Good night! :) I'm really sorry for being so absent. I barely have time for anything, I was going through a writer's block and I won't lie, I needed time for myself. :) I guess you're not interested in the story anymore. I mean, that would be totally understandable. However, I want to finish it, so I think there will be another chapter at least, probably two so I can give this journey a proper ending. ;) Anyway, here's the update. I hope you like it. ;) Have a nice week, you all! :)

Enjoy the chapter, guys!

IT'S NEVER TOO LATE

: Chapter 30 – Face to Face:

I didn't think my life could have changed in just a few days. I'm happy about everything that's going on with it, but I can't help but being nervous about getting into the plane. It's not that I'm afraid about flying, just the opposite, I've always enjoyed the rush when the airplane takes off and I feel something in my stomach, but knowing I'm going to be sitting next to Mr. McCullers doesn't help. I know he supposedly took the news about our relationship really good, but that doesn't make me less nervous about the long flight back we're going to share. It's even more uncomfortable to know that he planned this encounter, he chose the seats, so he wants to talk to me, there's no doubt about that. Although I don't have anything to hide, things have changed and this possible awkward conversation terrifies me. Saying the opposite would be a complete lie. Anyway, I need to face it and deal it the best way possible. That's what being an adult is supposed to mean and I am ready to show it.

"Do you find it funny?" I've noticed Paige has been smirking since the moment we sat down while waiting at the airport. Luckily, both Jason and Mr. McCullers decided to go to the duty-free shops and we are alone. I want a moment of peace, but she's enjoying my nervousness. It's not that she's being evil, but I hate her even if it's actually a good thing, meaning that she trusts me.

"Just a little bit," she adds, smiling at me and putting her arm around my shoulder.

"You're a bad girlfriend," I tease her and then sigh.

"What are you so afraid of?" Her face expression suddenly changes, she's trying to be supportive this time.

I stare at her and I suddenly realize why I fell in love with her. She's everything anyone would want in a person.

"It's your dad and my boss, Paige. Do I need to explain?" I smile at her.

"I understand, but you don't need to worry." She winks at me and squeezes my hand. Somehow that makes me feel better.

Her phone's been ringing a few times and I'm starting to feel awkward about it.

"Aren't you going to take that? It seems important," I add. She shakes her head. "It's okay if you don't want me to know who is calling you." It's starting to bother me and I'm not in the mood for secrets. Every time the phone has rung, she has looked at the screen and has decided to ignore it. It's obviously someone she doesn't want to talk in front of me. Otherwise, she'd have taken the call.

"It's nothing." She holds my hand but that's not enough for my anger to go away. I am nervous enough about her dad and this is not helping at all. It's worsening it, actually.

"It doesn't look like nothing." I frown at her.

"It's Alison, okay?" I expected this. I'm a little bit jealous, I knew she would be contacting her and I don't like that a little bit. I knew she was not going to move to the same city and not try to contact her. And by contact I mean flirting with her. She wants her back and I'm not going to make it easier, even if that means being jealous and angry about it.

"So you've been seeing her," I say, making her sigh.

"Do you really want to talk about this right now?" She looks away, she obviously feels uncomfortable because we're in a public space. She doesn't want to make a scene and she knows me well enough to be hesitant about my reaction. Besides, I'm a bundle of nerves and she realizes my attitude towards it is going to worst at this moment.

"It looks like you have something to hide." I know I look angry and maybe this isn't the best place and moment to discuss this, but I can't let it go so easily.

"Are you serious about it?" She raises her voice a little bit.

"Of course I'm serious."

"I don't know what you want me to say. I already told you the story, I was honest about it. I also told you that she was coming to the city. She wants to see me, that's all."

"That's all?" The lack of importance she's giving to the subject is bothering me. She describes it like she's going to meet an old friend, not and old love interest that was also her best friend. They were like soulmates, she told me that.

Her face expression changes and she caresses my arm, obviously making an effort to calm me down. "I won't see her if you don't want to. There's nothing between us, Em. You're everything to me."

I stare at her and I suddenly calm down. She has that impact on me and I hate it because I'm feeling more jealous than ever and I don't like that feeling at all. It makes me look like a child.

"I'm not asking you to not see her. We're both adults and it wouldn't be fine to ask you that. I just want to be honest. I don't want secrets between us."

She kisses my cheek and my anger disappears for a brief moment. "I won't lie to you. I'd love to see her to catch on. I miss her, she was my best friend, but you have nothing to worry about." She winks at me but it hurts me a little bit deep inside. I know she's being honest and she doesn't want to hide what she really feels, and I appreciate it.

"I know you're being sincere, but you need to understand how I feel." I look away, I hate feeling like this. It makes me feel powerless.

"I understand, Em. I had the same feeling when Maya showed up. I wanted to kill her," she teases me. I laugh. That was different though. Maya cheated on me. Alison was her first love and Paige couldn't handle her feelings for her because she was terrified. She didn't do anything wrong, so there are no hard feelings there. That's why I feel jealous. Even if I trust my girlfriend, I know how important this person was for her and I can't help but be a little bit worried.

"We can arrange a dinner, just the four us. It'd be really entertaining," I joke, trying to conceive my nervousness. She laughs.

We keep talking and making plans for the weekend. At the exact moment I kiss her, her dad conveniently shows up. I suddenly pull away, my face is redder than a tomato.

"I'm sorry to interrupt, girls." His smirk makes me blush even more.

Suddenly Jason shows up, but he didn't see the kiss. He gives me an impressed look, he obviously doesn't understand what is going on.

"Did something happen in my absence?" he asks, looking at everyone, searching for an answer.

