Not Quite Over You
Page 44
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“So Drew isn’t tasty anymore?”
Silver resisted the urge to roll her eyes. Not only wasn’t it mature, Wynn had the tiniest of points.
“I will admit that we’ve been living in the past some. After years of a Drew-less existence, it’s weird to have him around all the time.”
“And you’re in business together.”
“There’s that.”
“And you’re sleeping together.”
“Did I mention that directly?”
“You didn’t have to. We all know. You’ve been glowing.”
“Maybe I have a new moisturizer.”
Wynn ignored that. “I can respect truth avoidance as much as the next woman, I’m just saying, things are different with you two. If you’re perfectly fine with all the changes, great. If you’re not, you need to be careful. I say that as a friend.”
“I know and I appreciate it. But I’m not that kid anymore.”
“Maybe, but he’s still that guy. And we’re all in danger when he’s around.”
Not for the first time, Silver wondered about Wynn’s past. There were so many unanswered questions and whenever she pried, Wynn flatly refused to discuss her life before she moved to Happily Inc.
“Do you think he loved you back then? When you were first together?”
The unexpected question surprised Silver. “Yes, I believe Drew loved me. As much as a guy his age can love anyone. I loved him, too. But there was too much against us. We made the right decision.”
“You made the right decision.”
The words were gentle, but still startling. “What do you mean?”
“You broke up with Drew before he left for college. You could see what was going to happen and you wanted to make that as easy on each of you as possible. You’re the one who told him he didn’t have to marry you when you got pregnant. He might not have liked giving up his future, but he would have done it.”
“Drew’s a big believer in doing the right thing.”
“You were the adult in the room, as they say, because you had to be. But that doesn’t mean you didn’t feel the loss and the confusion and whatever else there was. Now he’s back and all grown-up and handsome and how are you going to resist him?”
“I can’t figure out if you’re warning me off or enabling me?”
“A little of both, I suppose. I figure you need a voice of reason, right about now. I’m trying to be that. I think you were brave about Drew, then and now. I think you were able to see past being in love with him to know in your heart that if you had his opportunities, you would have wanted to leave, too.”
A truth Silver rarely admitted to herself. “You’re right. My mom was a disaster and dragged me all over hell and back. The reason was always a guy. Her next one true love, which she never found. When I figured I was old enough not to be too much trouble, I begged her to let me live with my uncle. I wasn’t sure if he would agree, but he did. Once I was here, life was so much easier. I had a stable home life, friends. But I knew there were limitations on what I could do or be. That if I went to college, it was all on me. No one was going to help me pay for it. Drew’s life was so different.” She smiled. “Note to self. Next time be born rich.”
Wynn laughed. “I know, right? Wouldn’t that be nice.”
Silver thought about how she’d felt after Drew left. He’d been all she had and he’d had so much. She was just one piece of his life.
“My mom always destroyed herself for the men she loved. She would become whatever they wanted. I think she did it so much, she lost who she was. I didn’t want to follow in her footsteps. I wanted to be strong and be true to myself.”
“Another reason you gave Drew an out.”
Silver nodded. “You’re right. I didn’t want to be like her.”
“And you’re not.”
Silver was less sure. Her mother had been a fool for love over and over again. Silver had been a fool over only one man—one love—but after him, she’d never let anyone else in. She’d never risked her heart.
She couldn’t help wondering if not risking her heart was just the flip side of risking it too much. Had she been smart or had she simply learned the wrong lesson?
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
“WE DISCUSSED THIS,” Silver said Tuesday morning, her teeth clenched. She looked at the new sofas in her retail space and wondered if she was strong enough to throw one of them at Drew’s head. “We agreed that Georgiana was going to be one of the managers.”
“We agreed to talk about it,” Drew said. “Hiring staff is a big deal. We owe it to ourselves to interview a wide range of people to make sure we have the best ones in place as we expand AlcoHaul.”
