Jeremy closed the door behind Dana. “Really Ginger? What was that about?”

“Are you really asking me that? When you were in here with her hanging all over you? We agreed years ago there would be no solo meetings.”

“Are you serious right now? That’s for members of the church.”

“Dana’s a member.”

“She works here.”

“So. That could lead to some kind of sexual harassment suit.”

“Really? Sexual harassment?” He didn’t give me a moment to answer. “It seems more like you’re jealous and you don’t have any reason to be. Plus, it’s so not becoming.” He marched toward his desk as if he were upset with me.

“Don’t turn this around on me. You know I’m not the jealous type, not after all I’ve had to put up with over these years. What I don’t like about Dana is her constant and blatant disrespect. She was fawning all over you.”

“She wasn’t fawning.” Jeremy said.

“She’s always flirting with you.”

“She’s not.”

I folded my arms, glared at him, and pressed my lips together so that I wouldn’t speak aloud the words that were in my head. Because what I was thinking was completely inappropriate for the church.

Jeremy sighed. “Babe.” He maneuvered from around the desk. He tried to embrace me, but my arms across my chest stopped him. “Come on. Maybe Dana was fawning over me, but if she was, I didn’t even notice. And do you know why?”

Because answering his question with — because you’re a fool — wouldn’t have done much to diffuse the situation, I kept my mouth shut.

He said, “Because my eyes are only for you.” He uncrossed my arms, then embraced me and kissed my forehead.

As always, his touch took away my resistance.

He said, “So am I forgiven?”

“There’s no reason for me to forgive you. You didn’t do anything. It’s just that you’re oblivious to the women who disrespect me on a regular basis. It’s bad enough when we’re out and can’t even enjoy dinner without some woman passing you her number, but now I have to deal with it with the staff?”

He frowned. “You’ve been talking about this a lot recently.”

“It’s not recent.” I twisted to release myself from his arms. “This has been going on since the beginning. It’s just that in the beginning, I tried to ignore it like you, but I can’t anymore.” I sighed. “I’m tired, Jeremy. Just very tired of it, so I had to start speaking up about it.”

“I get it, but I want you to hear me. It doesn’t matter what a woman tries to do, the bottom line is this. I’m your husband and that means everything to me.”

“Seems like you’re the only one who respects that.”

“Well the truth is,” he said, looking into my eyes, “I’m the only one who needs to respect this. Don’t you understand? You are the most beautiful, intelligent, engaging, funny woman I know. It wouldn’t matter how many times a woman came after me, it wouldn’t matter how many times a woman would try to be all up in my face, I am committed to you. You are the woman that God has chosen for me.”