Page 51 of Old Fashioned
I chanced a glance at Jordan, who cocked a brow.
“So… we should just keep this between us, I think. I’m sure you agree. With our jobs and everything… well, it’s complicated. Plus, there’s Randy…” I didn’t elaborate there. “And I think we both know it’s nothing serious, and we can have fun without anyone knowing, right? So…” I swallowed, because the more I talked, the more Jordan’s smirk climbed. “Yeah. Casual.”
I waited, and Jordan tilted his head to the side, assessing me before he leaned over the table toward me. His hands reached for mine, and they covered mine completely, his thumbs smoothing the skin on my wrist as his eyes found mine.
“Sydney, while our first time together being in the back of my Bronco might not insinuate it, I’m an old-fashioned kind of guy,” he said, licking his lips as a soft sort of laugh came from his nose. “I don’t knowhowto do the whole casual hook-up thing.”
I sighed. “That makes two of us.”
His smile grew a little at that, but then he was serious, his hands squeezing where he held mine. “This isn’t akeep it on the down low, let’s just have sex and not tell anyonekind of thing for me. I like you, Sydney. And I told you this last night — I want to get to know you. I want todateyou.” Jordan’s eyes were sincere when he tipped my chin up so I’d look at him again. “If you’re mine, you’re mine. And I’m going to make sure everyone knows it.”
My stupid heart shattered into a million butterflies, each one of them tickling my ribs as they fluttered about. But I herded them all back into their cage, brows bending together as I squeezed Jordan’s hands in return.
“As much as I want to say the same, I think we both know this is more complicated than that.”
“How so?”
“Well, for starters, I have a kid — a kid whojustsurvived the divorce of her parents.” I shook my head. “I’m not ready to tell her about us, because I don’t think she’s ready to hear it. Especially because she’s grown so close to you in her own way, and I don’t want her to worry about that being broken.”
Jordan frowned, but nodded. “That’s fair.”
“And,” I continued. “You’re my boss. And before you even make the argument that neither of us signed a contract saying we wouldn’t date,” I said, holding up my finger to halt where he’d started to speak. “It doesn’t matter. The fact still remains that I’m your employee, and the first female on this staff, and if word got around that we were intimate, I would be judged for it, and you would not be.”
The more I talked, the more Jordan scowled — but it wasn’t in anger, rather in a deep, unsatisfying understanding.
“Plus, Randy…” I started, but shook my head, not wanting to dive into it. “Well, let’s just say I know he wouldn’t be okay with me having a boyfriend, and I don’t want to deal with that right now. Not when I’m just settling into being free of him.”
Jordan blew out a long breath, squeezing my hands. “I understand.”
He looked so hurt, so defeated, and it killed me.
I leaned into him, looking him in the eyes as I said, “I like you, too, Jordan. And I’d love to get to know you more, to see where this goes… but, I have to be realistic, and we have to go slow.”
“I don’t know how to not treat you the way you deserve to be treated.”
I smiled, heart swelling. “You can, just… can you also live with knowing I’m yours, but keeping it between us for now?”
His lips twitched into a smile when I said the wordsI’m yours, and I smiled in return.
“So, dating on the down low.”
I nodded. “As secret as if it were an affair.”
His mouth screwed to the side at that, but he considered, nodding after a moment. “Okay. But, I have one condition.”
“State your condition, Coach.”
Jordan chuckled. “You have to come to my brother’s wedding,” he said. “As my date.”
“Jordan…”
“It’s not until November twenty-sixth,” he said before I could argue. “That’s a full two months away. By that time, playoffs will be over and we’ll be in the offseason, so you won’t have to worry about the team for a while. That gives us two months to warm Paige up to the idea of us.”
“But Randy—”
“Randy is yourex-husband,” he reminded me in earnest. “He doesn’t get to hold power over you anymore.”
My heart squeezed — both in warmth and in warning — and I chewed my lip, considering his proposal.
