Page 85 of Boss Level

He probably wanted to hear it more than I did.

“I’m good.” He moved further into the room and settled on the arm of my chair.

Rosie nodded and turned her attention back to her clasped hands. “It goes with the work, I suppose. Making a decision like this, I can’t help but think of that day you called me. That night she came to live with me.”

“And?” I should’ve brushed the words off. Told herthat’s good, or something equally as generic. I shouldn’t be prompting the conversation to move forward. But I’d spent so much time living mentally in that same space for the last few weeks, I had to hear how her thoughts were different than mine.

How melodramatic was I to think my reality depended on it?

Too melodramatic. I needed to stop.

“I projected a lot of my fears onto her—onto you—while she was staying with me.” There was a heavy regret in her voice. “And even years later, at your mother’s funeral I said some things— I doubt you remember, but those words have haunted me.”

“Hmm.” I didn’t dohaunted. I did practical. Realistic. I learned from the past and never made those mistakes again.

Dom squeezed my shoulder, and I swore something cracked inside, but I didn’t know what.

Rosie searched my face. For what? The way she looked away made me think she didn’t find it.

“I don’t want to say something like that to someone else,” she said. “So few people are as strong as you. As Judith… You’ve become an incredible man.”

Of course I had. I never would have been anything less. “But?”

“And she’s an amazing woman. But you and Judith together”—

Are dangerous. Are toxic.

—“You make each other even better, in a way that shouldn’t be possible.” Rosie looked at Dom. “Not that you don’t…”

Dom chuckled. “I’m not going to argue. I think the same thing.”

“I’m sorry I ever said otherwise.” Rosie stood. “Even if you don’t remember, I do, and I’m sorry.”

I wasn’t sorry. “I’m glad you stopped by.” I gave her a quick hug. “Dom and I will be there on Christmas. Send him the house paperwork when you have it.” My phone chimed as we pulled apart.

Judith?

“All right.” Rosie’s smile was tight. “I’ll talk to you soon.”

“I’ll see you out.” Dominic to the rescue.

Tension cranked through me as I reached for my phone, and disappointment crashed around me when I saw Wade’s name on the screen. I wasn’t in the mood for this right now, and if he thought I was blunt before, he was about to feel the mallet’s flat end of my mood.

“Yeah,” I answered.

“Do you have a few minutes?”

“I have an entire afternoon to tell you all the ways you’re wrong.”

Wade’s chuckle was dry. “No need. I’ve already figured that out. You know how much it hurts me to say you were right and I was wrong.”

Apparently my day was going to be full ofwhat the fuckmoments that were good. This was good, wasn’t it? “I do know. So why are you saying it?”

“Because it’s true.” Wade sighed. “I’ve been going over Oliver’s decisions recently. Not just my gut, but the hard data, and yeah, it’s been costing us. It sucks to say, but sometimes even the people we love can be wrong.”

Couldn’t say I’d been there.

Uh-huh.

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