Page 103 of That Conflicted Feeling

“Itried to throw it away.”Sheducks asIlift it over her head. “ButIended up pulling it off the compost heap and cleaning it up.”

“Youare ridiculous.”Itake her hands in mine. “Butthat was a beautiful speech.Andif my outlook has changed, it’s all because of you.”

Theemptiness that’s been inside me for the last couple of weeks is gone.Theonly person who will ever fill it perfectly is here.Asense of peace settles over me, likeIknow the future is going to be brighter thanIever expected.Brighterand warmer because it will be filled with more than money and success.

Ilook into her full eyes and find that place deep behind them that connects with a place deep inside me. “AndIlove you too.”

Ijump as a goat nose pokes into my ear, ruining the moment.

“Lacey!” criesPolly.

Ipick up the kid and plop her into my lap. “Shehas a name now?Lacey?”

“Yup.Sheand her sister are namedCagneyandLacey.Mom’sfavoriteTVshow when she was a teenager.”

“Well, the last timeIhad her in my lap was the momentIknewIwas going to fall for you.”IscratchLaceyunder the chin as she nuzzles my neck. “HowcouldInot fall for the woman who tortured me into sitting, barefoot, in a muddy field, being peed on by a goat?”

Ireach my arms aroundLaceyto takePolly’shands again.

“NeverthoughtI’dsay this with quite such an audience.”Ilook around the room at the executives staring down at us. “Butyou made me a better person right in that moment.You’remaking me a better person right now.AndI’dlike it if you’d go on making me a better person.”

BehindPolly, the door opens, andTarquindisappears through it.Beforeit can fully close behind him,Georgewalks in.I’dcompletely forgotten he was waiting downstairs for me.

“Goodnessme,” he says, taking in the sight of me on the floor with a goat in my lap and surrounded by all the executives. “Youweren’t answering your phone, soIgot worried and thoughtI’dbetter—”Hisgaze lands onPollykneeling beside me. “Oooh.”

Asmile creeps across his face, lighting up his knowing eyes. “Well, this is a bit of role reversal, you at the young lady’s feet.”

“Indeed.Andyou can clock out early,George,”Itell him. “IthinkIhave a ride home.”

PollystrokesLacey’shead. “Youmost definitely do.”

Asshe leans over the goat and presses her lips to mine, applause fills the room.

I’mfairly sure it started right whereCharlotteis standing.

30

POLLY

Thewarm, bubbly water envelops me, and my muscles instantly relax asIslip into the deep, free-standing soaker tub by an enormous floor-to-ceiling window.Theview ofCentralParkis breathtaking.

Thebathroom gleams with white marble and is almost the size of my shop.

Max’spenthouse is enormous.Beautiful, but unnecessarily enormous.Andunlike my place—which is all homey, covered in family photos and mementos, constantly smells of whatever soapMom’smaking, and where there’s always a chance you might trip over a bag of goat feed—this place looks almost untouched by human hand.

Ilet my head fall back against the tub asIdig my fingers into a hard knot in my left shoulder.Ihadn’t realized how tenseImust have been on the long drive here.

Itwas only asIwas crossing theGeorgeWashingtonBridgetoManhattanthat it occurred to meMaxmight not even be in town.Orat his office.Oreven that he would agree to see me.

Andnow, after the adrenaline rush,I’mfit to flop.

“Neverexpected your view to be so green,”Icall to the manInow know to be the love of my life, who’s in the kitchen.

It’sthe most spectacular thingI’veever seen.Likesomething from a movie.Exceptyou’d think it had been faked because it’s so perfectly framed.Thewhole length ofCentralParkspreads out before us.

“It’smy bit of the countryside in the city.”Maxappears, carrying two glasses of champagne.Apartially unbuttoned white shirt with rolled up cuffs and bare feet protruding from the bottom of suit pants have never looked so good. “Ienjoy watching it change with the seasons.”

Hehands me a glass and drops a kiss on my forehead.