Page 76 of Yours, Forever

"I can take over bookkeeping and accounting, and help with shift scheduling and other tasks. If you teach me about supply chain management, I can help with that, too. Ren has been back to work for a few months and she's doing so good, she barely needs me anymore."

"I'm glad to hear you plan to stay in town." I smiled. "Even now that Ren doesn't need you to help with her recovery."

"Of course. I came back home for her, but I always knew I'd stay. And with Daniel and rEvalution…" she sighed. "That's what I want for my future, if you'll have me."

My chest felt lighter for the first time in hours. It was easier to let her get a little closer, now that I knew for sure she would stay.

I put a hand on her shoulder. "I would love that."

Ale's grin rivaled mine.

She hugged me sideways. "Thank you, boss."

Max

Waiting to meet my mother-in-law that evening had my shoulders in knots. Mostly because Eva herself appeared to be in a bad mood. I didn't like seeing her struggle.

Quite the start to the day where Eva and I would have to sleep together, to keep the pretense going, while her mother slept in my bed.

We spent the morning making sure no traces of us having separate rooms could be found. Then we worked like usual, as much as we could.

By the time Olga had arrived and we'd gotten on the road to a fancy restaurant in a nearby town, Eva's mood had only deteriorated. I put a hand on her knee for most of the way, and she let me do it with no comment.

Now, eating dessert after a delicious dinner, I kept the conversation going to distract from the fact Eva had barely said a word.

"So tell me if I got this right, Olga." I took a bite of my cheesecake. "You and Todd have been together for three years..."

"That's right, honey. Three years."

"And he's on a business trip nearby, and that's why you took the opportunity to visit us?"

"Exactly. Smart, right? Since my daughter hasn't invited me to meet her husband yet, and you were so gracious to get us out of the town to the one decent place around; I appreciate it."

Eva sighed.

Olga continued, "Not that she's met my Todd yet. I have invited her, though. Maybe then she'd see all that the city has to offer, and I thought maybe meeting Todd's son would be an incentive— not that she needs that anymore. I'm so glad she met you. Can't wait to get to know you! Why don't you tell me more about who Max is?"

And so the night went.

Eventually, Olga had disappeared to my—her—bedroom, and Eva brushed her teeth in the bathroom. I had already done so, and undressed to my underwear in her bedroom. I put on the robe for modesty, before Eva came in wearing pajama shorts and a tank top.

She threw herself on the bed, face down.

"Poor darling." I sat next to her and caressed her back. "You must be exhausted."

"Mmmrrmmh," she groaned. "She takes so much energy from me."

"She didn't ask a single thing about you. Not even a random ‘How are you?'"

"You charmed her like you charm everyone else, and she doesn't have any real interest in me. She has said she already knows me, so she doesn't have anything to ask." She turned in bed and gazed at me.

My hand took residence on her shoulder, my thumb making circles on her skin. "Still. If she hadn't asked so many questions about me, I would have thought her self-centered."

"She can be. There are several reasons why I'm not close to her, and that's one of them. When she and I talk on the phone, it's basically an update about the things she and her boyfriend have done, or something someone said to her and how she responded to it."

I lay in bed next to her. The skin under my fingers, warm and soft, invited me to keep soothing. Scary, how natural it felt.

Despite the thought, I smiled at her as if totally unaffected. "Remain strong. Recover with a good night's sleep. Then we just have breakfast to get through, and then she'll leave."