Page 125 of Rebellious Hearts

“Oh,” I said. “She’s very involved, actually. She’s spearheading upgrades to the hospital there; we’re working on getting the right permissions.”

“You’re still working together?”

I nodded. “We are. She’s very excited about the change. She might have to take some time off in the next couple of months… we’re expecting a baby and I don’t want her to strain herself.”

Richard raised his eyebrows, and then he looked confused.

“Look, Richard,” I said with a sigh. “I know I screwed up. Badly. When I told you that we were married, it was a mistake. I should never have lied to you and for that, I’m deeply sorry. But Sofia and I… I guess pretending to be together opened our eyes to something more, and now that we’re starting a family together, we’re facing the future as a team.” I smiled just thinking about her.

When I looked at Richard again, I wasn’t sure what his expression meant.

“So, you’re together, then?”

“I haven’t proposed or anything, but I plan to marry her,” I said. “I’ve never met someone who could change things for me the way she does. It took losing her to realize what I really want to fight for.”

Richard nodded as if confirming something to himself. “I knew it.”

“Knew what?”

“I knew it couldn’t only be an act. Two people who aren’t in love can never pretend the way the two of you were with each other. I was disappointed that you lied to me, and that’s why I called off the investment, but love… you can never fake something that’s so real.”

He was right, of course. It had been impossible to fake what I’d felt for her, and I’d long stopped trying to pretend.

“I want in,” Richard said.

“What?” I asked, blinking at him.

“The rejuvenation project, the investment, I want to be a part of it. I want to invest money and I want to help where I can. Harborview needs it, and I was committed to getting involved from the start. Now that I know what I saw is real, and what you’re doing is from the kindness of your hearts and not just as a façade, I want to be a part of it.”

“Oh,” I said, surprised. “Of course. If you’re happy to get involved… I can draw up some paperwork today and we can see where we can form a partnership.”

“That sounds good,” Richard said and stood. He reached over the desk, holding his hand out to me. “Thank you, Ben.”

“For what?”

“For not letting a love like that slip through your fingers. A love like that is hard to find, and when you’re lucky enough to come across it, you hold on to it as tight as you can.”

I smiled. “That’s exactly what I plan to do.”

Richard let go of me. “I’ll wait to hear about the paperwork.” He walked to the door. “Oh,” he said just before he walked out, turning to me. “Congratulations on the new addition to the family.”

“Thank you,” I said with a smile, and when Richard left, I turned to the view of the harbor outside my windows.

Things really were working out the way they were supposed to. Who knew it had just taken me getting out of my own way? God, I could be such an ass sometimes.

But with Sofia in my life, and our baby on the way, I was going to focus more onnotbeing an ass. And best know I wasn’t going to stand in my own way ever again.

No, I had a family to focus on now.

40

SOFIA

Itwisted my fingers together on my lap, staring out of the window as we drove in Ben’s fancy BMW SUV. The engine purred softly beneath us, and the tinted windows closed us in together.

I loved that he was here with me. He wasn’t just the guy I was at work with, the guy I pretended with, the guy I was falling for but wasn’t allowed to.

We were together now, and he was all mine.