“Welcome to the club. Neither did I.”
She turned when the door opened and Blair walked in. “Sorry. Just wanted to check what you needed from me, if anything, or I’m going to get right back on what I’ve got. We’ll get it punched out before the end of the day, if not first thing in the morning. Depends on how much you’re going to change.”
“I’m good. I’ll give it to Nora if it’s anything, but you work on that.”
Blair nodded and slipped back out. “I can help her if you want unless you prefer I don’t touch anything like this.”
“That’s up to her, but she’ll be here for a few hours and I don’t want you to have to stay late. There is no reason for it this early.”
Nor did he want her to worry it was going to happen often either.
“If I help, then it gets her out earlier, unless I’m in the way, and if I am, I can handle being told that.”
“I’ll let you two work that out,” he said. He looked at his watch. “Behind closed doors we can slip. I think we should have that window. It’s been bothering me all day that I didn’t talk to you yesterday. I don’t want you to think I was blowing you off or trying to get even for what you did the first time.”
“We aren’t tied at the hip.”
There wasn’t humor in her voice over that reply. Not even sarcasm, just a bold statement.
“I know. I was busy working on this, talking to my father and brothers, and getting everything lined up. I want to present a formal offer no later than the end of business tomorrow. They will have twenty-four hours to accept or negotiate. It will take time and then the legal teams will come in, but it’d be nice to get some of this done before Blair leaves.”
“She’s still going to be around,” she said. “At least part time.”
“She will be, but I don’t want to bug her too much. She has to start her new life. You need to spread your wings just the same.”
“Thank you for that. It’s going to be nerve-wracking, because being the new person already is, but I don’t want to mess up.”
“Everyone messes up,” he said, laughing.
“I know. I’m not perfect.”
She was for him.
Not that he could say that because he wasn’t even sure if it was the truth.
That it popped into his head so freely was scarier than shit, but it wouldn’t have if he hadn’t believed it.
Or maybe it was the way they met.
On the island that his family founded and that carried a heavy dose of legend and lore of love at first sight.
It wasn’t love, but whatever it was, it was powerful enough to have him questioning everything he did.
“Unlike me,” he said.
“Impossible again,” she said. “Is there anything else I can do for you before I go help Blair?”
“I know what I want to say but not what I should.”
“You’re just going to wait until Saturday.”
“Friday night,” he countered.
“Depends on how long and hard my boss works.”
“That night,” he said, his eyes holding her stare. “Both of those things.”
She gulped. “Got to get that last word in, don’t you?”
