Chapter 45
Chapter 45:
“This day meant a lot to me. It’s been a long time since I truly laughed, since I truly enjoyed myself. For a moment, I felt like the person I used to be. That’s probably why I acted on impulse p>
He hesitated, then apologized again. “I’m sorry, Winona p>
“I missed seeing you like that, too. Everyone at work misses that side of you. Let’s forget what happened and hold on to the good parts of today,” I said, smiling.
“Winona, you’re shaking. Are you cold?” he asked, worry flickering in his eyes.
He was right—my damp clothes were freezing.
“A little, yeah,” I admitted, forcing a laugh.
Davidson jumped to his feet and offered me his hand. “Let’s warm you up. I’ve got a hoodie in the car with your name on it. Then we’ll go get dinner,” he said with a reassuring smile.
𝘉𝖾 𝗍𝘩e 𝖿i𝗿ѕ𝘁 𝗍𝗈 𝘳e𝘢𝖽 𝗼ո ѕ.𝗰o𝗺
I slid my hand into his and let him pull me up. Together, we headed toward the parking lot, tossing around ideas for where to eat. We didn’t mention the kiss, and it almost felt like we’d silently agreed to pretend it never happened. Maybe that was for the best.
“Winona, is it true?” Brenda’s voice cut in while I stirred sugar into Davidson’s coffee.
“Is what?” I looked up at her, confused.
“Are you really dating Mr. Briggs?” she asked. “Leona’s been spreading this rumor that you two… well, you know p>
Of course Leona couldn’t keep her mouth shut. Who knew what else she’d been telling everyone about Davidson and me? Suddenly, it felt like every move I made had consequences, and I realized I needed to be careful. One wrong word could expose us.
A dozen responses flashed through my mind, but in the end, simple felt safest.
“You’ll have to keep guessing, Brenda,” I said with a sly wink, slipping away before she could ask anything else.
“Go get him, girl! People say he’s worth every rumor!” she called after me, teasing.
Her playful shout pulled a smile from me as I left the break room and headed toward Davidson’s office. The moment I was out of sight, I stopped, took a few steadying breaths, and wondered if I’d just made everything a hundred times worse.
There was no avoiding it. I had to tell Davidson—though I had no idea how he’d take it.
My hand hovered at his door for a beat before I finally stepped inside. Davidson was in the middle of a tense phone call, his tone sharp.
“Leona, my relationship with Winona is none of your business. Once this divorce is final, I never want to see you again. Stay out of my life,” he snapped, frustration laced through every word.
He ended the call with a hard slam of the receiver, rubbing his forehead as he tried to collect himself. I stood in the doorway, unsure whether to speak or wait for him to calm down.
“Everything okay, Winona?” he asked, trying to sound casual. “I’m fine. She just gets under my skin,” he muttered, shaking his head.