Page 118 of You Found Me
“Which brings me to rule one.” He sounded resolved, final. “Don’t get personally involved with a client.”
“You can’t be serious.” She hit her forehead with the palm of her hand. “What am I saying? Of course you’re serious."
“Always.”
“You know that’s insane, right?”
The muscles in his jaw were so tight they looked like they might pop. “It’s vital.”
She shook her head. “It’s setting yourself up for failure. The second two people meet they became personally involved, not to mention it’s impossible to avoid being involved with someone you’re with twenty-four seven.”
“Not impossible. Necessary.” His gazed fixed on hers, and the crowd noise fell away. “Whatever happened or didn’t happen in that field stays in that field. While I’m on the job, that’s all there is. That’s all therecanbe. I can’t afford to split my focus. I won’t. You…your safety…is myonlypriority.”
“My…safety.” Her thoughts whirled. It was both incredibly reassuring and absolutely heartbreaking.
“Yes.”
There was something cold and distant in his eyes. He was a closed door that refused to open.
He absolutely meant what he said, but what he said wasnotwhat she wanted to hear.
Except…
“Until,” she whispered. “You said until my situation is resolved.”
“Yes.” He nodded at someone passing by.
“What then?”
He shoved his hands in his pockets. “That’s irrelevant.”
“No. It’s not. Not to me.” Her heart felt numb. It was like he’d hit it so hard he left a blank spot where there should have been a heartbeat. “It’s the most relevant thing in the world. I…”
“Hey, you lovebirds, everything okay?” Ralph called out from near the bathrooms.
Ward gave his dad a wave. “We’ll be over in a second. We need four ciders.”
“Hard or soft?” Ralph asked.
“Two hard, two soft,” Ward said.
“Gotcha!” Roger walked back toward the booth.
Ward turned to Della. “What happens when this is over is a future problem. Today is all that matters. You need to stop playing this game where you turn fantasy into reality. Stop wiggling up against me like a teenager in heat. We aren’t a real couple. We’re faking it.”
“Teenager…in…heat?” She felt a spark of anger burn through the numbness.
He rubbed his hands over his face. “You know what I mean.”
“No…I don’t think I do. I don’t think you do either.” She put her cheek next to his, her hands resting softly on his chest. “If this is all so fake, why does my wiggling against you bother you so much?”
She kissed his cheek and strode off.
Exit, stage left.
He caught up with her by the time she reached the Sevens booth, and the two of them made polite noises as they carried trays of cider back for the entire row.
Faking it for the crowd.