Acceptance

One more week.

     Quinn looked at the screen of his phone,  it was two-fifteen pm.  He raised his gaze to the grey -haired secretary whose expression was alert and impeccable. The lady met his gaze,  adjusting her horn-rimmed glasses with a broad smile. He mirrored her expression.
" You can go in now, Mr Macomb".
He stood up and walked steadily to the door, mustering every courage to face the older man. He inhaled and exhaled before knocking slowly on the door.
  "Come in",the familiar voice said from within.
Quinn twisted the knob and stepped in,  closing the door gently behind him.
Ryan was sitting behind his desk.  He was staring straight at him with a bland expression. Quinn hated that expression. It was a mask to hide his true feelings.
"what are you doing here,  Quinn? "
"I'm here to talk".
Ryan looked at him as if he just grew another head. "There is nothing to talk about".
Quinn tried to reel in his anger. "one more week,  Ryan".
He wore a confused frown. "what do you mean? ".
Quinn walked in further and stood directly facing him.
" Give me one more week and I promise on my mother's grave never to cross your path again".
"your mother's alive",Ryan corrected.
He shrugged. "She's dead to me".
Ryan held his gaze. "it's of no use,  Quinn. One more week won't change my mind".
" I'm willing to try".
Ryan sighed and raked his hand through his hair. " I can't do this to Audrey. I might not love her but I respect her feelings".
"Hey, there would be no sex,  kissing or sleeping over. It will be purely platonic,  just like two friends spending time with each other".
Ryan snorted.
"Trust me,  Ryan. I promise to keep my hands off".
There was a moment of silence. "Okay, just one week".
Quinn tried not to let his happy expression show.  " thanks"
Ryan nodded just then the door opened. It was the secretary and a brunette who was dressed in a slim fitted skirt and red blouse. Quinn knew immediately that she was the infamous fiancee.
"Audrey,  what are you doing here? ", Ryan said in a surprised tone and feigned smile.
Quinn kept a calm facade. This wasn't the time to get jealous.
" I should leave".
Ryan nodded at him as he watched him walked towards the door.
He gave the woman a polite smile as he walked out of Ryan's office.
"Do I need any reason to come see my fiance?" she said in a thrilling tone.
Quinn heard that part before he walked away from the door. He didn't want to think about what might be going on right now. It would kill his zeal of making Ryan come back to him.
" He's faking it", a calm voice drifted into his thoughts.
He stopped and turned to the secretary.
" Ryan's a good man,  too good even and as they say too much of everything is bad".
He waited for her to continue.
" The Ryan I see with you is different from the Ryan I see with her". He tries to be perfect for her but with you, he doesn't even need to try"
A small smile creeped into his lips.
" Thanks...
" call me Shannon"
He leaned in and kissed her cheek.
"Thanks Shannon".
She watched him enter the elevator with an amused smile on her face.