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“Yes,” I reply impatiently. “After just a couple of nights, I feel very strongly that you care about her, and I care about her, and she cares about us, so why the hell shouldn’t we at least try?”
He goes silent for a moment as he stares at me in contemplation. It almost seems like he wants to come clean about something, but he bites his tongue instead. “I don’t know if Eden does relationships, baby.”
My forehead creases as I stare up at him in confusion. “Why not?”
He shrugs. “Because of Jack, I assume.”
“But we’ve already gotten to know him,” I reply. “Do you think there’s something else?”
His gaze grows solemn, and now I can really tell there’s something he’s not sharing or maybe something he knows that I don’t.
“That’s her story to tell,” he replies.
My face turns into a pout. “I don’t believe her walls are impenetrable. I just think she struggles to let others in, but she’s learning to trust us. She’ll let us in.”
He holds me by the arms and pulls away as he stares at me with a dire expression. “Do you realize what you’re suggesting, Jade? Are you serious about this? Bringing her into our relationship? For good? Not just sex.”
My answer comes flying out of my mouth without any consideration. “Yes!”
He wears a playful smile as he rubs my arms. “Please think about this. It’s serious, baby. Not something to rush into.”
“I don’t think we’re rushing into it,” I reply. “We’re all so good together. It just feels right. I can’t explain it.”
“So, on top of telling your dad that you’re dating me, you’re going to come clean about dating her too?”
I shrug. “Two birds, one stone.”
“He’s going to have a heart attack,” Clay replies with a laugh.
I take his hands in mine and stand my ground. “Clay, I’m serious. I don’t want to lose her.”
He leans in and kisses my forehead. “Then we’ll need to take it slow.”
At that, I frown. Slow is the last thing I want.
But just as I ready myself to argue, we hear the heavy steps of my father down the hall. In a rush, Clay jumps to his desk, pulling out the files to finish signing. After a quick scribble on the noted line, he tosses it back to me, and I spin toward the door just in time to hand it to my dad in the hallway.
I can’t help but notice the way his gaze flicks back and forth between me and Clay’s office as I present the file to him. “Hey, Daddy,” I chirp with a smile. “I was just bringing this back to you.”
“What took so long?” he asks.
I clear my throat, anxiety crawling up my spine.
But before I can answer, Clay shows up in the doorway. “Sorry, Will. I was stuck in a meeting with Mr. and Mrs. Zimmerman.”
My dad nods knowingly before a hearty chuckle. “Ah, that makes sense.”
“Are you guys hungry? Clay and I could go grab lunch?” I ask, bouncing on my feet.
My dad furrows his brow. “We’ll have it delivered today. Sandwiches sound good.”
As he turns away from us, I glance up at Clay, who looks pale and worried as he watches my father leave. If that is an indication, I’d say my dad suspects something.
And after that conversation with him on the boat the other day, he more than likely suspects Clay ofcharmingme. I hate that my father thinks that. Clay has never done anything bad to me, regardless of what he might have done in the past.
Which means I need to set my father straight.
But is right now the best time? Clay and I are seriously talking about adding a third person to our relationship. Do we need the stress of my father’s wrath on top of that? If things blow up with my dad, and God forbid, Clay loses his job, will it ruin everything with Eden?
