“I told you she was here for an internship, remember? Well, it’s only got about another three months left on the clock and then her time at Hudson Technologies will be done.”
“Do you want her time at Hudson to be done?” she asked, but the look she gave me said she already knew the answer.
I shook my head. “Honestly? No, I don’t want her to leave. She’s only been in my life a few months, but it feels like it’s been much longer than that.”
“And?”
“And what?” I shrugged, wiping my mouth with the paper napkin I’d been holding beneath the plate before wadding it up and setting it all down on the coffee table. “It just feels like she’s been in my life for longer than she has. That’s all there is to it.”
“I don’t think so,” she said. “I think there’s more to it. Talk to me, Jude. Tell me what’s going on in that head of yours.”
I raked both hands through my hair, inhaling deeply as I said the words I’d been thinking but hadn’t been planning on saying out loud. “It feels like she was sent here for me and I don’t want to lose her. I don’t want things to go back to the way they were.”
Mom smiled, satisfaction shining in her eyes as she nodded. “That’s what I thought. Tell her that then. If that’s how you feel, ask her to stay. Maybe she shoots you down, but maybe she doesn’t. Maybe she’s the woman who’s worth putting it all on the line for.”
“I can’t,” I said, feeling the first fissure opening up in my heart as worry crept in. “It’s asking too much of her, Mom. She’s young. She’ll just be graduating with her Ph.D. There will be a whole new world of possibilities out there for her. She’s too smart for there not to be.”
“So make Hudson Technologies one of those possibilities,” she said like it was the simplest, most obvious thing in the world. “Tell her how you feel, ask her to stay, and offer her a permanent position. You’ve mentioned a few times how meticulous her work is. It sure sounds like she’d be an asset to any company, regardless of your personal relationship with her.”
“She would be,” I said. “Absolutely. But I don’t know if I can ask her to do that. Hudson Technologies might not be what she wants. I’m pretty sure offers are going to start rolling in for her any day now, and when they do, there will be other opportunities.”
“This isn’t a choice you can make for her, honey,” Mom said quietly, understanding softening her eyes. “She needs to know there’s an option for her to stay and that you want her to take it.”
“I know it’s not my choice, but I don’t want her to waste her chance on me,” I admitted. “There could be amazing career possibilities out there for her. I don’t want her to choose me and regret it later.”
“Jude, you’re not a waste.” My mom’s voice was firm, her expression open and honest. “There might be other options out there, and I’m sure she’ll take those into consideration when she’s making her choice, but give her the choice. If she chooses you, it doesn’t mean she can’t pursue her career as well. Hudson Technologies isn’t the only company in Sydney. She can always look around here for another job.”
“But what if that’s not what she wants?” I dragged my hands through my hair again. “I mean, hell, I didn’t want this. I didn’t want a relationship or to get involved with someone who has to leave.”
“Sometimes, we don’t know what we want until we have it,” she said. “Let her have the choice. Then we’ll see what she wants to do with it.”
That sounded terrifying to me, but I knew it was good advice. All I had to do now was decide if she was the girl I wanted to put it all on the line for, and if so, I had to hope to all that was holy that she felt the same way.
Chapter 33
ROSE
“Hey, handsome,” I said after I closed Jude’s office door behind me on Friday afternoon. “We’ve got about five minutes before our next meeting.”
“Let’s use them well.” He wheeled his chair back and opened his arms for me, his eyes lighting up with a genuine smile. “I missed you.”
I giggled, which I seemed to be doing a lot of with him. A lifetime of no giggling, and suddenly, it was like I was competing for the championship ring. But I couldn’t help it. “I just saw you an hour ago before I went out for lunch.”
“Yeah, I know.” He pulled me into his lap and kissed the daylights out of me before brushing his lips to my eyes and cheeks. With his hard body beneath mine and our chests so close together, I felt my heart take off like it was determined to take flight. “But I still missed you.”
The damn organ skipped about ten beats at his whispered words. “I missed you, too, baby.”
He groaned, and I felt him hardening beneath me. “We really have another meeting starting in five minutes?”
“We really do.” I ran my fingers through his soft hair and looked into the sparkling green of his eyes, taking a mental snapshot so I would never forget the way he was looking at me right now. “We probably only have about three left.”
“Fuck.” He tightened his grip on me and planted another kiss on my lips before pulling back. “I guess that means we have to go back to being professional now, right?”
“Right.” I stared into his eyes for another beat, laying my forehead down on his and soaking in the moment between us. “I’m learning so much, and I love being here, but I hate that we have to be so secretive. Stealing kisses is fun, but it’s getting old.”
“I know.” He blew out a soft breath. “I actually wanted to—”
He was cut off by a sharp rap on the door. Eyes filled with regret, he lifted me off him before calling out, “Give us a minute.”
“Just one?” I teased, straightening my skirt and running my hands over my hair to put myself back together.
Jude winked at me. “Thankfully, I know that you already know that joke is both bad and inaccurate.”
He threaded his fingers through mine and lifted our joined hands to place a feather light kiss on the back of it. “We’ll talk more later. Let’s get to work.”
