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“And let’s not forget—” I held up a finger to stop her because she’d left out the most important part, at least where it concerned me “—Jude’s dad.”
I’d said it mostly to remind myself. Because the more time I spent with Knox, the more difficult it was to remember the fact that he was off-limits.
“Hello, Zaddy.” She licked her lips.
I rolled my eyes, though I didn’t disagree. “Don’t you think he’s a little old for you?”
Knox was in his late forties, and the man had aged like a fine wine. No. Wine wasn’t right. Knox was more like fine whiskey. Smooth and complex. Dignified and rich. Intoxicating. Delicious.
“No. And don’t call him old.” She acted as if she was personally outraged on his behalf. I would’ve laughed if she weren’t so serious. “He’s distinguished. Experienced.” She gave me a meaningful look. “Total DILF. I’d do him.”
I inhaled deeply and let it out slowly. Her comment about him being a dad she’d like to fuck made me angry, irrationally so, considering he was my boss and my ex’s dad.
“You wouldn’t?” she asked, tilting her head as she appraised me.
“No,” I answered firmly and quickly. Perhaps too quickly, judging from the amused look on her face.
“Interesting.” She quirked a brow.
“What’s interesting?” I asked, trying to seem completelydisinterested, despite the fact that my heart was charging ahead like a soccer player racing across the field, intent on making the winning goal.
“Are you harboring a secret crush on your boss?”
“What?” I jerked my head back. “No. That would be completely inappropriate.”
“Yet totally understandable, considering who he is.”
I crossed my arms over my chest. “I donothave a crush on Knox.” At least, that’s what I kept telling myself. Maybe if I repeated it often enough, I’d believe it was true.
Emmy held the door to the juice bar open for me. “Didn’t you ever look at Knox and imagine that was what Jude would look like in twenty years?”
“I honestly didn’t look that far ahead,” I admitted as we joined the line.
“Because you always expect the relationship to fail.” She elbowed me.
“I don’t expect it to fail. I-I…” I searched for the best way to describe it as I pretended to concentrate on the chalkboard menu hanging over the cash register. “I set reasonable expectations.”
“Mm-hmm.” She crossed her arms over her chest, and I could feel her disapproving stare on my face. We placed our orders then found a seat outside.
“What?” I threw up my hands.
“You never let anyone close. You never let them in.”
“I let you in,” I said.
“Men,” she said, exasperation bleeding into her tone. “You never letmenget that close to you. Just because your dad left doesn’t mean every man will.”
“Easy for you to say,” I muttered. Emerson’s dads adored her. Doted on her and her twin. They’d always been wanted. Loved. Emmy had never had to struggle like my mom and I had.
“Just…” She sighed. “Never mind.”
She changed the topic, and while part of me was grateful, another part hated the idea that she might be disappointed in me. Or worse, right.
* * *
I’d changedinto my swimsuit and headed downstairs. I found a note on the counter in Knox’s scrawl, the keys to his Range Rover resting on top.
K,
