Page 66 of His Surrender

“You could say that.”

He chuckles. “You’ve been quiet lately.”

“I’ve always been quiet.”

“Not this quiet.”

I look out the window. He’s probably right.

For a while, neither of us speaks.

The silence gives my thoughts room to wander again.

Maybe I’ve overcorrected.

The thought appears so unexpectedly that I almost laugh.

One week of pretending Aubrey is simply my employee has somehow made things feel more awkward than they did before.

I’ve spent so much energy making sure I’m not crossing a line that I’ve built a wall instead.

Perhaps I don’t need a wall. Maybe I just need boundaries.

There’s a difference.

I could ask her how her day was. I could drink a cup of coffee while she finished feeding Liana.

I could laugh at one of her ridiculous stories without imagining every conversation had some deeper meaning.

I’ve lost sight of the fact that attraction doesn’t automatically mean action.

I’m not some lovesick teenager, incapable of controlling himself.

I’m a thirty-four-year-old CEO. Surely, I am capable of finding a healthy middle ground.

By the time Louis turns onto my street, I feel lighter than I have in days.

Almost relieved.

Tonight, I’ll stop acting like Aubrey is a stranger, living in my home.

I’ll ask her how her day went. Maybe tell her about the investor who accidentally presented the wrong slideshow this afternoon.

We can eat dinner with Liana, like we used to.

Normal. That’s all it has to be.

Louis pulls to the curb in front of my building.

“I’ll see you on Monday, Mr. Ledger.”

“Have a good weekend, Louis.”

“You too.”

I step onto the sidewalk, loosening my tie as I make my way toward the doors. For the first time all week, I find myself looking forward to going home.

Not because I have plans. Simply because I’ve finally decided to stop making my own life harder than it needs to be.