“I wasn’t sure if you were gay or bi, but I knew you weren’t simply friends with that young man.”

Thorne turned away, looking out the window. He forced himself to ignore the tightness of his chest and the burning behind his eyes. He had to keep it together. “Now we’re not anything at all.”

“Oh, I’m sorry.” Her voice was low and soft, like she was unsure whether to speak at all.

“So am I. I need some time to…process. I’m taking two weeks off.”

“T-two weeks? I don’t think you’ve ever taken more than a day except when your mother was in the hospital.”

“When my sister had her first baby, I took…two days.”

“Yes, but you checked in every few minutes.”

He had. “I’m ready to make some serious changes in my life.”

“Does that include coming out?”

He nodded. “It does.”

“So this early meeting with the senior partners…?”

“I’m going to tell them. I don’t feel like I owe that to anyone here but you. However, if I’m going to stop hiding, word will get around. I’d rather tell them than deal with rumors.”

Lauren nodded. “Good decision.”

“Thank you. I’ll leave shortly after the meeting and be back in the office two weeks from Monday. I’ve worked out the best way to divide my workload and rescheduled my trip to New York.”

“I saw that when I got in this morning,” Lauren said.

“I’ll e-mail you everything else you need along with a number where I can be reached in an emergency. Kathryn will also be able to get in touch with me, but no one else.”

“Where are you heading?”

“A lake near Bryson City, North Carolina. I’m going sailing.”

Her eyes widened. “Sailing? Like on a sailboat?”

“Don’t look so shocked. I used to own a boat.”

She narrowed her eyes. “I’m struggling to imagine you doing something so…outdoorsy.”

He wanted to be offended, but he couldn’t. “I enjoy the water. I don’t always wear suits, you know.”

“I’d wondered.”

Thorne gave her a mock glare.

She was undaunted. “I like this new you.”

“Thank you. Maybe…well, hopefully this trip will be good for me.”

Lauren smiled. “It will. I’m sure of it.”

He finished his coffee and glanced at the time.

“You have a meeting to get to,” Lauren said. “Should I join you?”

Thorne wanted to say yes, but if anything did turn ugly, he didn’t want her there. “No, thank you. I’m going to do this alone.”