Page 42 of You & I, Rewritten

Waking up next to Graham after an evening full of…well,Graham…started my day off perfectly. We’ve gotten in the habit of “sleeping over” on a more routine basis, something I never thought would feel so… normal?Especially this quickly.But with Graham, everything feels normal and right and not like we’re rushing into something neither one of us are ready for. Honestly, we haven’t really even had these conversations yet—we’re either too busy ripping one another’s clothes off or eating.I’ve never met anyone who can match my cheeseburger intake, so consider me impressed.

Just as I was thinking I should head to my desk to start working, Mitch rounds the corner, his face lighting up into a smile.

“Well, well, well…” Mitch’s voice is amused and chipper first thing in the morning. “I assume you’re waiting on me?” He points to himself as he passes me, opening his office door and turning on the lights. “Come on in, Will. You want some coffee?”

“I’m alright, sir, but thank you so much.”I need this to go well.

“Pleaseknock off that ‘sir’ nonsense,’ he laughs, his casual demeanor instantly calming my nerves. “It’s Mitch from now on, okay?” He proceeds to brew himself a cup of coffee, the comforting aroma filling his office.

“Sounds good, si—Mitch,” I laugh, embarrassed by my rigid ways.Ugh. Why am I like this?

“So,” he says, taking a seat behind his impressive desk. Mitch’s office is much like Graham’s in the sense that it is filled to the brim with photos and personal memorabilia. My snooping tendencies are itching to explore. “To what do I owe the pleasure of this early morning meeting?” He casually leans back in his chair, crossing his legs.

“Truthfully, I just wanted to come and apologize for what happened with Hannah yesterday.”Breathe,I remind myself. I take a seat directly opposite him. “I acted out of line and out of character…period. So, I want you to know that I takefullresponsibility for whatever consequences come from this situation.”

He takes a sip of his coffee, mulling over my words. Mitch is an intimidating man, both physically and professionally.But it’s the intensity of his gaze, much like Graham’s, that leaves me wondering what the hell he’s thinking.

“Son, while the sentiment is appreciated, truly,” he says, leaning forward on his elbows, “it’s not necessary. I spoke with Hannah last night and informed her that our professional relationship would be over if she didn’t reconsider how she approached my team, especially when it pertains to issues as deeply personal as Ms. Taylor’s book touches on.”

Relief floods my body and I visibly exhale, letting out the breath I’d been holding since first stepping foot into his office. “I appreciate you saying that, and for your understanding of what this book means to Lana.”To me.“I am still sorry if my actions put you in an uncomfortable position.”

Mitch chuckles to himself. “In all my years in this business, I’ve realized that hardly anything worth doing, and doing right, iscomfortable.” Okay, well that was profound. “The stories we tell, the ones that we are privileged enough to be the keepers of and share with the world, sometimes those stories, and the authors who write them, need protecting.”

This.This right here is the reason why I wanted to come to work for this team. What we do is so muchmorethan just business, and to hear Mitch articulate it this way only makes me admire him that much more.

“I hope you know how rare that is…and how lucky I feel to work for a boss who thinks that way.” My compliment causes him to put his coffee down, rising to step around and join me in the matching chairs across from his desk.

“That’s kind of you to say,” his tone softens. “I wasn’t always like this. Oh man, I used to be focused on all the wrong things when I was first starting out. As our company began to grow and proved itself to be a major competitor in this industry, all I cared about was building on that momentum.” Mitch steals a glance at the framed family photo on his desk. “All I cared about was making money.”

I feel the weight of his words, the honest emotion and truth behind them.God damn it, don’t cry!What is it with these Austin men and their ability to skyrocket my emotions like this?

“But then Graham grew up and he–” his voice cracks.No, please don’t do this.“—and he came out. All of a sudden, my beautiful boy had this bright and new story to share with the world. One that needed protecting.” He chokes in a way that only proud fathers do.He did it.My eyes sting with tears. Hearing him talk about his son this way—seeing the love he has for him—overwhelms me in a way I wasn’t prepared for on a Thursday morning.Or in general.

Afraid that if I open my mouth to speak, I’ll lose my inner battle against my tears, I remain firmly planted in my seat, my gaze looking everywhere but at Mitch.Should I hug him? Do I leave?I’m the worst.

“Woah…sorry!” he says, clearing his throat. “Didn’t mean to get all emotional on ya this bright and early. That usually only happens after happy hour.” He gives me the signature Austin family wink as he stands back up, patting me on the shoulder. “All of that to say, you did the right thing yesterday, Will…and I’m very proud to have you on our team.”

I swallow the lump that’s been lodged in my throat since this conversation took an emotional turn. “Thank you, Mitch. That really means a lot.” I turn to exit his office, hoping he doesn’t say anything else that’ll punch me in the gut.

“He really cares about you.” I stand frozen, stuck between the door and the father of the man who drives me wild. “I’m probably overstepping, but that’s just who I am. I’ve never seen him this happy...thishimself.”

This has to violate some human resources document we’ve all signed.Thou shall not sleep with the boss’s son.But no HR training could ever prepare you for a moment like this.

“I really care about him, too,” I blurt out.

More than he knows,I think as I forcibly remove myself from his office, needing to put as much distance as humanly possibly between Mitch and the tears that are now streaming from my face.

CHAPTERSEVENTEEN

Over the last several weeks,balancing my growing workload and my time with Graham, both in and out of the workplace, has been keeping me on my toes. During the day, we’re able to work closely on several projects and that professional collaboration has quickly become the highlight of my workday. Our nights, on the other hand, have now been filled with dinner dates, movie marathons, and the most delicious time spent “collaborating” in far more fun ways. Graham even earned an infinite amount of Boyfriend Brownie Points by showing up with late-night tacos, so all in all, life is good.

Starting and ending my days with him has fulfilled me in ways I don’t think I’ve been capable of fathoming. Even though we haven’t been officiallydatingfor that long, I know my time with Graham is something special. He is strong and capable, filled with seemingly endless knowledge, and the most passionate man I’ve ever met. He asks thoughtful questions and listens intently, and there is a subtle confidence in the way he goes through life, knowing what he offers the world without appearing overly cocky or full of himself. It’s quite admirable, honestly, and sexy as hell.

Last night was the first night in what feels like forever that we didn’t spend it together. Graham had a family thing he had to go to, so it gave me the opportunity to have a much-needed friend date night with Klair, even though she left me after an hour or so to do some “collaboration” of her own with Dean. I would do the same thing if the roles were reversed.

Walking into the office the following morning, I can’t help but smile at the thought of seeing Graham. It’s crazy how quickly I’ve become dependent on seeing his handsome face first thing in the morning and after waking up without him today, I know for certain that that is not something I want to get used to. It feels too early to say I’ve fallen for him, but I’vereallyfallen for him, and that thought scares the shit out of me.

My phone pings as I step into the elevator.

---