Page 12 of My Silver Fox Savior

“What doyouthink?” She’s so bubbly, so animated. It’s so damn attractive. I think I finally understand when people describe others asmagnetic.

“I think it can wear on a person,” I say. “Sometimes, a person has to choose their own sanity.” That’s the excuse I’ve given myself repeatedly for letting the pro bono work slide. “It also depends on the person. Not everybody is built like you.”

“Like me?”

“Naturally optimistic. With a natural desire to do right. Forgiving. Caring. Determined.”

I need to chill.Months, not years …

“You can tell all that about me, can you?”

“I saw it ten years ago, Lily,” I say. “Now, I can just see that nothing’s changed.”

Her smile is all the reward a man could ever want. She turns away, looking out the window, almost embarrassed by the praise. “Yeah, yeah …”

“No need to act surprised. You must hear that all the time.”

“I just try to focus on one task, then the next, then the next. Any big-picture stuff always makes my head spin.”

“Your boyfriend probably lets you know plenty.” I throw the word “boyfriend” out before I can think twice about it.

“Oh, boyfriend? No time for that.”

I nod. “Yeah, you must be really busy.”

“Beyond busy. I’ve got no time for boyfriends or to eventhinkabout boyfriends.”

This is where I should receive her hint—well, not even ahint—loud and clear, but I don’t. All I can think of is that our lives are short. If we don’t think we have time for something or somebody, we shouldmaketime.

CHAPTER EIGHT

LILY

“Damon O’Connell,” I repeat, looking down at the photo of the red-haired man wearing a checkered shirt. “So, he’s the person who owns the bar?”

“Basically, yes,” Landon replies. “Technically, it’s his childhood friend, but yeah, it might as well be Damon.”

We’re sitting in the corner booth of a midscale restaurant. It’s a family-friendly place, further convincing me he didn’t intend this to be romantic. The only slipup I made was when I playfully touched his arm. Ineverdo things like that.

“If this isn’t romantic,”Maddie whispers in my mind, “why did he ask if you have a boyfriend?”

I can’t let myself think about that. It could lead to silly, delusional fantasies. As the host leads us to our table, I spot three women checking Landon out. Two of them do it subtly, at least, but the third twists around in her chair so she can get a better look at him. He has serious options.

“So that bar is an Irish mob place when you clear away all the other details? That’s what it is, essentially?”

He nods, looking down at me with those soulful, serious eyes. I never understood when people say they got lost in their lover’s eyes. Yet with Landon, I can imagine it—just staring, disappearing, forgetting.

“Yeah, and if the parents’ reports are true, then clearly, these bastards have a reason for wanting to make the kids comfortable there. Once they’ve attracted enough …” He shudders, biting down. “If there were any real justice, I’d be able to burn the place down right now and face no consequences.”

“We have to work inside the system. Otherwise, it’s chaos.”

“Wise words,” he says with dark sarcasm.

“They’reyourwords,” I say.

“Mine?” he says huskily, moving his finger around the edge of his glass.

“When I was a kid, that’s what you told me. I wished something bad on Dad. That’s what you said:We have to work inside the system.It stuck with me.”

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