She took one look at Eden, then at me, and said, "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to interrupt anything."
"Oh, no. You're fine." In an instant, Eden snapped out of the worried silence. She smiled at Janette, and I immediately noticed the faint blush that crept up her neck and tinted her cheeks a dusty pink color. "I was just heading to my office. He's all yours."
Janette stood there, stock still, and waited for the door to close behind Eden. Then she carefully made her way to my desk and took a seat across from me. Glancing over her shoulder one more time, she leaned in and whispered, "Can she hear us?"
"Not if we talk low enough … but we don't have to whisper." I knew why she was here. I didn't know how she'd figured it out, but with her reaction to Eden, and now the secrecy, I knew without a doubt she'd managed to put the pieces of the puzzle together.
"Don't lie to me. Okay, Dane? If you know the truth, and I'm assuming you do, I need you to tell me." She paused and took a few quick breaths. Her shoulders bounced and her eyes grew softer than I'd ever seen them before. "Is there something about Eden I should know?"
My chest constricted at the thought of giving away a secret Eden clearly didn't want anyone to know. Including me. "What makes you think that?"
"I told you what had happened to me, and about me placing a baby up for adoption. Your reaction was puzzling, but I just assumed it was shock over my confession. But then Eden came up, and your reaction became even stranger. The way you looked between us, couldn't speak … it was as if you'd seen a ghost. Again, I assumed it was because she'd walked up in the middle of a very heavy conversation. I thought maybe you were concerned she had overheard us, possibly nervous about someone else hearing what I had said. But when I got back to my office, I started thinking. I've had several conversations with Eden since she started here. Some were related to business, while others were more personal."
"Okay … so what are you trying to say?"
"The first time I met her, she had come down to my office to introduce herself. She sat down and we spoke briefly. I told her I was disappointed you'd stolen her from me, but I understood that her qualifications were better suited for you and not me. Before she left, she pointed to the photo I keep on my desk … the one of me with Bill and the boys. She asked about them-Trevor and Landon. At the time, I just thought she was striking up conversation. But now, when I think about it, she seemed more interested in them than most people would be. And then there was another conversation when she talked about her parents. I thought it was a little strange at the time, but now I can't stop questioning it."
"What did she say?"
"It wasn't what she said, but how she said it. Almost as if she were making it a point to let me know how good her parents were to her. It was more than just telling me she had a good life." She let out a sigh and slumped forward in her seat. "I don't know, Dane. It's hard to explain, but I can't help the feeling that there's more to her than what I know."
"Then maybe you should ask her."
"That right there tells me you know the truth." Her eyes began to mist, no matter how rapidly she blinked them. "You know, don't you? Why won't you tell me?"
"Because it's not my place to say anything."
Her chest expanded with her deep inhalation. "I think that answered my question."
"Are you going to say anything to her?"
She stood and glanced behind her once more. The way her body appeared to soften, almost going completely slack, showed the contentment and emotion coursing through her. This was a mother finally getting answers about her child. The child she never knew anything about. The piece of her she'd given away, entrusted strangers to care for, without ever knowing her gender.
When she faced me again, her tears had fallen, and the sight bathed me in peace. Peace for Eden. Peace for the younger Janette who had to make one of the toughest decisions of her teenage life. "She hasn't said anything to me for a reason. So I feel like I should respect that and keep this to myself."
"Maybe she hasn't said anything because she's afraid of your response. I'm not trying to put words in her mouth, because she hasn't opened up much to me about this topic, but I know she deals with abandonment issues. I think if she knew your side of the story, knew where you were at mentally and emotionally when you put her up for adoption, it might help you both heal."
"With all due respect, Dane," she said with a smirk and a hand on her hip. "You're an investor, not a psychologist."
I simply laughed beneath my breath and shook my head, finding amusement in her throwing my words back in my face. "Whatever. You know I'm right. Do with the information as you please, but whatever you do, don't tell her I told you. Because I didn't."
"Don't worry. Your secret's safe with me."
"There is no secret. I didn't tell you."
She walked across the room and held onto the door handle. "I won't say anything. It's a little hard to explain how I figured it out anyway."
Even though my conversation with Janette didn't take away the shock of the truth, it was enough to clear my muddled mind. I was able to get through the files Eden had left for me and make it to the end of the day. I waited until I knew Eden was out of the building before sending her a text.
Grow old with me.
I knew she'd ignore it, just like she ignored my texts every evening. But it didn't stop me. After Janette had imparted some wisdom on me, I had a clear understanding of where things were headed with me and Gabi, and me and Eden.
Although, I was sure Heidi would be tired of me asking for legal favors.
I figured I'd throw her an early bonus to make up for the added personal work I'd be asking her for.
22
Dropping off a document for Eden, I found a real estate brochure on her desk. I went to reach for it, hoping it would give me some clue on what kinds of homes she was on the hunt for, but before I could pick it up, she walked into her office from the hall.
She slapped her hand against her chest as she stared at me with wide eyes and a gaping mouth. "You scared me, Dane. What are you doing in here?"
I moved away from her desk to allow her space to settle in for the day. She set her purse down and took her seat, all while watching me, waiting for an explanation. I pointed to the paper in front of her and said, "Just dropping off some work for you."
It was Thursday, approaching the end of the work week, and the closer we got to Friday, the more I seemed to want to be near her, knowing I'd have to go the entire weekend without seeing or hearing from her. If she'd picked up on it, she hadn't said anything.
"I see you have one of those booklets for houses. Have you found one?"
She grabbed it off the top of her desk and shoved it into a drawer while cutting her eyes at me and smirking. "I believe that's considered a personal question."
"Not really. I mean, if you've found a house, you'll be needing time off for inspections and closing. Then the time to move and get settled in. I think that falls under the category of business-related questions. It directly concerns me, considering you're my assistant and all."
"You're insane." She giggled and shook her head. "But fine, to answer your question, yes. I think I've found something. But it's not a done deal yet. It's a little out of my price range, so I have to talk with the bank about my options."
"If it's more than you can afford, then maybe you should keep looking."
"It's not that much out of my budget. And it's perfect. It has everything I'm looking for and then some. I think I'll cry if I don't get this house." Realizing the personal information she shared, she shook it off and scooted her chair closer to the desk.
"What if I gave you a raise? Would that help?" I didn't want to help her buy a house, but if it meant she'd have everything she wanted, then I'd do it. With, of course, the hope I'd eventually be living under that roof with her.
"I'm not accepting a raise from you outside my evaluation, Dane. That wouldn't look good to anyone, and I refuse to use this"-she waved her hand between us-"as a reason to get more money." Focusing on the papers in front of her, she silently dismissed me.
It'd been three days since Janette and I discovered Eden's secret. I wanted to ask her about it, see if she was aware we knew, but Eden had nearly perfected the art of holding me at arm's length. And I would've asked Janette, but she'd made herself scarce since leaving my office Monday.
I felt antsy, the waiting game with Eden getting the best of me. I was isolated most of the time at the office, considering Eden kept herself holed up behind the closed door with the shades drawn on the adjoining window. And I was alone at home. I still didn't have answers, didn't have a house to focus on, didn't have anyone to keep me company on the pier. I never felt so lonely before, and I'd been in a relationship for twelve years with a woman who spent most of the time ignoring me while we were in the same room. I just had to push through and keep the faith.