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Don’t think stuff like that, Sloane.
He can grin his alluring movie star smile at me all he wants. I can’t get caught up in it, though. I won’t ever hurt Jamie like that. Plus, despite my confusing attraction toward Dempsey, he’ll always be the little turkey I watched grow up.
Gross.
I feel like some kind of pervert.
That’s how Jamie would see it if I ever allowed anything to happen.
Which I won’t. I won’t.
“Sloane Thurman?”
A deep voice from the parking lot at the pizza place jerks me from my inner turmoil. A gorgeous man in his late thirties with dirty-blond hair and a dashing grin strides over to me. He’s dressed in dark gray slacks that hug his muscular form and wears a white button-down that he’s rolled up to his elbows. He’s cut in a way that says he spends an insane amount of his free time in the gym. Green eyes flicker with appreciation as he approaches.
“Oliver Howell.” He offers a hand for me to shake. “Pleased to meet you.”
I shake his hand and offer a smile. So far, he’s nice, handsome, and appropriate for someone my age. “So you know Nathan?”
“I see him sometimes at the country club, but I actually work with Hugo. All the Parks are pretty much carbon copies of each other, though, am I right?” He winks at me as he ushers me to the front door. “You know one and you know them all.”
I force a smile to be polite, but it’s not true. The Parks are all different. Yes, they’re all maddening in the same sort of way but definitely all different.
“So, lawyer, huh?” I ask, changing the subject as we seat ourselves at a booth near the window. “You like your job?”
“Sometimes,” he says with a chuckle. “Sometimes it’s a total pain in the ass.”
“Sounds like mine.”
“Park Mountain PD. I hear you’re a tough cookie in this town.”
“Just doing my job,” I mutter and dart my gaze to the menu. “Jamie said you’re recently divorced?”
He chuckles. “Damn, and I thought the interrogation skills of dating other attorneys were intense. I’ve never dated a cop before.”
Just answer the damn question.
His smile vanishes when he realizes I won’t be blown off. Wrinkles form at the corners of his eyes as he narrows them at me.
“We weren’t compatible any longer.” He sighs and rubs at the back of his neck. “Neither of us wanted kids. Our careers were our babies. Then, two years ago, she changed her mind. Put the pressure on me ever since. We both grew resentful and ultimately, it’s what split us apart. Nothing exciting like torrid affairs if that’s what you’re thinking.”
Defensive.
“I’m sorry to hear that,” I utter as the waitress comes to our table. “I’ll have Pepsi and a large deep dish meat mountain. Oh, and a side of garlic knots.”
The woman then turns her attention to Oliver, who is watching me with slightly widened eyes. “Uh, I’ll have water. Add a side salad for me and we’ll share the rest.”
We’ll share?
A shroud of awkwardness cloaks around me. This is another reason why I don’t date. I don’t know what’s proper or what’s expected of me. I’d planned on getting a big pizza so I could bring the rest back to Kaden later. I even planned on paying for dinner tonight.
“Not hungry?” I ask when the waitress leaves to put in our order.
He tilts his head to the side, studying me again as though I’m an endangered animal behind glass that needs figuring out. “I figured there was enough for both of us.”
“I suppose,” I say tightly. “I was going to bring the rest back home, but I can always order it to-go. Don’t worry. Dinner is on me tonight.”
“What? Oh, shit. I just thought you were one of those women who liked to take charge and order. I was being nice. I think I already fucked this date up.” He shoots me a pleading look. “This is the first real date I’ve had since the split. You’re different than the others. I apologize if I’m screwing this up.”
