“I think you Brits have a different meaning of the word.”
He flashed his pearly whites. “Come on, Daisy. You, me, five minutes. What do you say?”
She didn’t speak for a moment. She didn’t want to be alone with him, for Amelia’s sake, and because just looking at him dragged all the old hurt to the surface. But they were adults now, practically strangers. And if he kept his promise, after five minutes, she’d never see him again. That would be best for everyone.
“Fine,” she said faintly.
“What was that?”
“I said fine. But not here. There’s a small coffee shop around the corner. It’s called Betty’s. We can meet there tomorrow at two.”
Jameson’s smile widened. He drummed the desk, delighted to have gotten his way. “See you then.”
The seconds slowly ticked by on the gold skeleton clock on Daisy’s desk. She watched carefully as the small hand inched closer to two.
Her heart raced with unapologetic tremors; her eyes twitched at the thought of their meeting. Jameson was not good for her health.
It’s just five minutes, she reminded herself, as she packed up and headed downstairs.
She waved goodbye to Jessica, who had tried, again, to pry for details on Jameson. Jessica was still taken by him. Daisy wanted to tell her it wouldn’t last long because he was an awful individual, but the words stuck. In her head, she could demean him; to others, she couldn’t. At the end of the day, there were more good memories than bad, even if the bad overshadowed all the good. And he was the father of her child, the most preciousgift she’d ever been given, and half of which was him. That alone made Daisy bite her tongue.
“Jessica, I’m leaving for the day.”
“Okay, boss. Have a good one. See you tomorrow.”
After dropping her bag in the trunk, Daisy made the short drive to Betty’s. When she saw no cars in the back lot, fury sparked. If he wasn’t there at exactly two, she was out. Screw his five minutes. He could take that and shove it in a dark, dark place.
She was still thinking a string of lewd comments when she pushed open the door. She waved to Arlene behind the counter, then scanned the small shop. Her mouth fell a little when she saw him in the corner, his back to the door.
He must have been dropped off, Daisy figured, by a driver or security. God, he was so famous now.
He was wearing the same aviator shades as yesterday and a black-and-orange Giants cap. His hair peeked from the sides, curling around his ears. She’d never seen it so long. For all she knew, he could’ve grown it down to his ass at some point.
Oh, his ass. That sure hadn’t changed. Not too big and perfectly pert. She always liked—
Gah… Daisy shook her head roughly.No ass.
She pulled out her chair quickly and set her purse on the edge of the table.
“Talk,” she snapped.
He took off his glasses and replied, “Nice to see you, too.”
“Jameson, please…”
“Okay. Sorry.”
Through hooded lashes she could see he was nervous. Despite everything, she knew him too well: the lip lick, the bite to the inside of his cheek. “Thanks for coming. I… I… How’s everyone? Good, right? You said they were good the other day.”
“Yes,” Daisy said, head tilted and eyes narrowed.
“I heard your brother moved to Asia, right?”
“Yep. Singapore.”
“Work?”
“Yes. And his girlfriend is from there.”
