In Case You Didn't Know

Chapter 40

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Alexia

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"No. Absolutely not." Nathaniel shakes his head profusely.

"Yes. Absolutely yes." I cross my arms over my chest, eyebrows slightly furrowed.

"I'm going to quote you on this: you are not, under any circumstances, throwing your career down the toilet. I mean it, Alexia." As if to accentuate his last words, he takes a step in my direction.

"It's not up to discussion." It really is not, so before we engage in yet another argument, I turn on my heels and head outside the room.

"Alexia, no." He snatches my arm from behind, bringing me to a halt. There's that distinctive sort of coldness in his eyes that only ever makes an appearance when he's truly mad. I hold his gaze, racking my brain to find the right set of words to make him understand.

"Quoting you back: 'And what about what I wanted? Did that ever cross your mind?' We're not going down that road again. This is the right thing to do." Freeing myself of his grip, I continue my way down the kitchen, crouching in front the oven to check on our dinner.

"Except it's not; it has absolutely nothing to do with–"

"I helped making the bed we've been lying in for the past few weeks." Exasperated, I rub my hands against my face. I didn't not expect this much resistance from his part. "Let me take this one for the team." Because we are a team, I told him last night when this idea first came to mind. We are, he agreed, we have to act like one, Nathan.

"I'm the one that should be doing that, not you."

"We both know that would be too easy." I reach out a hand towards him, cupping his bearded cheek.

"I don't like this idea at all."

"And I don't like the idea of this dragging on forever." If we were to sue Lauren, the only thing that would do is to turn this into an even bigger and public mess.

"That doesn't mean you have to set on fire everything that you have worked for so long."

"Although I care about my career, I care more about being a decent human being."

"You are! Fuck what everyone else thinks."

"You've said countless of times that my mistakes don't define me, let's hope everyone else sees that, too."

"What if they don't?"

"Then I'll happily go back to my office job, or go raise our sproglets in a farm in Vermont." Nathaniel Rowlins is not in the mood to be humored right now, so my little joke is lost and the only thing it accomplishes is sinking deeper the frown on his face. "Wouldn't you have liked the chance to decide?" I add with a softer tone.

"What about Midwest? I'm sure they're not letting you proceed with this."

"Everything has been settled. Charlotte is drafting the statement as we speak."

"There's no talking you back into this, is there?" I shake my head no. "I'd like to be put on record as not liking this idea, for further reference." The scowl on his face is still visible as he finally agrees to take his phone out of his pocket and hands it to me.

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A queasy feeling has settled in my stomach by the time I get out of my car. I spent the previous night going over the key points that I want to address, reminding myself to be succinct and to the point. There's no need to make a scene, and if everything goes as planned I'll kill two birds with one stone.