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“Including me?”
I narrow my eyes at him comically. “I don't know, are you?”
He laughs once, but doesn't answer the question. “I think you need to give people the benefit of a doubt. Trust that if Lena told you she has a plan, it's because she has a plan. I think sometimes people lie to protect other people. Lies don't always have to be about hurting each other.”
I'm taken aback by his point of view. “Are you kidding me right now? Are you saying lying isn't always a bad thing?” Suddenly my cheeks flush, rememberingI’mlying to him and his company—at least when it comes to when we need orders by.
“Have you never heard of the concept of white lies?” he asks with a smirk so dangerous it could steal my undies in a heartbeat.
I attempt to mentally shake off the image of his body over mine, the memory of the way his eyes squeezed shut as his body turned into a rigid board and he came while holding me tightly to him. I try to push away the memory of the way he repeated my name in my ear, practically chanting it as he fell over. It all turns out to be a little more difficult than expected.
“Yeah, but where do you draw the line? And are we including things like white lies of omission? Because I'm not a fan of either.”
“Yes. Sometimes white lies are needed,especiallyones of omission.” Will's expression slightly darkens, but the humor never leaves his eyes completely. “I’m just saying that it's not always important to know every single detail of a person's life. Sometimes keeping things or lying about something is a way of protecting another person.”
I'm quiet for a moment as I process the fact that those words left this man's mouth. Because up until this very moment, I thought that Will would never lie to me. But if he's saying that lying isn't always a bad thing, if we're disagreeing on a core value for me, can we even be friends?
“Is this even seriously up for discussion?”
He sighs and takes a sip of his wine. “I’m just saying. It's not always a tragedy if someone lies.”
I hate his answer. I hate how dismissive he's being. But most of all, I hate how it's making me doubt everything between us. “I don't know how to respond to what you've just told me. How do I know you haven't been lying to me this entire time?”
He swallows once, regret clear on his face. “That's not what I meant. I don't mean lying is an okay thing to do whenever you please. I just mean… sometimes white lies aregoodthings. Like not telling a nine month pregnant woman she looks fat. Or telling your mom the casserole she made is your favorite thing in the world because you feel too guilty after fucking up her life to tell her that it’s the grossest shit you’ve ever tasted.That’swhat I mean.”
I chew on my lip, suddenly so close to tears. Stupid wine. “Sorry. You’re right.”
“Not always,” he agrees with a smile.
“Will?”
“Yeah?”
“It would kill me to find out this was all a lie.”
“Bridge,” he pleads, dark chocolate eyes pulling me in, tempting me to get lost in them and ignore the rest of the world around us. His large hands reach over the table to grab one of mine, warm—a safe haven that wraps around me, grounds me. “You and I could never be a lie. I swear.”
A slow smile, wet and sniffly, spreads across my face. “Okay, then.”
“Okay.” He looks down at my hand, pensively playing with my fingers. “Are we good? Are you feeling better?”
I watch as his index finger trails patterns on my palm now. For a moment there, it feels like he’s tracing the same letters into my skin over and over again. I…M…R…Y? But no, I must be imagining it.
We’re touching. Always touching. Again.
I want him to keep going. I want him to stop.
“I… I do feel better. Thank you. You always make me feel better.”
“That’s what I’m here for.”
“Thanks,” I repeat.
“So, what are you going to do? About this whole work thing?”
I take a deep breath, considering my words. “I think… I think I’m going to pick peace over resentment and this… this toxic anger. I think I’m going to let Lena run with her plan, trust that she’s going to do the right thing, and just… not let this experience ruin what’s been an otherwise great job. Because it has been so fun, and I’ve learned so much. About business and project management and just a ridiculous amount of things I never even thought of. So, yeah. I think I’m choosing to let it go. At least for now.”
Will nods, lips pressed together as he processes my words. I know what he really wants to tell me. That I deserve better. That I should put up a fight. But I just don’t want to stir the pot. Which is why I appreciate it even more when he says, “I understand why you would want to go that route, even though I think you deserve more.”
