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“I guess I better pack for Vegas,” I said with a renewed smile. “You don’t think it’s cheating?”
“What’s cheating?”
“Me going even though my team lost?” I asked. “I don’t want the red team to think I’m disloyal. And I don’t want the blue team to think I’m double dipping.”
“Absolutely not,” she said with a shake of her head. “It’s your penthouse. Your company. There is no double dipping. I think you should look at it like a bonus for the winning team. Who doesn’t want to rub elbows with the boss?”
“I would think very few people would,” I answered. “I don’t want anyone to feel like they have to hold back. This is a reward for them to be able to go out and blow off some steam.”
“You were half-naked in front of them, covered in mud.” She grinned. “They laughedatyou. I don’t think they’re worried about letting loose in Vegas with you as a witness. Your people seem to be very comfortable with you. They respect you but they also seem to think of you as a friend.”
“Is that a bad thing?” I asked.
“No. I think it is exactly that balance your dad was talking to you about. He wanted you to develop that same work ethic. I think it worked.”
“Thank you,” I said. “That means a lot.”
“Well, I should go,” she said. “I need to pack.”
“I’ll walk you out.”
Dane was sipping a drink and leaning on the rail of the deck. He smirked but thankfully kept his mouth shut. I walked Macy out to the last of the waiting cars. I opened the back door for her. “I guess I’ll see you tomorrow morning,” I said.
“Unless you change your mind,” she teased. “I mean, after all, how fun can it be hanging out with a bunch of people from work? We’re going to cramp your style.”
“My style will not be cramped,” I assured her. “I’m looking forward to hanging out with everyone, especially one person in particular.”
“Oh?” she said, smiling. “Who would that be?”
I gave her a chaste kiss on the cheek. “I’m looking forward to tomorrow. Goodnight.”
She got in the car and waved. I waved back and watched her disappear into the night. I went back inside the house. The servers were busy collecting dishes and taking them into the kitchen. Dane was still outside with his drink and a cigar. It wasn’t a lit cigar, but he was just holding it between his lips.
“I wasn’t sure you would come back,” he teased.
“Very funny.”
“You’re whipped,” he said.
“Whatever,” I retorted.
“I’m serious. You’re whipped. You’re crazy about that woman. You’ve been crazy about her for almost a decade. You haven’t gotten over it and you’re not going to. Now that she’s back in your life, this isn’t going to go away. You should see the way you look at her. Hell, I see the way she looks at you. You two could light the place on fire.”
“I don’t think it’s quite like that,” I said. “I’m interested in seeing her.”
“Seeing her?” he said. “She works for you. You see her plenty.”
“You know what I mean.”
“Oh, I think I do,” he said. “You’re talking about an actual relationship. The big R.”
“Maybe,” I said. “I don’t know. I’m just kind of feeling it out.”
He rolled his eyes. “I’m sure you’ve felt it out plenty.”
“Stop.”
“Shit, you’re done,” he said.
