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He makes a face. ”Big merger coming up with these guys from the East Coast. Haven’t you been reading the board notes?”
“Not really,” I confess. I’ve missed quite a few board meetings with my childcare situation up in the air. “You know what a mess it’s been trying to find someone to watch the kids.”
Grayson nods. “I’m lucky that my parents love to watch the kids, and that Lilian and I can pick our schedules. You found a new girl, though, right?”
“Girl is the operative word,” I mutter, thinking about how young Kenna is. She hasn’t even graduated college.
Grayson raises an eyebrow. “So, a young,prettygirl?” He grins.
“That’s what has me in trouble,” I admit. “I overstepped the boundaries after her first week, and now I don’t know what to do.”
He chokes on his coffee. “What? Derek, I wasn’t serious. I didn’t think you would be the type to go after your nanny.”
I groan. “I didn’tgoafter her. Not really, anyway,” I mutter.
“So, what happened?”
“I don’t know! One thing led to another, and then Eli almost caught us and I felt like shit about all of it.”
Grayson whistles. “That’s quite a predicament. Itoldyou that you should have let me set you up.”
“I know, I know,” I mutter, spearing at my bacon and eggs. They’re not nearly as good as the breakfast that Kenna makes.
“So... do you... like her?” he asks hesitantly.
I give him a withering look. “No.”
I don’t. Do I?
I shake my head. “It doesn’t matter because it’s not like that. It was a temporary lapse of judgment.”
He shrugs, sipping his coffee. “So? You’re both adults. Tell her it was a mistake. That you want her to keep working there, but you’ll stay away from her.”
I’m quiet for a moment.
“Youcanstay away from her, right?”
“Of course I can,” I snap. “She’s not even out of college.”
Grayson raises his hands as if in defense. “All right, all right. So, just keep things professional, like you said.”
I don’t know why Grayson’s good advice is making me feel annoyed, but I also can’t understand why I did that in the first place.
“Sorry,” I mumble. “I’m annoyed with myself, and I’m taking it out on you.”
He nods. “I get it. That’s what friends are for.” He looks up at me from his coffee and pauses. “But, Derek, it might not be the world’s worst idea—”
“It is,” I say firmly, and Grayson drops it. If it had been Loxton, he wouldn’t have, but that’s the way Grayson is. He understands where I’m coming from, and we’ve been close friends forever. Even when we were not that close, I always knew him better than most and he still knew me just the same..
“The kids love her, right?” Grayson says. “Just keep away from her, and tell her that you’re sorry that you weren’t more professional.”
I nod, hoping against hope that I haven’t ruined this for my kids. I have to do what Grayson says, and try to salvage things. Hopefully, Kenna will understand.
10
KENNA
I’m all pins and needles all day, waiting for Derek to come home. He makes it home at two in the afternoon, which is ridiculously early for him. He usually doesn’t pull into the garage until six, sometimes seven in the evening.
