I shook my head and he kissed me before walking away. As I sat in the car alone, I wondered if he was really capable of shutting down a theater just so he and I could watch a film that was thirteen years old.

I leaned back in the seat and shut my eyes, thinking about “us” once again. I was starting to believe that this thing we had might actually go somewhere—even though I was still afraid to completely embrace it. I was starting to believe that—

“Claire, stop it right now.” Jonathan got back in the car and I opened my eyes.

“Stop what?”

“You know what you were doing.” He handed me a small carton of mint chocolate chip ice cream and a pink spoon. “I figured this would help cheer you up a bit. It’s going to be a long drive and you might get hungry on the way...”

I smiled, shocked that he’d actually remembered my favorite comfort food. “Tell me the truth. Do you really record our phone conversations?”

“No, Claire.” He revved up the car. “I just have a good memory. It’s also pretty hard to forget anything about you.”

He drove away into the night and I savored every bite of that ice cream; it always did make me feel better.

As the car cruised out of the city, I started to wonder where the hell we were going. We weren’t anywhere near a movie theater—or civilization for that matter. There was nothing but open fields of grass everywhere I looked.

I thought about asking him where he was taking me, but I knew he wouldn’t tell me. I looked over at him and he placed his hand on my thigh, gently caressing it as he drove.

I started to shut my eyes, but the car came to a sudden stop in front of a huge white billboard.

“Did you run out of gas or something?” I stretched my arms up. “Do we need to start walking?”

“No. Get in the back seat.”

I didn’t move. I didn’t understand why I needed to get in the backseat for him to drive the rest of the way to the movies, didn’t understand why he’d changed our plans from a night at the theater to random car sex.

“I swear...” He pressed a button and the top of the convertible folded down. He stepped out of the car and moved to my side, picking me up and placing me in the backseat.

He slid in next to me and began fiddling with a black device.

I was thinking of something smart to say, fixing my mouth to ask a myriad of questions, but out of nowhere, a projector light flashed onto the blank billboard, and the opening credits of Anastasia began to play. The sound seemed to be coming from all around us, but I couldn’t see where the speakers were.

“I figured that since you’re still hesitant about being seen in public together, we could watch the movie this way.” He kissed my cheek. “Plus, the chairs here recline a lot further than they do in the regular theater...” He tapped a button and our seats slowly set back. He slid closer and wrapped his arm around my shoulders. “I’m sure we’ll take advantage of them after our dinner gets here.”

I snuggled up to his chest and kissed him. “Or we could take advantage of them now...”

Chapter 20

Jonathan

“I think that went rather well,” my mother said as our therapist left the office.

“It did...” I wasn’t sure if it was because we were actually sorting out our issues, or if being with Claire so much made me calmer, but my mother and I had completed several therapy sessions without blowing up on one another.

She pulled a purse over her shoulder and stood up. “Did I tell you I got a raise last week?”

“No...You have a job?”

She nodded. “I didn’t want to say anything until I was past the probation period, but—”

“You don’t have to work.”

“I know, but I need something that’ll occupy my time and keep me on the straight and narrow. I don’t want to fall back into my old habits.”

Jesus...She really is trying to stay clean this time...

“Would you like a ride? I can have Greg take you. Where is it exactly?”

“No, I’m fine. I’m in a buddy program; my ride should be here in any second. It’s a small shop near the eastern docks. It has the most amazing view of the ocean.”

I stepped around my desk and gave her a hug. “I’m proud of you...” I wanted to say more, to say that I would meet her down there some time for lunch, but I couldn’t bring myself to say it.

I couldn’t let myself hope that she would actually change for good; she’d let me down way too many times for that.

My secretary buzzed my intercom. “Mr. Statham? I have—”

“I thought I said absolutely no interruptions today.” I groaned. “I told you I was going to be extremely busy and can’t afford to—”

“It’s Miss Gracen, sir.”

“Oh...I’m sorry, Angela. Send her in please.”

I let go of my mother and noticed that she was raising her eyebrow, looking as if I owed her some type of explanation.

“Who is she?” she asked.

“Who’s who?”

“The woman who clearly has more privileges than I do...I’ve been turned away numerous times with the ‘Mr. Statham isn’t available for any unscheduled meetings today’ line. Why is this woman so important?”

I sighed. “She’s my girlfriend.”

“Really? Can I meet her?” Her eyes lit up. “Please?”

“You can say Hello, and then you can say Goodbye.”

“Jonathan, I—”

“We’re not there yet. Don’t try to force it.”

She gritted her teeth. “Fine...”

Forget it. She doesn’t deserve to meet Claire.

I reached for her hand so I could walk her out, but the door to my office had already opened.

Claire sauntered in wearing a fitted navy blue dress and a light beige jacket, with matching high heels that made her legs look even longer.

She smiled, and just like that, I forgot all about my annoying mother and the hectic day ahead.

“Good afternoon.” I walked over and kissed her on the cheek. “You look amazing...” I led her over to my mom. “This is my mother, Denise Statham. Mother, this is—”

“Claire,” my mom interrupted as she reached out for Claire’s hand. “It’s a pleasure to finally meet you. You’re absolutely gorgeous... Jonathan’s very lucky to have you.”

“Thank you, Mrs. Statham.”

“I’ll see you next week, son.” My mom gave me one last hug and headed towards the back walls of my office, towards the private elevator.

I pulled Claire into my arms. “Is something wrong? Are you sick? It must be something fatal if you came up here during the hours when people might actually see you.”

She rolled her eyes. “We just wrapped up the sTablet so Mr. Barnes is letting us go home early. My phone died, so I figured I’d come tell you that before you thought I was ignoring you.”

“Good decision. I would take you out to lunch to celebrate, but I’m booked with meetings until six. Dinner? There’s a new bistro down at—”

“Mr. Statham?” Angela’s voice came over the intercom once more. “I hate to bother you again, but Miss Griffin is here with an emergency. She says it can’t wait another second.”

I sighed and stepped back. “Wait here. Don’t go anywhere.” I pulled out a chair for her and walked out of the room. “This better be an emergency, Vanessa.”

“It is. I don’t use that word lightly.”

I followed her down the hall into a conference room and sat down. “What is it?”

“The Noracorps transaction was approved by the board and we were about to fax it off to the bank, but we’re missing your signature on several documents. It’s kind of the most important one, don’t you think?”

“Oh.” That definitely would’ve been a disaster...

I took the folder from her hands and pulled out a pen, initialing every necessary blank, reading over highlighted paragraphs here or there.

“Do I need to sign off on these C-18 forms too?”