Page 49 of Let Me Keep You

“Uh, I don’t think that’s a good idea.” Gemma fidgets with the hem of her shirt, and I cock my head at her hesitancy.

“Why not?” Jerry pats me on the back. “He’s a good-lookin’ guy. Tall and muscular. Women like that or so I’m told.” He chuckles at his own joke.

“Yeah, why not?” I cross my arms over my chest. She finally meets my gaze, and I shoot her a smirk, knowing she has no excuses. Jerry knows we briefly dated after I returned from the Army but isn’t aware of the repressed feelings we still have for each other. Gemma has convinced herself to marry Robert, but I see through her façade.

“I’m not sure who I’d invite.” Gemma shrugs.

“How ‘bout Katie? I mentioned it when I saw her yesterday, and she seemed excited. Plus, she’s single, has a good job at the bank, and Tyler said he likes kids. I bet they’d really hit it off!” Jerry waves a hand around. “Set it up, Gemma. I think Katie would love to get to know Tyler better. Maybe they’ll be the next couple to get engaged in Lawton Ridge.”

Gemma swallows hard. Amusement floods through me as I watch her panic, but she forces a smile. “Sure, Daddy. I’ll ask her when she’s free.”

“Perfect!” Jerry grins, then walks around me and opens the door to the shop. As soon as it closes, I step toward Gemma as she moves behind the counter.

“You sure you’d be okay with that?”

“Of course. Why wouldn’t I?”

“Most people who hang out together are friends. Not sure we classify as such.”

“We can be friends. We’re co-workers, so we might as well be.”

Arching a brow, studying her features for the little tells that she’s lying. “Might as well be, huh?”

Her shoulders slump. “That’s not what I meant. We’re gonna see each other a lot, so it’d be easier if we were friends. That way it’s not weird between us.”

“Does it feel weird for you, Gemma? Seeing me again? Working with me?”

Her tongue flicks out as she licks her lips, then sucks them between her teeth. “A little, but I’ll get used to it.”

“You think Richard would be okay with us having dinner?”

“Robert,” she corrects. “And it’d be a double date, so I’m sure it’d be fine. You might even find you two have something in common.”

I bark out a loud laugh, then rest my arms on the counter and lean in closer. “The only thing we have in common is we’ve both seen ya naked.” I wink, then walk toward the shop door before she can say another word.

For the rest of the afternoon, I stay by Jerry’s side, and we knock out several projects, finishing everything that was on the schedule for the day. Gemma pops in and out, relaying messages to her dad and asking questions about scheduling. When she walks back into the office humming, the sound goes straight to my dick and fucks with my head for the rest of my shift.

“Good night, Gemma,” I say as I walk toward the exit.

She’s behind the counter, still avoiding eye contact. I look at her before opening the door.

“Don’t forget to set up that double date. I’m available Saturday.”

She finally looks up. “Sure, I’ll get right on that.”

With a smirk, I leave knowing I’m getting to her as much as she’s getting to me.

As I walk home, I check my notifications and see Eric left another voicemail. My heart pounds hard in my chest when he mentions Victoria, begging me to call him back. As much as I don’t want to deal with the O’Learys or Eric, I doubt he’ll leave me alone until I return his call. So I decide to get it over with and hit his number.

“Tyler?” he answers.

“Yeah, it’s me.”

Eric releases a breath. “We gotta talk.”

“What do you want?” I have little patience already.

“I need you to come to Vegas and do a character witness deposition of Victoria O’Leary.”