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“How old is that guy?” he asked.
“Seventy-eight.”
“Nan is eighty-four.”
“She likes younger men, I guess. His name is Jerry, and he was a train conductor before retiring. Been widowed about five years and has one son,” Hedra said. “He brought her chocolates and flowers. It was adorable.”
“Nothing about my nan doing online dating is adorable,” Boone said.
Hedra laughed. “She’s been really happy all afternoon. I think it’s good for her, Boone. Did you eat dinner?”
“No. Sorry again about being late.”
“It’s fine.” She returned to the fridge and brought out a plastic container. “I made beef stir fry for dinner if you’d like some.”
“I’d love some, but you don’t have to wait on me.” He took the container from her, and she sat at the table, watching as he dished it onto the plate and stuck it into the microwave. He removed his tux jacket, draped it over the chair, and yanked at the bow tie around his neck. He left it hanging limply as he unbuttoned the first few buttons on his shirt. He leaned against the counter, his thoughts in brain-destroying turmoil.
He’d fucked up with Hedra tonight, and now the idea of asking her to pretend to be his fake girlfriend was laughable. Fuck, he would kill his tiger for saying Hedra’s name.
It’s not my fault, his tiger growled.
It’s all your fault! Why did you have to say Hedra’s name?
I like her. She smells good. Why won’t you mate with her?
Boone sighed. One, she’s my employee, and two, she doesn’t want to mate with us.
Yes, she does! His tiger was working himself up again. She wants us. I can smell it, and so can you.
The microwave beeped, and Boone blinked rapidly before giving Hedra an apologetic look. “My tiger won’t shut up tonight.”
His tiger snarled at him, and Boone took another deep breath before setting the plate of stir-fry on the table and sitting down. His stomach rumbled, and he ate a few bites. “This is delicious. Thank you.”
“You’re welcome.” She drank some water. “Tell me what’s bothering you.”
“I’m fine.”
“You’re not,” she said. “Tell me what’s wrong. Maybe I can help.”
“You could help,” he said, pushing away the half-eaten stir fry, “but it’s inappropriate of me to ask.”
“Oh, now I have to know,” she said teasingly. “Besides, it can’t be any more inappropriate than you coming into my -”
She stopped abruptly, her cheeks reddening.
“What were you going to say?” Boone asked.
“Nothing,” she said. “Tell me what you need my help with.”
Fuck, he didn’t want to admit this, but what choice did he have? Telling Camilla he had lied about a girlfriend solely because he was too chickenshit to admit he had no interest in her anymore was a much worse option.
Just tell them Hedra was sick and couldn’t make the party.
It was a somewhat good idea, except he knew Camilla, and she wouldn’t give up on asking him out unless he provided solid proof that Hedra was his girlfriend. He didn’t relish going to work every day and fighting off the leopard shifter’s advances. And he couldn’t ask Cooper to assign someone else to Abena. Cooper needed them for real work, not this babysitting shit that Boone was relegated to.
Self-pity washed over him, and he pushed it away. Fuck, he was pathetic. No wonder Hedra didn’t want to have sex with him.
His tiger growled unhappily. Boone couldn’t remember the last time his tiger had been so pissed with him. It only added to Boone’s misery, and he rubbed at his forehead. When had his life become such a fucking shitshow?
