Page 48 of Tastes Like Summer

“Okay. Yeah. I’ll look it over this morning and have it back to you with notes by the end of the day.”

“Perfect. I think that’s all we need to review for today’s to-do. Is there… anything you’d like to talk about besides work?”

I sit up in my chair, feel the color disappear from my cheeks. Does he know? “Um… no?”

Edgar sighs, and crosses his arms over his desk. “I want to talk to you about Mr. Bloom.”

“Oh? I thought we were.” I play dumb.

“Not about his business, and I think you know it. In retrospect, I should’ve started this morning’s conversation with this, but I got distracted.”

“And… what is it that we should be talking about?”

Edgar takes a deep breath. “After Max left early for the hotel, Mr. Bloom approached me at drinks. About you. He mentioned he asked you out on a date? And I just want to make sure he didn’t make you feel uncomfortable. If so, I can speak to him as I don’t think that was appropriate behavior. I told him, I didn’t condone that. He assured me he tried to be as respectful as possible, but I wasn’t pleased. This client… Please know that you can tell me if you felt uncomfortable. We can figure something out, pull you from the case or limit your contact with him. We can even⁠—”

Mortified, I hold a hand up to stop him. “Mr. Porter—Edgar. Please don’t worry. Yes, he did ask me out, but… but he never made me feel uncomfortable or… or harassed or anything. He was super respectful, even when I said no because you’d probably find it a conflict of interest or something. You’ve been so generous with me in giving me this opportunity and I don’t want to do anything to risk my position with you⁠—”

“Did you want to say yes, Diana?”

“I—” I stutter. “I already kind of did. I’m sorry, because I should’ve asked. But we never really solidified our plans, so I can just⁠—”

Edgar raises a brow and cuts me off with a nod. “I was there during your divorce, in case you forgot. So I know everything you’ve gone through—at least in that sense—and I know what kind of man your ex-husband is. I’ve known Jonathan since before he hired us, and I must say, I can assure you he is nowhere near whatever your ex-husband was.”

I snort. “Well, of course. Rodrigo isn’t a billionaire and⁠—”

“That’s not what I meant, though that’s certainly something to consider as well. No, I meant that Jonathan is definitely one of the good ones. I suspect that the reason he’s still single has nothing to do with who he is as a person, and more to do with the fact that he has little time to give to a relationship—which is why him asking you out surprised me. But even still, the fact that he asked for permission… Even if it was after the fact.” Edgar shakes his head with a smile on his face. “It just proves he’s always trying to do the right thing. I just wanted to make sure you were okay on the off chance he was inappropriate—you never know these days. The nicest people can end up being the worst devils. But if you were interested in going out with him… Well, I’m not going to stand in your way. I’m not going to encourage it because of how it might affect our business, but I’d turn a blind eye.”

I smile, my cheeks blushing. “That’s very nice of you, Edgar.”

Thumbs hovering over my phone screen, I chew on my lip as I try to formulate the right thing to message to Jonathan. The right way to say I’ve thought about it and am willing to let him take me out. It should be simple, right? Just a hey or hello maybe, add in a I’ve thought about it and would like to go out. But somehow it feels disingenuous.

Maybe because deep down you know he’s not the one you really want to go out on a date with?

Rubbing my forehead, I sigh, hesitating. After an hours-long conversation with Rosie (I couldn’t help panic-calling her), I decided to go for it.

She had whistled over the phone. “Oh, man. I just googled him. He is… something else.”

“Of course he’s devastatingly attractive,” I told her. “But that’s not everything, is it? That’s not all I should be looking for in a partner.”

“Well, duh. But is that what you’re doing here? Looking for a partner? I’m so confused.”

I groan. “I’m confused, too.”

“Do you like him?”

I shrug, throwing myself on the couch, switching my phone from one hand to the other. “He’s fine.”

There’s a silence over the phone. “Is this about Michael?”

“Um…”

“Did something happen between you guys?” she says, her voice brightening.

“Um. Maybe. Yes. We… kissed. But just a little bit!”

“Oh. My. God. Are you serious? And you’re just telling me now?”

Sighing, I close my eyes and roll onto my side, pulling a blanket over my legs. The girls are still at camp, and I couldn’t be more thankful. It gives me the chance to openly talk about this. “I don’t know how I feel about it. It’s… it’s not something I’m used to.”