Girl, you’ve got it bad. No details, please. If Josh is going to be my brother-in-law one day then I probably shouldn’t know all those things.” She laughed. “What did you decide about work?”
Riley’s nerves were wound so tight around the office that she was sure everyone could see the love she hadfor Josh dripping from her pores. When she and Josh were in the same room she avoided looking at him, and when Claudia was around, it took all her determination to keep her girlfriend instincts in check.
The night they’d had dinner with Max and Treat, they’d discussed no longer hiding their relationship, but somehow hiding felt safer. It had become a habit that she didn’t quite know how—or if—sheshould break, and the conflicting feelings were tearing her up inside.
“We keep going back and forth. I mean, what are we supposed to do, make a general announcement? That seems weird, but not saying anything feels weird, too. What would you do?” Riley had been thinking about nothing else since she arrived at work at seven thirty that morning.
“I don’t know. It’s really none of anyone’s business.Why don’t you guys just live your lives without worrying about it, and when you’re at work, be professional because it’s the workplace, but don’t hide anything on purpose. Not at this point. That could only hurt your relationship in the long run.”
“Jade, I wish you were here.”
“No, you don’t. Then you wouldn’t be having all that crazy sex you’re having. Besides, you’ll be home soon and we’llsee each other then. I got the fax you sent me of Max’s dress this morning. You are amazing. I want you to design my wedding dress, if we ever get married. Oh, and I love, love, loved the last design you sent for me. I know you can’t make it before the holiday, so can you make it for Easter?”
Riley covered her eyes. What had she been thinking, promising to make an outfit for Jade for Christmas?She hadn’t been thinking at all. That was the problem. Her brain had been swimming in a river of love. “I’m sorry,” she said.
“Don’t worry about it. I have other dresses. I’ll just pick one of those. I was trying to make you feel needed,” she teased. “But it appears that Josh is doing a fine job of that on his own.”
“Ha-ha,” Riley said. “I’m really nervous. Josh wants to show the staff my designfor Max’s dress today at the monthly meeting. He thinks it will solidify my design capabilities in their minds, to sort of ease Claudia into accepting my skills. He says my design skills surpass hers, and I guess he’s thinking of the future, if he moves me into a higher design position. Wow, that sounds weird.My skills, like I’m something special.”
“You are something special, Riley. Josh isa smart man. Follow his lead.”
“It’s just been such a whirlwind. I keep waiting for the other shoe to drop. Can life really be this good?” Riley looked at her watch. She’d been in the ladies’ room too long. Claudia would give her the stink eye. “I gotta go. The meeting’s in a few minutes, and the trade show starts this afternoon, so I’m swamped.”
“No worries. I’m here when you need me.”
“Thanks,Jade. Wish me luck.”
“You’re made of luck. You don’t need it.”
Riley had never felt lucky a day in her life, until she and Josh reconnected. Now, as she prepared to face the entire staff—including Claudia—she wondered if luck would be enough.
