Now she was fighting her conflicting emotions, caught between suspicion that he was keeping a secret from her and guilt that she was willing to believe the worst of him. It wasn’t fair to believe he was lying to her. Especially not after she had been so hurt over him accusing her of hacking into his security system. If she expected Simon to trust her, she had to trust him. To do otherwise would be hypocritical.
Still, she couldn’t shake the feeling. Linda had seemed way too eager for this to just be about an incriminating photo. “I know you’d never deliberately keep anything from me,” she said gently. “But Linda reacted so strangely earlier. As if what you had to tell me was some kind of secret.”
“Well, it was a secret,” he said. “Remember, we had to keep the truth about that photo under wraps. Very few people know about it, and we’ve made sure the public thinks we’ve ended our relationship.”
“So, why did she force us into the same room then?” Heather pressed. “If us being together would arouse suspicion, wouldn’t it make sense for us to have separate rooms?”
“I think Linda was testing us,” he said quickly. “To see if we were staying true to our word.”
She lowered her eyes, now embarrassed because after getting into bed with him during their trip, they had most definitely not kept their word. “We ended up reconciling in California. So, we failed her test.”
“Well, she knows that,” he said.
“Is she going to tell the board?” she asked.
“No. She’s assured me that she won’t,” he said.
“So, why test us?” She frowned, still not satisfied with Simon’s explanations.
“I think she wanted to know for herself,” he said. “She’s very worried about her position at Dover. Linda worries that our relationship has caused issues with the company which could lead to layoffs.”
“Oh, no.” Guilt made her stomach tighten. “No wonders she seemed so secretive. She feels embarrassed about having to make sure her job is secure. I feel so responsible.”
He sank into the chair beside her and reached for her hand. “Heather, don’t blame yourself. We’ve all made our share of mistakes.”
“I know, but my mistakes can ruin so many people’s lives,” she said. “I put Dover in jeopardy and I still have to worry about keeping custody of Finn. Everything is such a mess.”
Simon released her hand to cup her chin, forcing her to meet his determined gaze. “We’re going to get through this. I know you don’t want me to help you with your investigation, but I can still be here for you. I can still support you.”
“What does that mean? For us?”
“We do have to talk,” he said. “But I don’t want to put any pressure on you. You’ve got so much stuff to deal with, and I refuse to add more to your plate.”
She leaned against his hand, loving the way it felt to be touched so tenderly. After everything she had put him through, Simon still insisted on being here for her. Her heart warmed, and she promised herself that no matter what happened she’d always be grateful for his support. “I don’t want you to think that I’m not interested in taking the next step in our relationship.”
“So, you’re interested?”
“Yes,” she said. “More than anything.”
His mouth turned up into a dazzling smile that sent a thrill through her. “Okay. We don’t have to make any decisions right now, and I’m ready to take things as slowly as you’d like. Just tell me we have a chance.”
Heather returned his smile, her heart suddenly lighter than it had been in weeks. Knowing he was still interested in her was the most wonderful feeling, and she never wanted this dream to end. “We do.”
“I KNOW YOU SAID YOU don’t want my help, but I can’t let you pass this opportunity by.”
She held her cell phone against her ear as she opened the oven door to check on the chocolate chip cookies she was baking. “Simon, if this is a ploy to take over the investigation, I’m going to be very upset.”
“It’s not,” he said.