Page 46 of Then Came You

"For so many things, Tink. God, I should have told you more about Zee. We’ve been so busy getting to know each other in so many different and equally wonderful ways, but we skipped some real important details along the way." He's regretful. "You're my son's best friend. I just... I don't see how this can work..." He trails off, trampling my heart in the process.

He steals a glance behind me, checking if anyone is peeping through the window, then darts his hand across the table reaching for mine. Squeezing it, I know he knows there's no way forward for us when his son is involved or where he's concerned. "I wish you knew how badly I wanted this, baby girl. How much magic you brought back to my life, Tink."

"Me too," I say, interlocking our fingers, desperate to hold onto his grasp.

My throat is thick with emotion, judging by the lump lodged in my trachea. I want to hug him so badly. Instead, I rub my thumb over his cuffed wrist, worming it under so I can feel his skin.

These might be the last few moments of stolen touches, stolen words, and stolen moments. It's not enough.

"I think about our night so much that sometimes it's sensory overload, and I can't fathom how I'm going to be working so close to you and not have you the way I need you. Want you." I unclasp our hands, the weight of the situation settling over us like a storm.

A solemn smile graces his face.

"I want this for you, Row. The contract is yours if you'll take it."

For several wistful seconds, I try to quieten my mind, forgetting all the memories we've made.

"Tell me about what's involved," I blink, closing the chapter and opening another one.

♥?

"It's still so crazy how you know Dad," Xan says. He has no idea.

"I know," I shake my head in dismay for the thousandth time since Saturday. "He's one of my weekly customers," I add, nibbling on a French fry. Me, Xan, and Cin, who tagged along are at Maccas, and I’m taking full advantage of the dollar menu. I read somewhere that if you chew slower, you feel fuller for longer, so it’s safe to say I’m taking the world’s smallest bites when it comes to my fries.

Taking a bite of his double cheeseburger, Xan starts delving into how well I know Blade. He’s curious to piece together what his dad and I spoke about. "Did he ever talk about me and Haven?"

I peek up to see Cindy staring me down as she sips on her small soy chai. Maccas clearly wasn’t up to her standard if her permanent grimace was anything to go by

"Uh, yeah. When your dad didn't have Haven, she usually Facetimed him, so I've seen her plenty of times, and she's come into the salon as well. He used to tell me about your studies and stuff." Good one. And stuff - what even is that?

"What else? Seems like you two are close. Does he ever talk about who he's seeing?"

If he knew just how close me and his dad were, he'd never speak to me again. Finding out now would destroy my relationship with him, and worse, his relationship with Blade.

Guilt swallows me whole.

I'm the worst type of friend.

"Why would Row know about your dad’s love life?" Cindy perks up, and I have no idea what her interest is, but I feel funny about it. A visceral jealousy sweeps through me. I may not be able to have him, but he's still mine.

"Because last week I walked in on him in a rather compromising position recording himself, and I want to know who the woman is that calls him ‘Daddy’." I die inside, hearing it from someone else's mouth. He makes the word sound so dirty.

"That's hot. I want Daddy Renshaw," Cin fans herself with her dainty hand that’s manicured to perfection. The action causes a slight wind to move the whispers of blonde tendrils back from her face. To Xander, she appears joking, but I know her better. She's claiming him.

"You better not." He shoots her a death stare. "Either of you." He fixes his gaze on me. "My Dad is off-limits."

I sink down in my chair and wordlessly nod.

His ominous threat all but confirms that Blade and I can never be anything more than just friends.

Chapter 20

Blade

In what universe did I think hiring Row would be a stellar idea?

Being with Row over the past couple of months is the equivalent of being attacked by bull ants - pure, intense, brilliant pain.

---