She was going to have to kill him. That much was clear. “Why are you talking to me like this? I’ve been running my business successfully for years. You’re the one who came to me about buying in, not the other way around. I know what I’m doing. Georgiana is honest, smart and she knows the business. I want her running one of the trailers.”
“Isn’t it a joint decision?”
“Why are you acting like I don’t know what I’m doing? You’re trying to take over, Drew. This is supposed to be a partnership. If this is how you expect things to be, you’re wrong.”
“I expect this to be a business and run like a business. Your opinion of Georgiana is important, but so is mine. That’s why I asked her in for an interview.”
“You did what?” Silver consciously lowered her voice. “You did that without talking to me first?”
“I’m talking to you now.”
“No. No! This is not how we do things. We discuss our decisions together. You don’t unilaterally invite someone in for an interview without talking to me first. You do not hire someone without—” She glared at him. “Dammit, Drew.”
One corner of his mouth turned up. “Just making a point.”
She wanted to stomp her foot, or make a run at sofa tossing. “You’re saying that me wanting Georgiana as a manager without clearing it with you is the same as you inviting her in for an interview without talking to me.”
“Something like that, although I didn’t think you’d get so angry. My goal wasn’t to upset you, although that’s what I’ve done. I was making a point. I didn’t do a very good job. I’m sorry. Next time I’ll talk to you directly.”
What? She stared at him. “That was so rational and thoughtful.”
“Don’t sound surprised. I’m a decent guy.”
“I know, but you just flat-out apologized.”
“I was wrong.” He raised a shoulder. “I know how to date you and I know how to make love with you, but the business thing is harder. I’m not clear on my place here. That’s going to take time.”
“You’re my business partner. Why is that confusing?”
He didn’t look convinced. “Let’s take your theory for a test drive. I think I should conduct the interview with Georgiana. I don’t have a personal connection with her, so I’ll ask different questions and we’ll get a clearer picture of how she’ll fit in with the organization.”
She pressed her lips together, telling herself she would hear him out. “Go on.”
Silver resisted the urge to roll her eyes. Not only wasn’t it mature, Wynn had the tiniest of points.
“I will admit that we’ve been living in the past some. After years of a Drew-less existence, it’s weird to have him around all the time.”
“And you’re in business together.”
“There’s that.”
“And you’re sleeping together.”
“Did I mention that directly?”
“You didn’t have to. We all know. You’ve been glowing.”
“Maybe I have a new moisturizer.”
Wynn ignored that. “I can respect truth avoidance as much as the next woman, I’m just saying, things are different with you two. If you’re perfectly fine with all the changes, great. If you’re not, you need to be careful. I say that as a friend.”
“I know and I appreciate it. But I’m not that kid anymore.”
“Maybe, but he’s still that guy. And we’re all in danger when he’s around.”
Not for the first time, Silver wondered about Wynn’s past. There were so many unanswered questions and whenever she pried, Wynn flatly refused to discuss her life before she moved to Happily Inc.
“Do you think he loved you back then? When you were first together?”
The unexpected question surprised Silver. “Yes, I believe Drew loved me. As much as a guy his age can love anyone. I loved him, too. But there was too much against us. We made the right decision.”
“You made the right decision.”
The words were gentle, but still startling. “What do you mean?”
“You broke up with Drew before he left for college. You could see what was going to happen and you wanted to make that as easy on each of you as possible. You’re the one who told him he didn’t have to marry you when you got pregnant. He might not have liked giving up his future, but he would have done it.”
“Drew’s a big believer in doing the right thing.”
“You were the adult in the room, as they say, because you had to be. But that doesn’t mean you didn’t feel the loss and the confusion and whatever else there was. Now he’s back and all grown-up and handsome and how are you going to resist him?”
“I can’t figure out if you’re warning me off or enabling me?”
