Wildfire (Maple Hills, #2)(93)
I stand, too, following Mom’s lead back toward the main path, helping her step back into her pumps when we reach the gravel. “Are you going to stay for a little while? Emilia will be around here somewhere.”
“I can’t, darling. I need to get home for Cat. He’ll be wondering where I am.”
I forgot about the damn cat. “Is this cat real? Or is it some kind of ploy to get me to come over.”
She rolls her eyes as she reaches into her bag to pull out her cellphone and there, on her phone background, is a picture of a scruffy black cat lying in a sea of pillows on— “Why is he on my bed!”
“You have your own place, Aurora. You can’t claim every bed you sleep in forever.”
“Are you kidding me? You were asking me to move home two minutes ago!”
She huffs as she stuffs her phone back into her purse. “I’m sure if you bring some smoked salmon with you on your next visit he will consider sharing with you.”
I’ve left Mom with Emilia and Xander is under strict instructions that he’s not allowed to hit on her. Xander made some jokes about becoming my step-dad as soon as he realized my mom just looks like an older version of me and I’m taking no chances. I gave Emilia permission that if Clay even looks in Mom’s direction, she’s allowed to beat him.
I know as I approach Jenna’s office that I’m going to hate every second of this conversation.
Honey Acres has been part of my life for longer than it hasn’t been and I know that being fired means I’ll never be welcomed back here and, really, I should have considered that before I started things with Russ. I can’t lie, I’ve never truly believed that the fraternization rule was enforced, but after being given the cold shoulder earlier, I’m not as confident.
But some risks are worth it and given the time again, I wouldn’t change it. Russ told me he wouldn’t change anything in the past because he wouldn’t risk not meeting me, so if getting fired from the place I love most in the world is how it goes for me, at least I get to keep the butterflies.
Rapping my knuckles against the door, I know from the Mamma Mia soundtrack blasting that Jenna’s in there. I’ve never knocked before entering Jenna’s office before so I don’t know why I’m starting today, maybe it’s because I know not pissing her off further will help my cause. I knock again a little harder and she finally shouts come in.
The look she gives when she realizes it’s me practically cuts me open. She’s not angry; she’s disappointed.
“Jenna, I’m sorry.”
“Don’t tell me you’re sorry when you’re not, Rory. You knew exactly what you were doing when you broke the rules and you’ve knowingly put me in a difficult position.”
“Please don’t fire him, Jen,” I say desperately, taking a seat on the other side of the desk. “He doesn’t deserve to lose his job because I convinced him to break the rules.”
“You’re both adults and you both responsible for your actions.” Shit. “When did it start?”
I want to lie. Like maybe if I tell her it was today because I was sad it’ll make it easier for her to process and she won’t be as harsh. But Jenna means a lot to me and I don’t want to betray her even more than I have. “When we had the storm.”
Her head shakes as she leans against her hands. “You fucking horny so-called adults are driving me up the wall. I can’t wait for you all to go back to college and be someone else’s problem. I’m so annoyed with you, Aurora.”
“I’m so sorry, Jenna. I will leave with no drama, I swear. But please don’t fire Russ. He will be crushed if he loses this job. He doesn’t deserve it, I promise.”
“Can you stop with the pity party, please? You’re giving me a headache and my head already hurts after seeing a half-naked man crawling all over you today and then having to look your mother in the eyes.”
“I’m so—”
“Stop apologizing and go do your job, please. No, bring me a lemonade. Then go do your job.” My eyebrows raise in surprise. She huffs, folding her arms across her chest and leaning back in her chair. “What? You think you’re special? If we had to fire every member of staff who fooled around together, we’d have no staff.”
“But I thought . . .”
“I saw him the night of the storm, Aurora. I knew you’d be scared so I went back to your cabin when the power was out. I watched him hover around the steps to your cabin in the rain, arguing with himself, until he finally knocked. That’s when I knew.”
“Knew what?”
“I knew he cared about you.” She sighs. “And I realized you weren’t just doing it to give your middle finger to the rules.”
“I care about him too.”
“We’re your family, Rory. You will always have a home here, even if you do things that make me want to strangle you. I’m not going to report it like I’m supposed to, but that doesn’t give you a free pass to do what you want until you leave, alright? Keep sneaking around until you are out of my hair. I don’t wanna hear a peep out of either of you.”
Family. “I love you, Jen.”
“And I love you. People don’t always let you get away with things because they don’t care. I let you get away with things because you deserve to be happy. You deserve to feel and believe and enjoy being loved, because so many people love you, Ror.”