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So this rapid cycling is all for nothing.
Get a damn grip, Zoey.
The elevator dings, and I step inside. Blake watches me as I enter, so I give him a weak smile and push the button for the ground floor. He returns the gesture as the doors close.
I let out the breath I was holding and fan my blouse in and out from my chest. “Is it hot in here? Why is this elevator so damn hot?”
Man, I need to get laid.
Glancing at the mirrored wall, my face is completely flushed, and I shake my head. “Zoey, you’re far too old and mature for this kind of thing. You have a seven-year-old daughter who needs all your focus. Pull yourself together, woman!” Straightening my shoulders, I swipe down my dress skirt and do exactly that—pull my shit together.
Sure, it’s been years since I was with a guy sexually.
And Blake is so damn attractive that seeing him in his office right across from mine every day is an absolute distraction. But that doesnotmean I will allow obstacles to get in the way. My job is far too important, and allowing my inhibitions to escape would be a disaster. I need it to keep food on the table for Hailee.
Hailee.
My bright little star.
A single thought of my starshine washes a calmness over me instantly.
The bell dings, the elevator doors open, and I step out, feeling a weight lifted from my shoulders. Yes, Blake unravels me, but thoughts of Hailee always put me back together.
She is my glue.
She is my foundation.
My absolute rock.
And I would be lost without her.
Honestly, I think even though Kyle is a pain in my ass, he gave me the most precious gift I could have ever asked for, and I owe him everything for that one thing.
Walking out of the Hancock Whitney Center, I reach the parking lot and jump in my car. Quickly glancing in the rearview to make sure Blake isn’t nearby, I let out a relieved breath as I watch him coming out of the elevators.
I can make a clean escape.
Pulling out of the park, I connect my cell to Bluetooth, dialing my father.
It rings a few times, and then it picks up. “Hey, baby girl, how’s my favorite PA?”
I can’t help but smile. “Doing good, Dad. On my way to this work function for dinner. You still good for Kyle to drop Hailee ’round after practice?”
He snorts. “I’d have my little munchkin here permanently if I could.”
Chuckling, I continue the drive to Revel Rose. “When you retire, you can spend as much time with her as you like. But, for now, you need time for you and Mom.”
He groans. “Nonsense! I need time with my family while I still have body functionality, baby girl. I want to go out in the backyard and practice throwing a pitch with Hailee. I don’t want to wait until my arthritis kicks in, and I have to sit in a rocking chair while she is texting her boyfriend to pick her up from her gross old grandpa’s house.”
I burst out laughing at his dramatics. “Dad, you’re far too fit to get arthritis, and I really don’t see you sitting in a rocking chair.”
“Age comes for us all, Zoey. It is inevitable. So I want to spend time with my girls while I can…” He laughs. “This was the long way of saying yes. We are still good to take Hailee after practice tonight.”
“She loves spending time with you. You spoil her.”
“She’s our only grandchild. She was born to be spoiled.”
I smirk as I approach the parking lot for Revel Rose. “Okay, well, Kyle will bring her ’round after practice, and then you will probably need to give her something to eat because, knowing him, he will dump her and run without thinking about the need to nourish our child.”