"It's nothing. They were just having fun. Isn't that right, girls?" Mr. McCullers gives us a big smile and I don't even know where to look. He has a sense of humor, that's for sure. "Okay, we should keep moving, I don't want to lose the flight," he adds, changing abruptly the subject.

I look at the row number and at my boarding pass a few times. I take my seat and I realize he's coming right behind me. We didn't take off and I already want to get to Spencer's or at least leave this plane.

"So... everything worked out like we wanted to." He didn't even wait a minute to start a conversation. I'm glad the first question is work related.

I avoid his gaze at first, but then I look him in the eye. I need to stop acting like I'm avoiding him.

"Yes, it did. We got the project and they were happy about it, so it was great," I respond.

"You did a great job." I blush. I can't control my feelings in front of him, even if I want to project a sense of normalcy. "Thank you."

"I guess you're wondering why I did this." He points at both of us. I look at him and he smiles at me. He decided to go to the point and beat about the bush.

"I'm a little bit nervous, in case you didn't realize," I joke.

"You definitely seem nervous." He grins at me.

"Am I supposed to be nervous?" I tease him. He laughs at me.

"I just want to talk to you." I take a sip from the bottle of water, trying to make the knot in my stomach disappear. It doesn't work though.

"Is it work related?" I already know the answer to that question, but I needed to ask.

He laughs at me. "Paige talked to me the other day. I guess you know that." I nod at him.

"It was totally unexpected, I didn't know she was going to do that. She told me afterwards and I didn't have a clue she even had the intention to do so," I admit.

"She caught me by surprise too." His face expression suddenly changes and it makes my heart start to race. "Anyway, I want you to know it's fine by me, in case you were wondering."

"I really appreciate it." I look away, shyness suddenly taking me away. "I hope you're not saying that because you want to support your daughter. I want to to earn your trust." He smiles at me.

"You are not afraid to give your opinion. I like that."

"I don't like fooling around. I like to get things straight from the beginning."

"I like that too. I don't know you a lot, but you seem an honest person. I hope this doesn't affect the work you are doing, because I have to admit I'm really happy about it. You showed how valuable you're since the day you stepped at the offices."

"Actually, I wanted to talk about that too. I've been thinking about it, especially since Paige came out to you." He frowns his eyebrow.

I haven't talked about this matter with Paige, but I knew that this could be a problem. "What are you implying?" I sense he's a little bit worried by the tone of his voice.

"I know you had some doubts about Jason when they were dating."

He sighs. "I don't like people thinking someone has been hired or is going to have a preferential treatment just because he… or she in this case…" He makes a pause and smiles at me. "… just because someone is dating my daughter."

"I totally understand that."

"I'm not saying that you should leave the job." I don't understand what he's trying to say then.

"Then what do you want me to do?" He smirks at me and I realize maybe I was a little bit harsh. When I see his smile I see that he didn't take it the wrong way, so I smile back. Paige has the same contagious smile.

"I'm not telling what you need to do."

"I thought you were implying it, maybe because it happened before with Jason. Even though it wasn't necessary to do anything because they broke up before it could be something serious."

"That was different," he adds. I'm having difficulties to understand him.

"Because I'm a woman and he's a man?" He laughs. I was being serious though. It's exactly the same situation, her daughter is going out with another employee. I don't see a difference.

"I like your sense of humor." I smile at him. "I trust you and I think you're good for my daughter. Jason is nice, but there's something about him… I don't know how to explain it. Anyway, I like you for Paige and also as my employee." This gets me by surprise. It's a good thing, but now I have even more doubts than before this conversation began. I thought he was going to make me choose.

"Thank you. That makes me really happy. However, I don't think it will work out. I have a feeling I should choose. Honestly, I'd choose your daughter over the job, even if I love it. I love your daughter more." I blush, I just admitted I love Paige, but I chose her dad to be the first one to know about that fact. He smiles at me.

"I'd rather not lose you, but that's your choice. You could stay too. I mean, it doesn't have to affect your job, right?"

I frown at him. "Do you really think that or do you want to think that?" He smiles at me.

"If you choose to leave, it would be a huge loss, but I'll respect anything you decide. You're a wise grown woman and you are totally capable of taking the right decision."

"I will think about that and tell you once I have cleared my mind. The last days have been hectic and I don't want to take hasty decisions." He nods at me.

We stay in silence for a minute or so. I hate awkward silences, so I think about a new topic of conversation. However, he is faster than me.

"How was your shower this morning?"

He catches me off-guard. "Excuse me?" I ask, still in shock because of his weird question. He has a huge smile on his face.

"I guess you had a shower this morning." His grin doesn't go away from his face.

I start thinking about it and I suddenly realize I spent the night on her daughter's room. However, I still don't get why he's asking that.

"I sure did," I answer, still thinking about his odd question. It's impossible for me to smell bad, because I really had a shower, so I don't get it.

"I heard the water from the shower running when I went to see my daughter this morning."

I blush. I don't think my face has ever been redder.

"Oh," I say. That word is the only one that I'm able to pronounce.

"I don't know if my daughter tell you about me, but I love making people awkward. I'm really sorry, I needed to tell you this." He continues laughing.

"Will you believe me if I tell you the shower in my bedroom was broken down?" I grin at him.

"Nice try!" he teases me.

We continue talking about work related matters, my life back in Rosewood, college and he even tells me childhood stories about Paige. I actually enjoy his company and the nervousness starts to fade away after a few hours of chat. The flight back turned out to be nice and I feel better than before. I like him, that's the best thing that could happen. Now I need to decide what I'm going to be about the job. I have the whole weekend to think about that. I just hope Alison being around doesn't cloud my judgment.

To be continued…

Stay tuned! ;)