Part 21 (1/2)

I couldn't believe the new situation I was in. I'd finally realized who I was meant to be with and now this. I hadn't thought about whether or not I would stay working for Paul once I told him but now it looked like the decision was being made for me. I resisted the urge to slam my fist against the armrest and instead just leaned my head back and closed my eyes.

I sat there for a while longer, swinging back and forth, the sounds of the city pa.s.sing me by. I didn't hear him come up behind me and jumped when I felt his hand on my shoulder. He gave it a squeeze then came to sit down beside me.

”I thought I'd find you here,” Ethan said, joining me in pus.h.i.+ng the swing back and forth with our legs.

I continued looking forward. ”Why were you even looking?” I asked.

He sighed. ”I went to your office to ask Paul a question on the Glendale project and noticed you weren't there. You still weren't there when I walked out so I asked him where you were. He told me he didn't know, but told me what happened with Mr. Hammond.”

The tears finally came, and I put my hands over my face. I felt him pull me close, wrapping his arms around me and letting me cry. He didn't say anything as he held me, continuing to push the swing with his feet.

We stayed that way for what seemed like hours, neither of us uttering a word. I finally stopped crying. I was sniffling and doing my best to stop my nose from running. The thought of not working at Pierce Homes anymore was killing me, but I didn't see any other way.

Ethan turned me to face him. ”You okay?” He was looking at me with such love and tenderness.

”No, but I know what I have to do,” I answered.

He gave me a quizzical look. ”What do you mean?”

I let out a sigh and started twirling my hair around my finger. ”I am going to resign.”

His eyes widened. ”You're what?”

I started nodding. ”I have to, Ethan. I will not be the reason Paul loses one of his biggest benefactors. My mind is made up.”

He held onto me. ”You listen to me. This is ridiculous, and I know Paul would tell you the same thing. You should never give into blackmail. You need to stay strong. Paul has plenty of benefactors, he will survive if Mr. Hammond follows through on his threat.”

I shook my head. ”But I can't be the reason why he withdraws his financial support, Ethan. I can't. I'm going to go tell Paul right now,” I said, starting to stand.

Ethan pulled me back down. ”Don't, Aly,” he said. ”Listen to me, don't do anything you'll regret. You're upset. Plus, with what just happened between us at lunch, you're going to have to deal with Paul soon anyway. We don't know if you'll continue working here after you tell him about us, just don't do anything right now.

”I have to, Ethan. Don't you see? I'm going to be hurting Paul when I tell him about us, I can't be responsible for him losing Mr. Hammond's funding too.”

Ethan sat back and sighed. ”I understand why you feel that way but I still think you shouldn't make a decision this big until after you've told Paul about us. Mr. Hammond is an a.s.s to do this as well, don't give into that.”

”I hate that I have to, believe me. But I cannot live with myself for being the reason Paul loses such a big benefactor, especially when I will be breaking his heart. Trust me, I know what I'm doing.”

When I stood to leave, Ethan didn't stop me. I leaned down and kissed him. He held onto my hand and finally dropped it when I walked away. Looking back, I could see him staring after me, sadness on his face.

When I got back to the office, Paul was on the phone. When he saw me, he stood. ”I'll have to call you back,” he told whomever he was talking to.

I went to the doorway and stopped. ”Do you have a minute?” I asked him.

His eyes softened. ”Of course I do,” he said, walking around and perching himself on his desk.

I shut the door and walked toward him. I stayed standing and smoothed out my skirt. I raised my head to look at him, and saw him watching me.

I took a deep breath. ”I've thought about it, and I feel it best that I resign,” I stated firmly.

His eyes widened in shock and he started to shake his head, coming toward me. I lifted a hand and backed up a few steps. I couldn't do this if he got any closer.

”Aly, no. I won't let you,” he said quietly. Although he'd stopped walking toward me, he reached out his hand. ”Please, it kills me you were even considering this. I won't let you,” he said again.

