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She is the sweetest fucking thing alive.
“You want me to choose? Because if you climb in my lap I’m going to pull around to the alley and give you a quickie before school.”
She giggles and smiles. “Cheek then,” she says, leaning over towards me. She places one hand on my far cheek and kisses the near one. Whispers, “I can’t wait to go to bed with you tonight.”
“I could stop by at lunch.” I waggle my eyebrows at her.
“Oh, for sure. Do that. But I mean… just sleep next to you tonight. That’s what I mean. Staying the night with you is the best thing ever.” The school bell rings and she sighs. “I hope everything goes OK at work. I’m so sorry—“
“Don’t apologize,” I say. “Now scoot. You’re going to get detention and then I’ll have to spank you when we get home.”
Her eyes open wide. “Hmmm.”
“Out!” I say, pointing at the door.
She opens the door, laughing as she gets out and shuts it. Blowing me a kiss as she walks off.
I stare at her until she disappears inside the door, reluctant to go into work and face Ozzy, but knowing I have to do it.
The drive over is too quick. Everything is too quick. And before I know it I’m walking into the office and everyone is looking at me while simultaneously trying not to look at me.
Wonderful. He’s already told the staff. I guess he’s serious about this break-up thing.
“Ah,” he calls from his office. “He shows.”
I stop in his doorway, glancing over my shoulder, and find every single employee is watching us. “Should I come in and close the door?” I ask. “Or should we just hash this out in front of everyone since you’ve clearly already told them?”
Ozzy frowns at me. “I was angry.”
“So?”
“So come in and close the door.”
I do, then take a seat in the chair in front of his desk, casually propping an ankle on my knee like I’ve got all day.
“You took her to school, I take it? Mr. Amherst knows she’s at your house. He checked her ride app and he’s worried she’s going to miss school.”
“I did,” I say. “Not that it’s any of your business.”
He shoots me an incredulous look. “You’re joking, right? You just blew up the deal, Ryker. I should’ve known that drumming was a bad idea. I knew it would bring back memories, I just never thought you’d be that guy again. And I fucking told you to stay away from the young ones.”
“So?” I say again. “Since when do I have to take your advice?”
“Since I pulled you out of that downward spiral you were on back in college and gave you something to work towards,” he says.
“Work towards,” I say, “is the key phrase there. Because I worked for all this.”
“And you’re about to throw it all away over a relationship that probably won’t last through the weekend.”
“You don’t know that.”
“Which part? The part where you get dumped by an eighteen-year-old girl once she realizes Daddy’s not going to pay for her college? Or the part where you ruin the business we’ve spent the last ten years building? I get to have my say about this, Ryker. You’re fucking me over, dude. Pretty goddamned hard, too.”
“Look,” I say, sighing heavily. “I like her. She likes me. Her father is freaking out over nothing. If it doesn’t last, then hey, you all get your way. But if it does—“
“You’re not listening to me, man! He pulled our loan! We’re seventeen million dollars in debt. We can’t finish our current projects unless we get his loan. Which means we can’t sell them to pay back the fucking loans we already have. What the hell is wrong with you? You’re thirty-five years old. You should’ve learned not to think with your dick by now.”
“It’s more than that,” I say. “And frankly, I’m tired of explaining that to you.”
“You’re tired of explaining? I’m going to lose my penthouse. I’m going to lose everything over this girl, Ryker. Just…” He sighs. Gathers himself. Takes a deep breath and tries again. “Just tell her it’s temporary. Just tell her you two have to break it off for a little while so we can get the loan and—“
“Lie to her father, then? That’s your answer.”
“It’s not lying if you really do it.”
“So I what? Kick her out and make her go home?”
“Yes!” Ozzy says. “Yes! Kick her out, make her go home. Apologize to her father—profusely—and then beg him to see this through as you promise never to touch her again.”
I’m already shaking my head.
“Don’t shake your head at me, asshole. We’re going to lose everything! Do you really want to start over with nothing at thirty-five? Because I don’t.”
I know he’s right. I get it. Losing this deal will ruin us. But selling Aria out for money is just so wrong. Even if we’re lying to her father and we get back together. I don’t want to do it. I want to keep her with me. I want her in my bed every night. I want to have lunch with her, and go grocery-shopping together, and have babies.
