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“Thank you.” A twinge of discomfort crept up my spine, but I suppressed it. The hugs were getting longer, and his leering glances were becoming more obvious. It almost felt like he was coming on to me.
“Excuse me, sir,” Neil said, looking at Ethan past my shoulder. “Since this room is so small, would you mind giving us privacy today? There’s no back entrance, so no one can get past you.”
Ethan paused, then said, “Sure.”
He stepped out and shut the door behind him.
“This restaurant’s sea bass is unbelievable,” Neil said, keeping his hand on my back as he guided me to a chair. He pulled it out for me, and I sat. “You have to try it.”
“That sounds good.” I glanced down at the menu that was at my spot anyway. It wasn’t a long menu, so I skimmed it in an instant. “I haven’t had it in a long time.”
“Then let’s make it happen.” He called for the server, who came to take our orders.
Once the server left, I sipped my sparkling water and took in the room. The room really was intimate and small. As was the table. If I shifted the wrong way, then Neil’s knees were going to touch mine.
We caught up on a few smaller things, like my investments and a few of the real estate projects he was handling for me. The whole time, his focus was 100 percent on me. Not that his attention usually wandered, but still. It was a lot, and it was awkward when I wasn’t talking. Was it because we were talking about me and not something else?
“I’m excited about the gala,” I said to shift the subject. “From what the board is saying, it’ll be a great turnout.”
“Yes, I’m excited, too.” He shifted, his knee pressing against mine. I moved it out of the way. “You’ve bought your dress?”
“Yes. I have to pick it up from the seamstress after this.”
“I’m sure you’ll look stunning.” He smiled. “Your father would be so happy to see how well you’re doing on your own.”
I looked down at the napkin in an elaborate fold on the table in front of me. I still missed Dad every day.
“Thank you,” I said. “I miss him.”
“I miss him as well.” Neil sipped his water, too, not taking his eyes off of me. “Are you lonely, though?”
“Lonely?” My brows furrowed. “What do you mean?”
“Your family is gone,” he said, moving his knee back to touch mine. I moved mine yet again, a chill running up my spine.
“I still have Troy.”
“Yes, Troy. But I mean, socially, outside of family. Are you lonely?”
I studied his too-smooth face, trying to discern what he was really asking. His knee brushed against mine deliberately, making the truth slam into me like a rock to the head.
Hewascoming onto me. He was pushing sixty, and he’d known me since I was young. All those weird hugs looked very different in retrospect.
A sour taste came up in the back of my throat. This wasn’t happening. Had the guys noticed how creepy he was? I was so stupid for not seeing it sooner.
The server came with our sea bass, oblivious to my absolute horror and disgust. I wasn’t sure Neil had caught onto my expression yet, and I didn’t know how to hide it. I barely managed to not gag.
“Excuse me. I’m going to go wash my hands,” I said, pushing back from the table quickly.
I rushed out of the room, nearly barreling over Ethan.
“Woah, you okay?” he asked, steadying me.
“Just need to pee.”
I pulled myself out of his arms and rushed to the bathroom. Thankfully, it was a single room. I locked it and pulled my phone out of my pocket to call Troy.
“Hey, what’s going on?” he asked when he answered on the first ring. From the noise in the background, he was probably at the office.
