Page 72 of Over & Out

They leave with Kevin imparting his newly acquired expertise on the bigger man.

“He’s so cute,” I say once they’re out the door. “He’s really taking his job seriously.”

“Who, Kevin? Or the godfather?”

My mouth gapes. “Hopper?” But of course she’d make Hopper her baby’s godfather. I don’t know why I’m surprised.

Tru struggles to sit up.

“Here,” I say, jumping up and helping her get the pillows in the right place.

She smiles gratefully. Maybe she doesn’t want to talk. Maybe she really did just need a minute of respite after what she’s been through.

“He must have been so happy when you told him,” I say softly as I sit back down.

“He cried like a baby.”

I laugh, even though my heart squeezes.

“Those cufflinks were the gift I asked you to give him after the shower,” Tru says. “They were a godfather gift.”

I smile, feeling irrationally happy I had the tiniest bit of involvement in that bit of joy. Then my smile fades as I remember that the night of the shower was when everything went to hell.

“So,” Tru says, and dread drips over me. Because of course she wasn’t going to let me off the hook. “Are you ready to tell me what the hell is going on between you two?”

I set my hands in my lap, gripping them tight. Realizing I look nervous, I end up stretching on the chair. I realize I look a little too casual when Tru gives me a weird look.

I sigh, sitting normally. “There’s nothing going on. Hopper’s just…Hopper.”

But Tru shakes her head. “No. There’s something going on. You could have cut the tension in here with a butter knife.”

My cheeks heat. “That’s just irritation.”

“Chris. Please. I’m not an idiot.”

I grimace. Finally, I slump in the chair again. “We might have kissed.”

Tru says nothing. I can’t tell whether she’s upset or just waiting for me to continue; her expression is unreadable.

“But it was just once.”

“Is that right?”

I suddenly want to ask her that nagging, intrusive question I can’t shake. The question about whether he’s done this before. Maybe, despite the crystal-clear clause in my contract that inappropriate activity between me and my employer is cause for immediate termination, this is a pattern for him.

I feel like I’m going to be sick.

“Anyone ever tell you that you have a shit poker face?” Tru says.

“Yes, actually,” I say. “I always lose at poker.”

“Figures.”

“Okay, listen,” I say, deciding just to blurt the words out. “Has he done this before? Acted like he’s fallen for an employee? I know he has rules, but?—”

“Not in the whole seven years I’ve been working for him,” Tru says. “And I’m fairly certain Cindi would have told me if it had happened before that.”

I really,reallydon’t love how relieved that makes me feel. I shouldn’t care. But as it turns out, it seems that I care very much about everything relating to Hopper Donnach.

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