Now she looked embarrassed.
“It was never you, Kathleen. It’s always been Cleo. And even if your assumption had been right, you put me in a position to cheat on my partner. Lots of people are attracted to people outside their relationship. Doesn’t mean they’ll act on it. You put me in a situation that compromises my integrity. Maybe you don’t know me that well—because my reputation is the most important thing to me. Without it, I’m nothing.”
She kept looking at the floor, finally out of steam on her arguments.
“Drop off your resignation and leave. I’ll tell everyone you were offered a position elsewhere…unless you want to continue to piss me off and change my mind.”
She got to her feet and sighed. “Well, I appreciate the opportunity, Deacon.”
I narrowed my eyes. “Dr. Hamilton.” She was no friend of mine.
As if that was the final blow, she winced. “Dr. Hamilton…”
I asked Tucker to get a drink with me after work.
I was in a bad mood. Wanted to get rid of it before I came home to Cleo. I’d only been back for a week, and I still missed her like I’d been gone just yesterday.
Having Patricia really was nice, because I would never have time to stop off anywhere without her. My driver dropped me off, and I grabbed a beer at the bar before I joined him at the table.
“What did you want to talk about?” He blurted out the question before I even fell into the chair.
I got comfortable and twisted off the cap.
He narrowed his eyes. “Deacon?”
“What?”
“What happened?”
“Nothing happened. I just had a shitty day at work.”
“Oh…” He nodded slowly then stared at his beer.
His demeanor was totally off, but I couldn’t figure out why. “Everything alright?”
“Yeah,” he said quickly. “What happened at work?”
“I fired one of my researchers.”
“Whoa…why?”
“She came on to me in Sweden.”
“She what?” he asked incredulously. “Is she hot?”
I glared at him.
“Sorry,” he said quickly. “Instinct, you know? But is that really a fireable offense?”
“She’s come on to me a couple times…”
“Got it. How did Cleo feel about it?”
“She was pretty angry. Not at me, but at her.”
“I can imagine.”
“It’s unfortunate because she’s a brilliant physician with a lot of potential…but she let sex get in the way.” She seemed to care more about fucking me than getting things done. It was beneath her.
“I mean, sex is arguably the most important thing in the world.”
Maybe if it was with the right person, like what I had with Cleo. Once I shook off this anger, I’d go home and try to sneak into the bedroom with her so I could get some action. I loved having Derek around, but man, he was a cockblock.
“Well, if she’s gone and Cleo is fine with it, then it’s time to let it go.”
“Yeah.” I drank from my beer. “I almost didn’t tell Cleo about it, but then I felt too guilty keeping that secret from her…even if it would have been better in the end.”
Tucker stared at me.
I drank my beer and watched him. “What?”
“I didn’t say anything.”
“I know. You’re just…not yourself.”
He shrugged. “I might be a little drunk already…”
It seemed like he’d only had one beer, but maybe he’d chugged a couple before I got there. “How are things with Pria?”
“Great. We’re really getting along.”
“Getting serious?”
“I mean, we’re exclusive. We aren’t getting married or…having a baby…anytime soon.” He stared at his beer.
“You guys have been seeing each other for several months now?” It was almost as long as Cleo and I had been together, not including that two-month break in between.
He nodded. “Yeah. Pretty good amount of time.”
“Do you think it’ll go anywhere?”
“I mean, I love her. I’ve told her that. I think about proposing, but I’m gonna wait a while.”
“Why?”
He shrugged. “Rings are fucking expensive, man. And I don’t want to cheap out. My wife is gonna wear that forever, you know? Don’t want it to be small or dull. But then it’s gonna break the bank…”
Cleo’s ring cost a pretty penny, even for me. But I wanted her to have something nice, because she did like nice things. But I didn’t tell Tucker about it, didn’t tell anyone about it. I had the ring, but I didn’t know how or when I would propose. Baby steps, I guess. “Maybe you should have her move in first. Split the cost of rent. It’ll help you save quicker.”
“I can’t ask her to move in then pay half the rent. That’s lame.”
I shrugged. “We live in an equal society.”
“Yeah, but that’s not romantic. You make Cleo pay half the mortgage?”
“Well…no.” But that was totally different. I could afford everything on my own, and she didn’t even make enough to be able to make any meaningful contribution. “But that’s not really the same.”
“I’m an old-fashioned guy. I want to be the breadwinner. I want to take care of my wife. I want her to stay home with the kids.”