I’m shameless and wrong, because I want it all from him and I can’t have it. I shouldn’t want it either. It is so freaking wrong, but it felt so damn right at the same time.
“I’m fine,” I rasp.
He flicks his gaze back to meet my own. “Yeah,” he breathes. “I have some things that I need to do today. I’ll be in and out of meetings. I won’t be around too much. If you finish all the filing, then you can go home early.”
“I couldn’t,” I quickly say.
He smiles, finally showing me his white teeth. “You can and you’ll be paid for the day. Don’t worry about it.”
“Landry, it’s not right,” I exhale.
My breath hitches when he lifts his hand, cupping my cheek. His thumb slides across my bottom lip and he winks. “It is.” His hand drops away and he takes a step back. “My attorney will be in this afternoon. We have to go over a few bullet points before my mediation first thing Monday morning.”
I almost don’t ask, but my mouth speaks before I can press my lips together to keep it closed. “Mediation?”
“For my divorce. I figured it’d gotten around the water cooler by now, especially since Laurent can’t keep his mouth shut, ever,” he murmurs.
Shaking my head, I stand to my feet, unsure of where I’m going to go. I take a step forward but stop myself. Tilting my head back, I look up into his eyes. “I didn’t know,” I whisper. “I’m so sorry, Landry.”
He lifts his hand, cupping my cheek again, his eyes focused on mine and nowhere else. “There is absolutely nothing to feel sorry about. It was a long time coming, like a decade or two. I’ve been sitting on the papers for six months. I should have done it fifteen years ago.”
“Still, it’s awful and I’m so sorry,” I sigh.
Landry chuckles, shaking his head once as if he thinks I’m cute. His hand doesn’t fall away like I expect it to. Instead, he keeps it right there against my cheek. “It’s a relief, Tennessee. Trust me when I tell you that it is sweet relief, or at least it will be when it’s completely final.”
We stare at one another for a long moment, that is until we hear the ding of the elevator door. His hand falls from my cheek to his side and he takes a step back, but he doesn’t break eye contact with me.
I expect him to say something to me, but he doesn’t. Instead, he turns and walks away, leaving me standing next to my desk, watching him walk into his office.
“Oh no,” Julie rasps. “I knew it.”
My head whips to the side, and I look over at her. She’s frowning, her gaze focused on mine and her lip curled slightly. She shakes her head, obviously in a disapproving manner. I open my mouth to ask her what’s wrong, but she doesn’t give me the chance to ask, she just starts to speak.
“Stay away. Just stay away. You’re younger than his youngest child. He’s going through a divorce. You’re a single mother. It will never work, it will be a few romps and then he’ll move on. Just don’t.”
Licking my lips, my gaze flicks to my feet and I feel my face heat with embarrassment. “I haven’t done anything. Nothing at all,” I say, half lying. I have kissed him and I really, really, enjoyed that kiss, too. “But even if I had, it’s not your business,” I say, keeping my voice soft.
“He’s old enough to be your father,” she sneers. “You have a child to think about.”
Nodding, I press my lips together as I inhale a calming breath through my nostrils and let it out the same way. “I appreciate your concern, but you have no reason to be concerned.”
Without saying another word, I turn my back to her and head over to my desk. Landry has sent me a few tasks he would like me to do, responses to emails and setting up meetings with realtors. I understand now why he wanted that, I thought he was just looking for a new house, I didn’t realize it was because he was going to be leaving his wife.
I can feel Julie’s glare on me, but I do my best to ignore her. I’m not sure how well I do, but I try my hardest. Eventually, her attention shifts to her work and she stops staring at me. Only then do I let out a