18. Lucas

It turned out that Bernadette didn't have to wait much longer, though maybe it would have been better if things had happened another way.

We were at the office a few days later when it happened.

I was working on filing some things when Bernadette came over to my desk, a devious and yet innocent look in her eyes.

"Lucas," she said, her voice lilting slightly.

I looked up. "What is it?"

She smiled, sliding onto a part of my desk where there wasn't any paper. "You fell asleep so early last night."

So that's what this was about. Last night we were going to have sex, but then I had been way too tired and had fallen asleep before she had even got out of the shower. She was probably disappointed because I had definitely turned her on a good deal before she went to take her shower.

"I know, I'm sorry baby."

"I don't know if sorry is going to cut it." She smiled down at me, crossing her legs in a way that allowed me to see her panties for just an instant. God, she made my cock hard. I knew that it was wrong to do anything at the workplace, but I didn't know for how long I would be able to resist her when she knew just how to press all of my buttons.

"Then what is it you want?" I asked, deciding to play along with her games for now.

"A kiss." She giggled. "A kiss would be absolutely perfect."

"I'll give you a kiss then. Come here."

She slid off the desk and into my lap, giggling as she stroked one hand down my lapel. God, I wanted to fuck her so much right now.

Leaning forward, I kissed her on the lips, then along her jawline.

Then I heard a gasp from the doorway and the two of us jumped apart.

We looked over to the doorway to see Bernadette"s mother Sarah standing there. She had raised a hand to her mouth and was looking on in shock and horror.

"Mom?" Bernadette said, sounding so broken. I hated that. I hated that her mother had chosen now of all times to come back into her life, and that now because she had walked in on the two of us kissing, she was going to think less of both of us for it.

"Bernadette, what are you doing," she gritted out.

"I—Mom, I didn't know that you were coming."

"Well, you texted me. What else did you expect me to do?"

"I don't know. Call me? Text me back? Why did you need to show up without telling me that you were going to?"

"It wouldn't be a problem if you weren't gallivanting around with that—that boy." She pointed an accusatory finger at Lucas. "How could you do that to yourself, Bernadette? You know how I feel about him, and he's your boss on top of that! Don't you know how bad it would be if the two of you broke up? You would be out of a job!"

"Don't assume that I would fire her just because things didn't work out," I said, stepping forward to defend myself.

"And this isn't even supposed to be my job forever," Bernadette said. "I'm working at finding another job that actually fits my degree. You don't have to worry about me."

"But have you been actually working at that? Or have you just been playing around with Lucas this whole time?"

"Mom!"

"Why would you accuse her like that? She's your daughter! She's trying her best." I slammed my hand down on the desk, making both Bernadette and her mother jump.

"And yet she's made so many bad decisions recently. Getting pregnant. Entering into whatever this is with you. Don't you see why I'm so concerned? My dear daughter is going against everything I ever taught her, everything I tried so hard to instil in her."

Bernadette looked like she was about to cry, and I wished I could comfort her.

"And yet you were the one who kicked her out of the house. I was the one who had to give her support when you were the one who should have been doing it. I know that you can be stricter and all you want is the best for her, but can't you see that wasn't it?"

"Maybe I made a rash decision—"

"A rash decision?" I cut her off sharply, anger boiling through me. "What about the fact that you never contacted her once, that you never made sure she was okay, that you had a week to respond to the message that she sent you, asking for peace, and yet you never did? How's that for a rash decision."

"I was grieving."

"Grieving what? She hasn't died. You haven't lost a daughter. In fact, you're gaining a grandchild. I know that you're not happy about the way that things came about but you should have at least been supportive of her. She hadn't even gone to a doctor when she should have, she was so afraid of you finding out."

"I'm not—" I watched as Bernadette's mother took a deep breath, probably preparing to defend herself. "I'm not having this conversation with you when you keep attacking me!"

"Mom!" Bernadette cut in. "Please stop. He's only trying to reason with you."

"In that tone of voice? I would say not."

"Mom, please, I just want to make things up with you. I don't want to fight anymore."

"Then you shouldn't have made the mistakes you did."

"Why did you come here if you were just going to fight with me?" I could see in Bernadette's eyes that wasn't going to last much longer without breaking down. And I didn't want her to have to do that in front of her mother. I knew that would be detrimental.

So I went over to her and put an arm around her shoulders, hoping that it wouldn't upset her mother too much more.

Bernadette looked up at me with a thankful smile. "Mom, I really want to make things up with you. I don't want to fight with you, it makes me feel sick."

"I don't want to fight with you either, dear, but this is something that I cannot stand for. You know how I feel about Lucas. If you wanted to make things up with me, then you should have known not to get with him. That was taking things one step too far."

"He was there for me when you weren't. He's been there for me so much when you haven't been. What did you expect me to do? Just sit around and be sad? Where was I supposed to go when you kicked me out? Just sit on the porch and wait for you to forgive me?"

"That would have been better."

"Oh really?" She was shaking now. I could feel it, and I worried that she was about to cry. "How could you do that to me? How could you say those things to me? You know how much I love you, how much I care for you, and yet this is what you do? I made one mistake. One. Two if you're going to count Lucas. That doesn't warrant this kind of reaction."

I nodded. "She was devastated. I kept telling her that you loved her and that you would come around because I really believed that you would, that you did. And I still know that you love her, so please stop this nonsense."

She shook her head. "I can't, not until both of you come to your senses. This is a bad situation for both of you to be in. Even if I wasn't concerned about your family, Lucas, I would still be concerned by the fact that you are her current employer. I would say it's an especially risky move to be doing inappropriate actions in the workplace."

Bernadette hung her head, her cheeks flushed red with shame. "We weren't really going to do anything. You know we wouldn't when anyone could just walk in."

"And yet I walked in to the two of you kissing. Sounds like you were definitely doing something to me." She sighed and shook her head. "You know what, I've come here, I wanted to make up. The ball is in your court now my dear. Come to me when you've come to your senses."

Then she turned on her heel and left, leaving me with Bernadette, who definitely looked as if she was about to sob.

The moment her mother was gone, and the door shut behind her, she flung herself into my arms, crying into my shirt and grabbing at me with her hands, which were still shaking.

"I can't believe she would say those things," she said. "It just seems so wrong. Like, how could she do that to me?"

I stroked her hair back from her voice, making a cooing noise and squeezing her tightly to my chest. "It's going to be all right, she was just angry. Let's wait till she cools down and then we'll see if she wants to apologize. I'm sure she will. There's nothing you have to worry about."

Except that it felt like there was. How was I supposed to know how her mother would act? How was I supposed to know what would help the two of them get back together and be happy again?

I just wanted Bernadette to stop crying. I just wanted her to be happy. There had to be a better solution to all of this.