The Affair

Chapter 14

Mark listened carefully, swirling the amber liquid in his glass as Rebecca continued.

“Kendra… she doesn’t date the right kind of men,” Rebecca admitted with a sigh. “I think she just hates being alone, even if she won’t admit it. She gets into relationships that aren’t good for her—guys who don’t appreciate her, who don’t challenge her. It’s like she’s just going through the motions for the sake of having someone there.”

Mark frowned. He’d seen hints of that in the way she talked about her ex—the one who cheated on her. She hadn’t sounded heartbroken. Just… disappointed. Like it was more of an inconvenience than a real loss.

“I’ve tried to talk to her about it,” Rebecca went on. “Tried to tell her she deserves better, but she just waves me off. She’s convinced love isn’t real, or if it is, it’s not meant for her.”

Mark’s grip tightened on his glass. Not meant for her? How could someone like Kendra—smart, beautiful, fiery—think that?

Rebecca sighed, rubbing her temples. “It scares me, Mark. The way she views relationships, the way she lets people treat her. It’s like she doesn’t think she’s worth more.”

Mark exhaled slowly, his thoughts a whirlwind. Kendra was the kind of woman who put up walls, who hid her wounds beneath sharp wit and stubborn independence. But now, piece by piece, he was starting to see the cracks underneath.

And it was making it really damn hard to ignore how much he cared.

Rebecca took a sip of her wine, staring down at the glass as if lost in thought. “She doesn’t let people in, Mark. Not really. Even as a kid, after Robert… after everything, she built up these walls. I tried to break through them, but the harder I pushed, the stronger she held on.”

Mark stayed quiet, his jaw tight. He didn’t know what to say. He wasn’t sure if he should say anything.

Rebecca sighed. “And the men she picks… I don’t think she even likes half of them. It’s like she’s just filling a space, you know? Making sure she’s not alone but never giving them the part of her that actually matters.”

Mark swallowed, thinking back to the conversation at the bar. The way Kendra had admitted she was used to being alone. The way she’d hesitated before telling him the truth about college, as if she wasn’t sure he was worth trusting.

Rebecca looked up at him with tired eyes. “I just want her to be happy, Mark. I want her to feel safe, to feel loved. But she doesn’t believe in love anymore.”

Mark’s throat went dry. She doesn’t believe in love.

That hit him harder than it should have.

Rebecca shook her head and forced a small smile. “But maybe spending more time with you, with us, will help. Maybe she’ll finally let someone in.”

Mark returned her smile, but it felt forced. Because deep down, he wasn’t sure if Kendra letting someone in was the solution…

Or if he was the one dangerously close to crossing a line he couldn’t come back from.

Rebecca turned the conversation and asked how Kendra was doing at work.

Mark’s expression softened, a small, almost proud smile tugging at the corner of his lips. “She’s doing great. Honestly, better than I expected. She’s sharp, quick on her feet, and she picks up things fast. She’s got instincts that you can’t teach.”

Rebecca’s smile widened. “That’s my girl. She’s always been smart, but she never really had direction. I worried about her when she dropped out of college… I just didn’t know what she was going to do with her life.”

Mark hesitated, swirling the drink in his glass, thinking back to what Kendra had told him earlier about why she really left college. A pang of guilt hit him for keeping that secret from Rebecca, but he had given Kendra his word.

“She’s got potential,” he finally said. “And drive. She’s not just skating by—she’s putting in real effort.”

Rebecca exhaled, relief evident on her face. “That means a lot coming from you. I wasn’t sure if this would work out, but hearing you say that makes me feel better. She needs someone to believe in her.”

Mark glanced down at his glass. Believe in her? He wasn’t sure what this was, but it was more than just professional admiration. He was starting to see Kendra in ways he knew he shouldn’t.

Rebecca reached across the table, touching his hand lightly. “Thank you, Mark. For giving her a chance.”

He forced a small smile and nodded. “Of course.”

But deep down, he knew this was becoming more complicated than either of them realized.

————————————-

Kendra sat on the couch, the glow from the TV casting flickering shadows across the dimly lit living room. The movie played, but she wasn’t paying attention—not really. Her mind kept replaying the moment at the bar.

The way Mark’s fingers had tilted her chin up so gently, as if she were something delicate. The way his voice had dropped into that dangerously soft tone, the way his breath had mingled with hers, warm and intoxicating.

She had seen the way his eyes had darkened, the way his body had leaned in ever so slightly. And for those few seconds, the world had gone quiet. It was just them.

And she wanted it.

God, she wanted it.

The realization made her stomach twist with something she couldn’t quite name. It was wrong—so wrong. He was her boss. Her mother’s fiancé. And yet, in that moment, with the scent of his cologne mixed with whiskey wrapping around her and the weight of his gaze pinning her in place, she hadn’t cared.

She had wanted to close the gap. Wanted to know how he tasted, how his lips would feel against hers when they weren’t under the haze of alcohol and poor decisions.

Her fingers tightened around the blanket in her lap as she let out a slow, shaky breath.

What the hell was wrong with her?

Just as she was about to force herself to think about anything else, the sound of the front door unlocking snapped her back to reality.

Kendra’s eyes darted up just in time to see her mother walk through the door, her heels clicking softly against the floor. But she wasn’t alone.

Mark followed behind her.

Kendra’s breath caught, her heart doing something stupid in her chest.

Rebecca turned to him, smiling as she reached up and pressed a lingering kiss to his cheek. “Goodnight, darling,” she murmured.

A sharp, unexpected sting shot through Kendra’s chest.

Jealousy.

It was quick, irrational, and made her feel pathetic. She had no right to feel this way. No right to let the image of her mother’s lips on his skin bother her.

But it did.

Mark met her gaze over Rebecca’s shoulder, his expression unreadable.

For a brief moment, the air between them was thick—charged with something neither of them wanted to acknowledge.

Then, just as quickly, he looked away.

“Goodnight, Rebecca,” he said smoothly before stepping away from her, his movements controlled, deliberate. He didn’t glance at Kendra again as he walked out the door.

She didn’t let out the breath she was holding until she heard the sound of his car pulling away.

Rebecca let out a soft sigh as she kicked off her heels, rolling her shoulders as she walked toward the kitchen.

“You’re up late,” she noted, grabbing a bottle of water from the fridge.

Kendra forced herself to focus, shifting slightly on the couch. “Yeah, just watching a movie.”

Rebecca hummed in response, taking a sip before leaning against the counter. “Mark told me you did an amazing job at work today. He couldn’t stop singing your praises.”

Kendra swallowed, her mind flashing back to the time she’d spent with him—the meetings, the way he watched her when he thought she wasn’t looking, the almost-kiss at the bar.

She doubted that was part of the praise he gave her mother.

Still, she forced a small smile. “It was a busy day, but I handled it.”

Rebecca beamed. “I knew you would.” She walked over, brushing a hand over Kendra’s hair before sitting down beside her. “I’m so happy you’re back home. And I love that you and Mark are getting along. It means a lot to me.”

Kendra’s stomach twisted.

She hated lying to her mother, hated the guilt that curled in her chest. They were getting along, technically—but not in the way Rebecca thought.

Not in the way that was acceptable.

“Yeah,” she said, forcing her voice to stay light. “Me too.”

Rebecca gave her a warm smile before glancing at the TV. “What are we watching?”

Kendra barely even remembered. “Some action movie.”

Rebecca chuckled. “Mind if I join you?”

Kendra nodded, relieved for the distraction as her mother curled up beside her. But even as she tried to focus on the movie, her mind was still elsewhere—still stuck on him.

On the way he looked at her.

On the way she wanted him to do it again.