“Why?” she asks, her voice soft and almost sounding hurt.
“I didn’t want to do it without you. I don’t know why, but I wanted you with me. Next to me.”
She doesn’t say anything right away, but the charge in the car is gone, thank fuck. Pulling into the parking lot, I park the car, but keep it idling for just a moment. Turning to her, I focus on her profile.
Slowly, she turns to look over at me. Her green eyes are sparkling as she watches me, her eyes searching my face. Then her trembling lips curve up into an attempted smile.
“You wanted my support?” she asks softly.
“Yeah, I think I need it.”
“Why?” she asks.
I’m silent for a moment. I could tell her a million different things, I could lie, but in the end, the truth spills out.
“I’m not sure exactly why. But you’re my future. You’re important to me, and I just need you there while I close this chapter of my life. After today, it’s done. We’ll officially be done when the paperwork is all filed and completed, and we were really done years ago, but this is the closure that I think I’ve been wanting and needing for years.”
Tennessee reaches over, she takes my hand in hers and squeezes gently. “I’ll be your support. I’ll be there for as much as I can, but Landry, I really don’t know how I feel about this.”
Nodding my head, I smile at her. This is exactly who I need. Susan would have no problem strutting in to show off the fact that she’s won the prize, whatever that prize is. Tennessee isn’t that kind of woman. I know that, and maybe this was a subliminal test to prove it to myself, but it doesn’t matter because I needed this, her, and us.
“Thank you, honey.”
“You know that I’m here for you, whatever you need.”
Licking my lips, I lean forward and touch them to hers. “And I’m here for you too, Tennessee, whatever you need, whenever you need it from me.”
Chapter Twenty
TENNESSEE
I don’t think I could have dreamed up a more awkward situation in my entire life. We make our way into the office, there is a handsome man around Landry’s age standing to the side, dressed in an expensive suit. He jerks his chin toward Landry, then his gaze slides over to me and he frowns.
He knows who I am. Without a doubt. Landry has told him and judging by the way he’s side-eyeing me, he is not impressed. Not in the slightest.
“Landry,” he calls out, his tone gruff and grumbly.
“Bash, this is Tennessee,” Landry says, introducing us.
I extend my arm, ready to shake his hand, but instead of taking my palm, he flicks his gaze down at my hand, then focuses his attention back on Landry.
“I need to talk to you,” he grunts.
My arm falls to my side and Landry surprises me when his pinky extends from his own side and I feel it slide against my hand. He can’t touch me here, but he’s still showing me his support. He brought me here and I’m wondering if he thinks that it was as much of a mistake as I do right about now.
“Say whatever it is, we need to go inside,” Landry says, sounding impatient and irritated.
Bash clears his throat, his gaze flicking to mine before he shifts back over to Landry. “What the fuck are you thinking bringing her here?”
“Tennessee is my assistant. I need her to take notes for me.”
He shakes his head. “I will take notes for you as your attorney,” he grinds out.
Landry clears his throat, he leans down slightly and forward. “Let it go, Bash. As long as she doesn’t contest Tennessee’s presence, she’ll be there. Closure is important, so is showing support and needing support.”
Bash snorts. “You’ve never needed support a day in your life. You’re just trying to show off your new piece.”
“I would suggest you shut your fucking mouth, Bash.”
“Or?”
Landry stands tall, arching a brow, but he doesn’t say a word, he doesn’t have to. Bash doesn’t approve, not at all. He is likely disgusted by me, and he isn’t hiding it at all. But Landry isn’t accepting that, and I feel sick to my stomach immediately. I do not want to be the cause of tension and dissension between Landry and his friend.
“Landry, I can wait out here. I have computer work that I can do,” I offer softly.