Undersold(51)

He looked shocked, then confused. His brow furrowed. “What do you mean, together?”

It all came out of me in a rush. I told him how I walked in on them, what they looked like, the rumor Linda told me about, admitted that she was probably better for him than I was, and I started to tell him that I could forgive him but he needed to be honest.

“Wait, Amy, please.” He raised his hands.

I stopped speaking immediately.

“Janice and I went to high school together,” he said slowly.

That surprised me. I didn’t realize they knew each other before working together.

“You guys are friends?”

Shane nodded. “She’s my oldest and closest friend. I thought she told you that?”

I shook my head. “No, she never said anything.”

“I’ve known her most of my life. When I started Adstringo, I brought her along as my assistant, but really she’s more like my business partner. We haven’t been as close personally in recent years. The pressure from the job started to drive us apart. But when she walked in on you and I in that compromising situation, we started to talk again. Whatever had grown strange between us started to come apart, and our friendship started all over again.”

I took a second to process all of that. “So you’re just friends?”

“Just friends. Old friends, and nothing more. Never anything more.”

I felt myself break down. Tears welled up in my eyes as I threw my arms around his broad chest. He wrapped himself around me, and I sobbed against him. The stress of the past few days, the death of my Dad, it all was building up inside of me, and my relief over this Janice situation flooded through me. I sobbed and he held me for what felt like an hour as my body was wracked with convulsions. It was the hardest and deepest cry I’d had since I first heard about my father, and as I slowly calmed down, I felt like I was leaving something behind.

“I’m sorry,” I sniffled against him.

“No more apologies,” he commanded.

I felt renewed in a way I didn’t think I could. In his arms, the world righted itself.

“I shouldn’t have doubted you.”

“I don’t blame you. I’ve been keeping things from you, and although I never lied to you, I should have been more honest.”

“I’ve kept something from you, too.”

I could feel him laugh a little. “I have to admit I’m surprised by that.”

“It’s nothing huge. I’ll tell you all about it.”

He moved me back to look into my eyes, and then kissed me. I knew I looked like a mess, but his lips and mouth and tongue buried into mine, and I didn’t care. After a few moments, he pulled away.

“I want to tell you everything now, Amy. I need you to know everything. I’m in love with you.”

I could feel my heart drop from my chest. My body felt light, and I thought I was going to pass out, but his strong arms kept me grounded. I was elated and broken all at once as his words washed over me. Nothing could have prepared me for this moment, and I knew that I loved him too, and always had. I loved him more than I even know how to love. I needed him, I was greedy for him, for every inch of his form and his hands and his lips. I was greedy in love and wanted only to drown in it for the rest of my life.

“I love you too,” I said quietly, and we kissed again. His tongue and teeth and lips felt more a part of me than they ever had, and I kissed him deeply. We stayed like that for some time, and I felt the joy wash over and through me, cleaning me of whatever negative doubt and fear had lodged itself inside of me. We finally pulled away, looked into each other’s eyes, and laughed. We laughed at the absurdity of the world, at standing on a Levittown front lawn kissing, and we laughed because we were so happy. Finally, I gathered myself together as Shane released a long breath.

“Want to come inside?” I asked him.

“I absolutely do. Just let me tell the driver.” He moved off to talk to the driver, and I jogged up to our front door, threw it open, and went inside.

“John!” I yelled, but he was sitting on the couch a few feet away.

“What? Geez, I’m right here.” He stood up.

“Listen to me, Shane Green is here. He’s my boyfriend. You’re about to meet him. Then I want you to leave.”

He stared at me blankly for a second. “Shane Green? Like, the dude that owns Adstringo? Your boss?”

“Yes, my boss.”

“Is something wrong at work?”

“John. Listen. Idiot. He’s my boyfriend.”

Understanding bloomed across his face.

“And you want me to leave?” he asked.

“Yes!”

He grinned. “And why should I? I’m the man of this family now. I need to chaperone you kids.”