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“I can tell you’re not sleepi
ng.” Rook shrugged and handed Banner a fork. “I think you need counseling.”
“To forget a girl? This happens to people all the time. I just need to get over it.” He salted his eggs under Rook’s watchful eye. Too much salt would get him a lecture.
“Not to get over her. To figure out why you think you’re not good enough for her.”
Banner’s mouth hung open, waiting for the next bite of egg, which had stalled partway to his mouth.
He thought back through his time with Kate. He’d sabotaged things on purpose, for her, but was there something to what Rook was saying? Sure, his father had been all business, and his mother rejected him, but he was okay with that, right? He was a successful businessman with loyal friends and an awesome brother. People liked him.
So why was it he was still single?
He had sexual needs that were intense and specific, but other people managed to find partners whose kinks matched well enough. He’d thought that he was at peace with himself and his proclivities, but maybe there was some shame there, underneath it all. A hard core of doubt that made him wonder if he should subject anyone to having to deal with his demands and perversions long term.
Maybe there was something seriously wrong with him.
Banner shook his head and kept eating. No sense in psychoanalyzing yourself while your eggs got cold.
He looked up at Rook, who was watching him with a worried frown.
“I’m okay. Quit looking at me like that.” He finished the last of his toast and took Rook’s empty plate to the sink. “Now, go shower and put on something nice. You’re my date for the art gallery this afternoon.”
Rook got to his feet and laughed sarcastically. “Sure. Go hard with the distractions, Banner. You can try to hide all you want. I still see you.”
***
A thump on his desk alerted Banner to the fact that someone had come in, unnoticed. When he looked up, Belle was standing there, and a steaming disposable coffee cup was sitting squarely in the middle of his workspace.
“What?”
“Hot chocolate. You will drink this now. Later I will bring you lunch.” She stood with her hands on her hips, her brow creased. Why was everyone looking at him like that lately?
“You don’t need to babysit me. I’m a grown-assed man,” he grumbled.
“You’re a grown-assed man with a broken heart. You’re lucky I didn’t bring you a tub of Häagen-Dazs.” She tapped her foot.
“How is that lucky?” He smiled, and she smiled back, but the concern didn’t leave her expression.
“When things ended between Gavin and me, you babysat me for months. Do you remember that?”
He didn’t realize it had made an impression on her then, because she’d been such a mess. Gavin had been borderline abusive, so Banner was just glad she’d gotten through it okay. Luckily, things between Belle and Shannon were much happier and more loving. Belle deserved to be with someone who appreciated her.
She came around the desk and hugged him. He sighed and let her. How did she always know what he needed? Guilt over the fact that she’d been carrying him at work for almost a month tried to crowd in, but hopefully the raise he’d given her let her know how much he appreciated it.
From the doorway, Tanja cleared her throat. “Ambrose is here, Sir. He’s wondering if you’re in a meeting.”
Tanja was covering for him, too, the longer she worked there. She’d lied to Ambrose for him about meetings a few times. Not something he was proud of, but self-preservation had kicked in. Ambrose talked so incessantly about Kate that it was obvious he was in love. It made Banner want to throw things at his head.
He glanced at Belle, who let him go and grimaced. She knew something was up with Ambrose, but she didn’t need the gory details.
“Tell him to come in, please, Tanja.”
The girl nodded and headed back to the reception area. He braced himself for the Kate Fanclub meeting. Belle headed for the door, muttering something about cookie-dough Häagen-Dazs.
Ambrose strode into the room grinning like an idiot and sprawled onto the chair across from Banner.
“Where’ve you been hiding, dumbass? I’ve been texting you all morning.”