I stayed strong. ”Well thank goodness it's not up to you, Paul. I've made up my mind. I refuse to be the reason your company loses a huge benefactor. I cannot have that on my shoulders.”

He shook his head. ”Aly, please. You're taking this way too far. Pierce Homes will be okay without Hammond's money. It'll be a hit, sure, but we'll be okay. Don't give into his ridiculous demand.”

I thought about it for a minute, but realized I had to do this. ”I'm sorry Paul. My mind is made up. My resignation takes effect immediately. I'll just go clean out my desk.”

I turned to leave when he called out to me. ”Don't do this, Aly. I don't accept your resignation.”

I stayed turned away from him. ”I'm sorry you don't, but it's for the best. It kills me to leave, especially before Hidden Creek even begins, but I won't be the reason Mr. Hammond takes away his funding, Paul. I won't.”

He was suddenly in front of me, grabbing onto my shoulders. ”You are so stubborn. Hammond can take his money and shove it up his a.s.s. I don't care. I can't lose you, Aly. Please don't do this.”

His eyes were pleading, begging me to change my mind. He looked frantic and it almost broke me. I started to doubt my decision, wondered if I was letting my emotions get in the way.

I looked up at him. ”I don't want to leave, I really don't, but I also can't handle being the reason why he withdraws his funding. I can't emphasize that enough.”

He drew me into a hug, running his hand along my hair, my back. ”I don't care what his reasons are. I refuse to go back to Casey and I refuse to let you go. I don't want someone like that involved with Pierce Homes anyway. I promise you, the company will be fine. I promise.”

As we stood there, I began to think he was right. Maybe it was stupid of me to let Mr. Hammond get his way, without a fight. Also seeing the pain in Paul's eyes, I couldn't do it, not when I knew I'd be causing him pain for a different reason soon enough. Ethan was right; I couldn't do this right now.

”You're right. I'm not going to let him bully me into leaving. Forget what I said. I won't resign.” Yet, I thought to myself, my heart sinking.

He crushed me to his chest, in an extremely tight hug. I felt him nuzzle his face in my hair, then run his hands up and down my back. He rested his head against mine, his hot breath fanning my face.

”Thank you,” he said in relief.

I smiled, just standing there, letting him hold me. The day's events were catching up with me and I was exhausted. All I wanted to do was go home and crash.

He lifted his head and smiled down at me. He looked around and took a step back. He put his hands in his pockets and shuffled his feet. It was when he looked back to me with his dazzling green eyes that I saw just how relieved he really was.

”Thank you,” he said, barely above a whisper. ”I honestly can not stand the thought of you not working here, of not seeing you every day.”

He didn't know but he was killing me with his words. I felt awful for keeping him in the dark about us, but I didn't have a choice. ”Well, I realized I was being foolish, but I will be honest and say it makes me sick what he's doing. He's letting his personal issues cloud his judgment and I can only hope he realizes it someday.”

He gave a ghost of a smile. ”Don't count on it.” He winked at me then walked back to his desk, sitting down.

I knew he was right, but it still angered me that this man just waltzed in here demanding heinous things of Paul. Why on earth would he want a man who obviously no longer wanted his daughter to take her back? Didn't he want his daughter to be with a man who truly loved her?

I sat down across from him. ”So, what are you going to do?”

He looked at me as if I should know the answer to this. ”I'm going to tell him to go to h.e.l.l, of course.”

I blinked. ”Are you sure that's such a good idea? I understand you not wanting anything to do with him but he's a very powerful man, Paul. You don't want to burn anymore bridges.”

”To h.e.l.l with bridges. I'm a powerful man, too. I don't need Walter Hammond or his idiot cronies. I refuse to play his game and I'm d.a.m.n well going to let him know it.”

I gave up on trying to convince him otherwise while he was still so upset. He was a big boy and could handle this on his own. I just hated that this was basically over me. Weary at those thoughts. .h.i.tting me again, I stood.