“Let’s do it,” I agreed, albeit reluctantly.
My reluctance disappeared almost immediately once the meeting got started, though. It was a negotiation for the development of new software that would be installed on an actual spaceship.
I loved getting to work on stuff like that. It was so exciting, and Hudson Technologies seemed to have been built on stuff that excited me. There was never a dull moment around here.
Not only did I learn a ton each and every day, but I was genuinely interested in Jude’s business. I loved being here, both at Hudson Technologies and in Australia.
It felt like it was meant to be. I just had to figure out if it was where I wanted to stay. Then I’d bring it up with Jude.
The rest of our workday flew by, and the next thing I knew, the office had cleared and it was just the two of us left behind. We were sorting through notes from our meeting and had to stay a bit later to finish some things up.
“Did you ever get those passes for Sick?” I asked, glancing up at him sitting across from me at the conference table in his office.
He rolled his eyes, that sexy infuriating smirk making a quick appearance. “Did I get the passes for Sick? Of course, I did. I can get passes anywhere in the city.”
“Jeez, brag much?” I laughed.
Jude shook his head. “Nope, not bragging. Showing off to this girl I’m trying to impress.”
“You don’t have to impress me,” I said, but just because the words were true didn’t mean that my heart didn’t go all aflutter when he said stuff like that. “I already know what you’re working with, remember?”
He shrugged. “Sure, but I like to think I can still impress you with my incredible clout on the nightlife scene.”
“Because we enjoy the nightlife scene together so often?” I’d meant it as a joke, but his expression grew serious. Trying to salvage the moment, I stood up and walked around the table to him, sitting down in his lap again. “How about we go surf
ing again tomorrow?”
“I’d love that,” he said, dipping his head back and practically purring when I dragged my fingertips gently across his scalp. “Let’s buy you your own board instead of renting one this time.”
“That would be awesome.” I grinned, lowering my head to rest it on his shoulder. “Did you tell the others we wouldn’t be joining them for drinks tonight?”
“Yeah.” My head moved with his body when his chest expanded on a deep breath. “I told them we were working late. When we’re done here, do you want to go grab a late dinner somewhere?”
“Somewhere like my hotel room or somewhere like a restaurant?” I murmured.
“Restaurant,” he said. “Or your hotel room. Your choice. There’s something I wanted to—”
He paused when my phone started ringing. God Save the Queen was the ringtone I had set for Oxford, and when I heard it playing, I frowned. “That’s weird.”
“What?” Jude asked as I leaned over and flattened myself against the table to reach my phone. He let out a soft moan. “Also, do you want to stay in that position when you’re done with your call? I’m loving the view.”
I smirked at him over my shoulder, but when I saw it was Professor McDonald calling, my pulse spiked. “Hi, Professor. What’s up? Did I miss an important email or something?”
“Hello, Ms. Joyce,” he said, his tone clipped. “No, I don’t believe you have. I’m calling because this is something I wanted to convey personally.”
“Okay?” My teeth sank into my bottom lip. Something was wrong. I could feel it. “Is everything okay?”
“I’m afraid not. Your internship has been canceled.”
I fell into a stunned silence for a moment. What the heck?
“Canceled?” I asked once I’d remembered how to form words. “What do you mean? Why?”
“Your behavior has not been representative of Oxford’s principles. Frankly, you’re lucky it’s only the internship being canceled. You’re still on track to graduate at the end of the semester.”
“I don’t understand.” There was a pleading undertone to my voice, but I didn’t care. It felt like my world was tumbling down around me. “Please explain this to me. Why? I’ve done everything you asked. I haven’t messed up at work or missed a report to you.”
Confusion darkened Jude’s eyes. I was still sitting on his lap, but I was only vaguely aware of movement as he pulled out his phone. He must’ve put two and two together that something bad was happening.
I saw him tap the internet icon on his screen, and a second later, his expression changed entirely. His body stiffened and his jaw suddenly looked like it had been set in granite.
I frowned when I noticed it, then snatched his phone from his hands. There was a published article on the screen, and right there on the headline in big bold letters, it read, “JUDE HUDSON IS OFF THE MARKET, LADIES. HE’S SMITTEN WITH HIS AMERICAN INTERN.”
Blood drained from my face and turned to ice in my veins as I scanned the contents of the article. It was all about him sleeping with his American intern, and my face was on the front cover.
My knees went numb, and I realized I couldn’t hear anything but the blood rushing in my ears. I screwed my eyes shut and concentrated on hearing past that until Professor McDonald’s voice was back.
“Your flight leaves on Sunday,” he was saying. “You’d better be on it, or you can find your own way back to London.”
What? Sunday? That was the day after tomorrow.
Terror froze me all the way down to the bone as my gaze snapped to Jude’s. Only one more day with him? How is this possible?
“Please, Professor,” I begged. “This isn’t what you think. I can explain it. It’s not some affair or—”
“That’s quite enough, Ms. Joyce. You will return to campus and finish your final semester, graduate, and never speak of this again.” His tone brooked no argument. “I’ll see you next week, Roselyn. Goodbye.”
