Chapter 8 - Their First Real Date Happened After Eleven Years of Knowing Each Other—and Clare Finally Asked Grant the Question She Had Been Afraid to AskThey went somewhere ordinary.
A small Italian restaurant in Greenwich Village.
No private dining room.
No investors.
No bodyguards.
No board members.
Just two people.
Grant arrived early.
Clare arrived exactly on time.
He stood when she entered.
“You look beautiful.”
She smiled.
“Thank you.”
“You look nervous.”
“I am.”
“So am I.”
That made her laugh.
Dinner lasted three hours.
They talked about things they had never discussed.
Favorite books.
Terrible vacations.
Childhood fears.
Music.
Food.
Regrets.
Dreams.
Then Clare asked:
“Why Vanessa?”
Grant looked down.
“She was good on paper.”
“And I wasn't?”
“You weren't available.”
She froze.
“What does that mean?”
“You were married.”
Clare looked at him.
“After Matthew died, I assumed you'd never see me that way.”
“I didn't.”
She swallowed.
“And when did that change?”
Grant answered honestly.
“I don't know.”
“That isn't very romantic.”
“I know.”
He smiled.
“Maybe I started seeing you differently after your son graduated.”
“Why?”
“Because I watched you stop being someone's wife and someone's employee at the same time.”
Clare looked away.
“I never stopped being your employee.”
“I know.”
“You just never noticed what that cost.”
“I know now.”
She reached across the table.
“Then don't say forever.”
He took her hand.
“Okay.”
“Say tomorrow.”
“Tomorrow.”
That became their rule.
Not forever.
Tomorrow.
After several months, Clare moved into a small house near the Hudson.
Ethan moved to San Francisco.
He visited often.
Grant never tried to replace Matthew.
He simply became another person Clare could rely on.
One afternoon, he asked Clare to attend a company event.
She refused.
“No.”
“Why?”
“Because I no longer work there.”
“I know.”
“Then why?”
“Because I want them to see you as the woman who built half their culture.”
She smiled.
“You're still terrible at understanding boundaries.”
He grinned.
“I'm learning.”
She went.
The employees applauded.
Grant watched from the back.
He did not introduce her as his former assistant.
He introduced her as:
“The woman who taught me that leadership is not control.”
Clare felt tears burn her eyes.
Later that night, she asked:
“Do you regret not seeing me sooner?”
Grant looked at her.
“Every day.”
She touched his cheek.
“Don't.”
“Why?”
“Because regret belongs to the past.”
He kissed her forehead.
“Then what belongs to the future?”
May you like
She smiled.
“Us.”
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