“A little of both, I suppose. I figure you need a voice of reason, right about now. I’m trying to be that. I think you were brave about Drew, then and now. I think you were able to see past being in love with him to know in your heart that if you had his opportunities, you would have wanted to leave, too.”
A truth Silver rarely admitted to herself. “You’re right. My mom was a disaster and dragged me all over hell and back. The reason was always a guy. Her next one true love, which she never found. When I figured I was old enough not to be too much trouble, I begged her to let me live with my uncle. I wasn’t sure if he would agree, but he did. Once I was here, life was so much easier. I had a stable home life, friends. But I knew there were limitations on what I could do or be. That if I went to college, it was all on me. No one was going to help me pay for it. Drew’s life was so different.” She smiled. “Note to self. Next time be born rich.”
Wynn laughed. “I know, right? Wouldn’t that be nice.”
Silver thought about how she’d felt after Drew left. He’d been all she had and he’d had so much. She was just one piece of his life.
“My mom always destroyed herself for the men she loved. She would become whatever they wanted. I think she did it so much, she lost who she was. I didn’t want to follow in her footsteps. I wanted to be strong and be true to myself.”
“Another reason you gave Drew an out.”
Silver nodded. “You’re right. I didn’t want to be like her.”
“And you’re not.”
Silver was less sure. Her mother had been a fool for love over and over again. Silver had been a fool over only one man—one love—but after him, she’d never let anyone else in. She’d never risked her heart.
She couldn’t help wondering if not risking her heart was just the flip side of risking it too much. Had she been smart or had she simply learned the wrong lesson?
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
“WE DISCUSSED THIS,” Silver said Tuesday morning, her teeth clenched. She looked at the new sofas in her retail space and wondered if she was strong enough to throw one of them at Drew’s head. “We agreed that Georgiana was going to be one of the managers.”
“We agreed to talk about it,” Drew said. “Hiring staff is a big deal. We owe it to ourselves to interview a wide range of people to make sure we have the best ones in place as we expand AlcoHaul.”
She was going to have to kill him. That much was clear. “Why are you talking to me like this? I’ve been running my business successfully for years. You’re the one who came to me about buying in, not the other way around. I know what I’m doing. Georgiana is honest, smart and she knows the business. I want her running one of the trailers.”
“Isn’t it a joint decision?”
“Why are you acting like I don’t know what I’m doing? You’re trying to take over, Drew. This is supposed to be a partnership. If this is how you expect things to be, you’re wrong.”
“I expect this to be a business and run like a business. Your opinion of Georgiana is important, but so is mine. That’s why I asked her in for an interview.”
“You did what?” Silver consciously lowered her voice. “You did that without talking to me first?”
“I’m talking to you now.”
“No. No! This is not how we do things. We discuss our decisions together. You don’t unilaterally invite someone in for an interview without talking to me first. You do not hire someone without—” She glared at him. “Dammit, Drew.”
One corner of his mouth turned up. “Just making a point.”
She wanted to stomp her foot, or make a run at sofa tossing. “You’re saying that me wanting Georgiana as a manager without clearing it with you is the same as you inviting her in for an interview without talking to me.”
“Something like that, although I didn’t think you’d get so angry. My goal wasn’t to upset you, although that’s what I’ve done. I was making a point. I didn’t do a very good job. I’m sorry. Next time I’ll talk to you directly.”
What? She stared at him. “That was so rational and thoughtful.”
“Don’t sound surprised. I’m a decent guy.”
“I know, but you just flat-out apologized.”
“I was wrong.” He raised a shoulder. “I know how to date you and I know how to make love with you, but the business thing is harder. I’m not clear on my place here. That’s going to take time.”
“You’re my business partner. Why is that confusing?”
He didn’t look convinced. “Let’s take your theory for a test drive. I think I should conduct the interview with Georgiana. I don’t have a personal connection with her, so I’ll ask different questions and we’ll get a clearer picture of how she’ll fit in with the organization.”
She pressed her lips together, telling herself she would hear him out. “Go on.”