He hung up without another word. I managed to keep it together until Jude wrapped his arms around me and buried his face in the crook of my neck, whispering soothing words as he ran his fingers up and down my back. But once that happened, I fell apart.
Right there in Jude’s arms, where I’d only be for forty-eight more hours, tops—depending on what time my flight took off.
Fuck. I wasn’t ready for that.
Chapter 34
JUDE
Rose had said she needed some time alone after finding out her internship had been canceled. She hadn’t even wanted me to walk her back to her hotel, too afraid of fueling the rumors to accept my offer.
So once again, I’d watched as she ran out of my office and didn’t look back. This time, however, I understood exactly why she had run.
The woman had worked her whole life to be afforded an opportunity like this, and it had been snatched away without a moment’s notice.
When I’d eventually gotten home last night, Luke had already been asleep and Mom had been reading in her room. Left alone to think about the evening and the call that had upended it, I’d gotten on the phone with Shane.
He knew everything now and was helping me look into ways to control the damage caused by that article. We’d spitballed about the possibility of contacting Oxford and trying to set the record straight, but neither of us really thought we had a shot—not if Rose wanted to graduate from there without her degree being put at risk as well.
Graduating with her PhD from Oxford University meant the world to her. There was no way I was taking any action that might put her at risk of not achieving a dream she was so close to that she could taste it already.
After some back and forth, Shane and I had decided not to contact the university—at the very least, not before I’d discussed it with Rose.
She’d messaged me a few times throughout the night and day, but she hadn’t taken any of my calls. A few times, I’d grabbed my car keys and was about to head over there to see her, but each time, my mother had simply given me a look and arched a brow.
When I’d received a text from her about twenty minutes ago asking if I wanted to spend her last night with her, I’d been out the door like a shot. I hadn’t even needed to gather my shit. It had all been there waiting for me already.
Almost twenty-four hours after the news had broken, I still had an awful taste in my mouth about the whole fucking scandal. Of course, it didn’t make it easier knowing that it was all my fault.
If only I’d kept my distance from her, this never would have happened. Rose would still have been my intern and all of Australia wouldn’t be thinking she was my mistress.
Last but definitely not fucking least, I wouldn’t be getting left behind.
I scrubbed my hands over my face, bringing my forehead down to touch my steering wheel as I sat in the parking lot of the hotel. I honestly couldn’t believe this was happening.
Just when I thought I might finally get to be happy again, the fucking press had ripped the carpet right out from under me. I still didn’t know how they’d found out about us, but I wouldn’t rest until I did.
In the meantime, brooding in my car when I could be upstairs spending time with my girl was downright stupid. I took one last breath to control my rapidly spiraling thoughts before I went up to her room—probably for the last time.
The mere thought was almost as painful as a punch in the nuts.
When I got up to Rose’s room, it was immediately obvious that I wasn’t the only one struggling. She looked up as I walked in, her eyes glassy with tears and her cheeks blotchy.
Her suitcase was lying open on her bed, but it didn’t have much in it yet.
“Jude.” Her voice cracked. “I’ve been trying to pack all day, but nothing fits in.”
I walked up to her and held out my hands, taking hers before wrapping them around my waist and folding my arms around her. Hugging her to my chest as tight as I thought I could without crushing her, I rested my chin on her head. “It’ll fit. I’ll help yo
u pack later. I promise.”
Almost immediately, sobs started wracking her body, and it shook against mine. “How could this have happened?”
The words came out muffled with her head tucked into my chest, but I heard them clearly enough. I heard the anguish in them clearly enough too, and it nearly fucking broke me.
My insides twisted, and blinding rage tore through me for a moment. If I found out who was responsible for this, there would be hell to pay.
But for now, I didn’t know. All I could do was hold on to this woman for every minute we had left. “I wish I had an answer for you, baby, but I don’t know.”
“We were so careful,” she managed to get out between sobs. “Did you tell anyone?”
“Just my mother,” I admitted. “But she’s not responsible for this.”
“You told your mother about me?” she asked, drawing back just far enough to glance up at me.
I nodded, a smile touching my lips. “To be honest, she kind of already knew before I even told her. I promise the tip to the media didn’t come from her. She despises them.”
“I can imagine.” Rose burrowed herself back into my chest. “I’d hate people who wrote such shit about my child, too.”
I laid my head down on top of hers again and planted a kiss on her hair. “It’s not all lies. They may not always have had the whole story, but that’s my fault as much as it is theirs. I didn’t give a fuck about my reputation and it’s bitten me in the ass a few times.”
“But now?” she asked, her voice cracking again. “Now you care and the entire country thinks you’re shacking up with me.”
“I don’t care what they think,” I mumbled, breathing in the sweet scent of her shampoo as I stroked my fingers through her hair. “All I care about is you.”
“I just want to have had a say, you know?” A shudder ran through her and she tightened her grip on me. “I’m not ready to leave, Jude.”
“I know, baby. You worked really hard to get here.” Which was what pissed me off more than anything else about this situation. The media didn’t know Rose, nor did they know anything about her life or how much dedication it had taken for her to get this far.
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