I love the way she smiles. Her whole face is lit up and she keeps tossing glances my way that turn to shy little grins before she faces the people before her again. She keeps the line moving while somehow engaging everyone.

And the people seem to love her.

It’s wonderful to see her shine like this.

When the tail end of the line finally trickles to a halt, she’s quick to call out to Sue. The team is on top of the dishes coming in, Sue is checking amounts and running numbers, and the whole group runs like a well-oiled kitchen. It’s amazing.

I follow Cindy into the kitchen where she offers to help with dishes. But they shake their heads at her. “Go home,” One of the guys tells her and she grins.

“You know, most people hate doing dishes,” she teases, bumping him with her shoulder. I feel an unreasonable stab of jealousy as the guy bumps her back. Do these two have something? Or is this simply an easy comradery that comes from working together?

Whatever it is, I don’t like it.

“Cindy,” I say and she looks over her shoulder at me, her expression flirtatious. “Let’s go,” I say, knowing the time has come to tell her about her father.

She says her good nights and gives Sue a hug before heading my direction. Outside, the snap in the air is noticeable and I wonder if it’s going to start snowing again after all. I take her hand and we walk like that under the stars.

Sometime while we were inside night had come swiftly and enveloped the world in silken darkness. As we walk, her head tilts back and I see the stars reflected in her eyes.

Jesus, she’s fucking beautiful.

“Do you think it’s going to snow?” she asks me and I take out my phone.

“I’ll check,” I say, pulling up my weather app. “Supposed to be clear tonight,” I say as she nods.

“It’s super cold,” she says and I pull her in closer to my body while putting an arm around her shoulders. “It’s really pretty, though,” she says and I look up at the stars with her.

“I’m sorry about your father,” I say and her head snaps up so she can look me in the eyes. Her lovely lips part just a little like she’s about to deny something and I know she’s taking it all wrong. “He’s not a thief.”

Anger courses through me at the thought of how I’d been tricked, lied to, used. And an innocent man without the means to protect himself had taken the fall for it.

But Cindy pulls me into a real hug and presses her cheek to mine.

“I told you!” She says and I hold her tight. Having her body pressed to mine wakes every part of me up and I want her. But she lets me go and we walk a few more steps.

The crunch of snow underfoot is calming and I’m struck by the silence. It’s as quiet as if the snow is actually falling now. The inch of undisturbed snow on the path we’re walking is pristine and white, though turned a soft golden under the orange streetlight shining dully overhead.

She doesn’t ask, but I volunteer information. “The lawyers who tried to cover it up are fired. I’m looking into it now to see how deep the corruption goes.” Again, that anger feels overwhelming. I don’t like to be made a fool. I’m not a fucking idiot. I’ve worked very hard to get where I am. And all the sweat and blood, sleepless nights and hard work just being bled dry by some greedy fucks pisses me off.

“Are you okay?” she asks and I wonder how she does that. She’s much more perceptive than I thought she was. It’s endearing that she’s worried about me right now. Because it all comes down to the fact that this is my fault.

If I’d been more aware of what was going on in my company, her father would still have his job. She wouldn’t be suffering. I feel totally responsible.

“I’m okay,” I say. I will be. It’ll take some work and time, but I’ll right all the wrong done in my name.

We walk a few more steps and she takes a deep breath. I sense she’s depressurizing all the things on her mind and in her heart. Her hand slips in mine and I know she doesn’t blame me. But that doesn’t change anything. I still blame myself.

“Your father’s a good man,” I say, a bitter taste on my tongue. “He deserves better.”

She shrugs. “I think he’s got a good champion looking out for him.”

I look down at her and she smiles. “You’re good to him,” I say, planting a kiss on her forehead. Her grin grows.

“Oh, I know. But I was talking about you,” she says, turning to lead the way back toward the car. “It’s cold. Let’s sit in the car and talk with the heater on.”

I nod and follow her. She takes my hand once more and we walk a few minutes in silence as I try to figure out how to get her to agree with the next part. She’s stubborn as hell, so I’m not sure how to get her to help me get her father into a better place.

I’ve got ideas, but the last time I tried to get her to do something, it backfired. Well, I guess not last time. Last time she’d agreed to go to the charity ball with me. But the job I’d offered, she’d refused.

So if I try to rectify things for her father, will she turn that down right out of the gate too? Or will she help talk him into it? I’m not sure where the disconnect is.

“You’re being quiet now,” she says as we walk up on the car. She stops and I turn to her. The whole place is quiet, as if everyone has left already and I can’t help myself. I lower my head and press a kiss to her lips.