Kat hoped that was what he wanted to tell her. Her mind was already going to dark places. It was incredibly possible that he wanted to call off their relationship. With the new addition to the scandal, she certainly couldn’t blame him.
Kat slowly stood from her desk, moving slowly to keep her stomach down where it belonged. She hoped that her coworkers just thought it was nerves or the last bit of the stomach bug. It wouldn’t be long before someone figured out the truth, though.
The elevator ride upstairs took forever. If he was giving her good news, then maybe this would be a good time to tell him.
“I have good news, Kat,” he would say.
“I have good news, too,” she would reply.
It could work.
She sighed and leaned back against the shiny metal walls. He didn’t seem like the type of person who would ask her to get rid of the baby. That made her feel a little bit better, but she was still nervous as to how he would react.
The elevator doors opened to reveal the expansive lobby leading up the CEO’s office. The secretary stationed outside waved her in with a friendly smile. Kat paused, her hand on the door and heart in her throat. She licked her lips nervously before going in.
“Hi,” she said, entering. He was at his desk, working away on his computer. Deep frown lines covered her face and his jaw looked so tense it could cut steel. The stress was obviously wearing on him.
He looked up and the shadow of a smile crossed his face before disappearing back into a sea of stress. “Kat.”
“You wanted to see me?” She took a step into the room, trying to stay calm and collected.
“I assume you heard?” he replied, still working on the computer.
“The good news or the bad news?” she asked. She hoped she sounded calmer than she felt.
“There’s good news?” He sat back from his computer and pushed his chair away. The smile was long gone from his face.
Kat swallowed hard. “The project is a go.”
“Oh?” AJ ran his hand through his hair, spiking up the tips. “I didn’t know. I’m glad though. It’s a great idea.”
Kat thought about running from the office and hiding under her desk. She wasn’t sure why he had called her up here. If it wasn’t to tell her about her project, then that could only mean he had bad news.
“You didn’t know?” she asked, planting her feet to keep her from bolting.
AJ shook his head. “I’ve been so busy dealing with...” he started, waving to the mess of paperwork on his desk. “I haven’t been able to follow up with the board at all about it.”
“Oh.” Without warning, a little pride filled Kat. Her project had been approved because it was good, not because she was sleeping with the boss. She felt bad that she had to find out this way, but she had pulled it off on her own. “So, what did you want to see me about?”
AJ sighed, and fear replaced all the pride in her belly.
“We have to be more careful about seeing one another,” he said, handing her a photograph from his desk.
She frowned, taking the slippery paper from him. It was black and white and reminded her of something from a spy movi
e. It took her a moment, but she recognized herself leaving his house with a huge smile on her face. Anyone with two brain cells could imply why she was smiling.
“Where did you get this?” Kat asked, handing back the photograph. Her hand only shook a little bit, but AJ didn’t seem to notice.
“That’s not important.” AJ ripped the photo and dropped it into the trashcan under his desk. “It’s been taken care of.”
Kat nodded. This was the part where he would tell her they were over. “Does this mean that I can’t see you anymore?”
“What? No!” AJ shook his head and nearly jumped over the desk to get to her. He picked up both her hands in his. “I want to be with you. I want to shout it from the rooftops that I’m with you. It’s just...”
“You can’t,” she finished for him. “Because of your partner.”
His shoulders slumped as he nodded. “This isn’t how I want things to be.”