Yes, Chef

Chapter 26: Allies and Enemies

~Mads's POV~

He wants this. Us. Together.

And I do too.

"Okay." I agree.

His eyes widen. "Really?"

"Yes."

"I don't need to convince you?" He questions in disbelief.

"I mean, what did you have in mind? I won't stop you." I joke.

He heaves a sigh of relief, chuckling. "I'm not gonna lie, Mads. I was expecting to fight you on this."

"We have enough people working against us. Why fight each other anymore?" I shrug.

He hauls me from my spot on the couch onto his lap. I straddle him and admire his handsome, albeit tired face. He asks. "What changed your mind?"

"Just to be clear it was never an instance of doubting you or what I feel for you. I guess those feelings won out over my fear of being found out and chastised for how we came to be together." I explain. I hesitate with revealing the next piece of information. "My brother figured it out. Given what Garrison said to you, I think my brother might have told him too."

"Lovely." Benedict groans.

"My brother is a dick but in his mind he thinks he's protecting me." At least I hope that's the case. He was more in my face than usual about this. "I...I think I want to maybe get ahead of this. Come clean before someone does it maliciously."

"Do you really think your brother would stoop to that knowing it would jeopardize your career? Your happiness?" Benedict is incredulous.

"Not him but Garrison, maybe. Hillary suspects it. Hell, Fuller might eventually put two and two together and accidentally tell someone that matters." I point out.

"I'll follow your decision on this. What are the consequences of this in your field?" He inquires.

"Well I could be stripped of my license but um... that's not really a problem since I let it expire." I reveal.

"What? Really? Does that mean..." He tries to fathom the consequences.

"It means that technically I shouldn't have been practicing but...you and I were friends at that time and I wasn't more than a sounding board. You had all the tools at your disposal. And now that you were released from your mandate on your own accord, I don't think it matters to your standing but I'd like to discuss it with your lawyer, just in case." I indicate.

"You've really given this some thought." He seems to appreciate my plan.

"Well, I had time to think while you were missing. Speaking of, where did you go?" I tilt my head.

"I rode the metro." He comments.

"To?"

"Nowhere. I just hopped on and let it carry me to the end of the line and back." He shares. "The one place where I used to go when I needed relief was the restaurant. I consider the tattoo shop but that place holds a lot of memories of us. I didn't think..."