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Wes: Appreciated (wink emoji)
Wes: Do I get bonus points for the door opening and general care for your well-being, too?
Lucy: Don’t push your luck
A smile pulls at my lips because while I may try to pretend otherwise, this girl is under my skin, and I’m no longer sure I want her gone.
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Lucy
IttakesWesoneattempt at “working for it” for me to realize he’s never had to do it before. His text messages last night should have clued me in, but I wasn’t exactly thinking straight because…what the hell? He thought Katie was his daughter? That I would have run off and kept that information from him—all this time, even after seeing him again. What kind of person would do that?Oh right…me.
My chest tightens as the guilt takes over, and I once again feel sick at the fact I’ve kept Katie away from Greg. But these are two completely different situations. Apart from being a moody asshole at times, Wes is a wonderful man. The kind of man anyone would want as the father to their children. But Greg… I can’t even put into words how much that man unnerves me. The thought of having him near Katie terrifies me. I know it’s not exactly ethical to have kept them apart; I’m not stupid. But Katie is my number one priority, and right now, I don’t trust him with her.
The situation with Wes is different. And despite Wes’s attempts to get back into my good graces being a bit comical, this isn’t a joke. I asked him to work for it because I wanted him to actually stop and think about what he wants. I have a daughter. He seems to be pissed off at me on a regular basis. And as much as I’ve tried to convince myself otherwise, I have feelings for him. It’s not as easy to just mess around and see what happens. I need to take Katie into consideration and can’t afford to be moping around with a broken heart.
So here I am, staring at Wes with a confused expression on my face because he just handed me a coffee and said, “Are we good now?”Yep, that’s one of his attempts.
Pair that with the donut he left on my desk this morning with an “I’m sorry if I made you mad” note, and you’ve got yourself the Wes Johnson guide to groveling.
“Well?” he asks me when I don’t answer.
“Well, what?”
“Are we good now?”
I can’t help it; I burst out laughing before walking away. We’re in the staff kitchen for God’s sake, and there’s a nonfraternization policy in place.
Wes follows me, just like I assumed he would, and when he enters my office he has a smile plastered on his face, though it’s definitely fake. He’s trying hard not to be grumpy, so I guess I should give him credit for that.
“Are we here to make out?” he says after closing the door, shocking the hell out of me. My eyes bulge until the corners of his lips pull into a smirk and he subtly bounces his eyebrows, making me laugh again. “Oh Wes.”
“I know, I know. I’m not very good at this. I’ll keep trying.”
“What are you trying to achieve exactly?”
“Huh?” He takes a step forward, forcing me to step back.
“What is it you’re trying to get out of this?”
Stepping forward again, he moves into my personal space and leans in close. “You.”
Cue the butterflies. I am absolutely swooning right now. But he doesn’t need to know that.
“Okay then,” I say, pushing him back. “We’re not quite there yet. But, as you were.” I somehow manage to keep a composed expression, watching as Wes chuckles before walking away without another word. And it’s not until the next day that I get his third attempt. And that one involves cake. He definitely knows I like food, but I need something more. Something deeper.
We have a practice game on Saturday, meaning the day is so busy, I don’t see Wes at all. I may be finding his daily attempts to grovel hilarious, but I’ve grown attached to them, and if I’m being honest, I’m a little off today. I’m not only missing the attempts, I’m missing him. And I hate that.Ugh, when did I allow those feelings to seep back in?
At five thirty, Logan arrives with Katie, after taking her and Liam out for the day. Liam has Katie’s hand tightly in his hold as they enter my office, and I can’t help but smile at the protectiveness he’s already showing at nine years old. Just like Logan does for Dani and even me in some ways.
“Lucy, can I take Katie to find Dani?” Liam says with an excited smile on his face. “I know the way.”
I pretend to consider it for a second before giving him a smile and a nod. It’s not far to Dani’s office, so I have nothing to worry about. Ihope.
Katie squeals as Liam leads her away, and despite not needing to be worried, I stand in the doorway and watch them until they round the corner toward the marketing rooms.
“She’s fine,” Logan says from behind me, drawing my attention. “Liam’s a cautious kid. He’s not going to let her run off or anything.”
