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“Believe me, I’m not and I wouldn’t. She’s the first person I thought of when I found out what happened, but for as much as I do know her, I can’t see her doing something like this. She has far too much to lose with her job. She and I actually had a good talk. I finalized the Nile Logistics deal and she apologized to me for her behavior, for going to talk to you. She said she went to apologize to you but that you weren’t at school.”
“I saw her and Preston making out behind the school in her car not that long before this all happened. He actually texted me a few times asking me what happened and where I went. He said there were rumors going around but I didn’t respond. I thought maybe he was in on it. I don’t know.”
“Wait, what?” I laugh at the thought that she’s sunk her claws into Preston. He’s exactly the kind of younger man candy she would go after.
“The day she came to talk to me about you two, I went out the back because I didn’t want to run into her again in the hallway, but she was already outside. She was in her Range Rover and Preston was leaning in the driver’s side window, kissing her.”
“But that doesn’t make any sense. Why would she be fooling around with her son’s teacher, then tell on you for doing the same thing?”
“I dunno, to get you back?” She looks at me questioningly. “Are you—back with her?”
“What? No, never. I’m—Daphne I’m in love with you, you know that. I meant everything I said to you and while I know it’s not what you wanted to hear, it’s how I feel. That isn’t changing, it won’t change, even if you don’t feel the same.”
She sits down in my chair behind my desk, letting out a dramatic sigh. “I talked to my dad about everything with us. About how I was hurt by his actions running off with my mom’s nurse and moving on and how I wouldn’t let myself move on.”
“And? Did it help you gain clarity at all?”
“I think so, yeah. I forgave him. I met his new wife and she’s wonderful. I guess I wanted him to hurt and wallow in the pain of losing my mom like I did but that’s just not fair. I can’t expect other people to hurt or grieve like I do. He also helped me realize that it wasn’t grief I was holding on to; it was pain. I’d grown used to hiding behind it, using it to mask my real emotions. I was using it as a reason to not move on with my life… I was wrong. I was so wrong.”
“About?” I hold my breath, unsure what she’s about to say.
“You and my feelings.” She looks up from her hands that are folded in her lap. “I didn’t want to admit that what I felt for you was more than anything I’d ever felt before. I felt like I was betraying what I had with Carson, but the truth is that’s in the past. Moving on and falling in love again isn’t betraying him. I know he wouldn’t want me to stay in the past, just like if it were me who died, I’d want him to move on and be happy and find the person who was going to give him the life he deserved… the life he wanted and longed for.”
“I do understand that feeling. I had all those same thoughts myself early on with us. I knew what I was feeling for you was more than just a crush or wanting you and I fought with myself over it. It felt so quick, like I was falling and no matter what I did I couldn’t catch myself. But the bottom line is, we aren’t replacing people we lost in our past. We’re just creating our future together.”
She looks at me with big tears in her eyes that tumble down her cheeks as she jumps out of the chair and into my arms. “I’m so sorry. I love you.”
I spin her around in my arms, kissing her through her tears.
“So now what?” she asks as I slide her down my body.
“Now I take you to bed and we make up.” I back her against my desk, kissing her. Her hands dart out to catch herself and shit hits my keyboard, waking up my monitor.
“I didn’t take you as a social media kind of guy,” she says, looking at my computer screen.
“I’m not. I was just doing some research. Trying to find out who might be the source Rick claims to have.”
“Ugh,” she groans, looking at the screen. “Mr. Fein’s face is the last thing I want to see right now.” She’s about to turn away when she squints, leaning closer to the screen. “Wait, I know that guy next to him. Or I recognize him at least.”
“Him?” I say, pointing to the man to his right. He’s tall, much taller than Rick with a broad chest and thick arms. He has a baseball hat on. “How do you know him?”
She stares at it a little longer. “That’s—that’s Steve’s roommate, my neighbor.”
“What?” I slowly sink down in my chair, reading the caption on the picture. “I didn’t know Steve lived with someone.”
Happy Birthday to my little bro. You might have outgrown me, but you’ll always be the baby.
“Yeah, that’s Steve’s roommate. I’ve never officially met him. I don’t even know his name, but I’ve seen him in my building, going into that apartment. He moved in with Steve less than a year ago. He’s super reclusive, always has a hat on pulled down.”
“Wait… Your neighbor is Rick’s little brother?” I say it out loud, realizing the connection between him and Steve. “But why would they come after you?” I scroll down, reading the comments left by a few people, one in particular catching my eye, one that makes everything make sense.
Can’t believe little Kenny Fein grew up to be so fine.
There it is, right in front of me. Ken F. Ken Fein. They weren’t doing this to come after Daphne… they were coming after me.
Chapter 21
Daphne
