Derek didn’t seem to notice either. “When are we going to the cabin?”
“Maybe next weekend,” Deacon said. “But there’re lots of other things to do in the city.”
“It’s so big,” Derek said. “I’m not sure how I’ll know where everything is…”
“You’ll pick up on it.” Deacon sat beside him and placed his hand on his shoulder, rubbing him gently while he stared at him fondly, like Derek was his entire world. It was the way he looked at me—just a little different. “Your mom just had a long flight. Maybe give her some space for the rest of the night.”
“Can I come to your place?” Derek asked.
Deacon sighed like he wished he could say yes. “You should stay with your mother for a bit.”
Derek sighed in disappointment.
“But we’ll see each other all the time. Just be patient.”
He kicked his feet over the edge of the bed as he looked around his room.
I wanted to stay, like I was a part of this family, but I remembered I was working…and didn’t belong there. “I’ll let you guys get situated.”
Deacon immediately rose to his feet to hug me goodbye or walk me to the door, but when he remembered he couldn’t, he lowered himself back to the edge of the bed. “I’ll see you later.”
I smiled. “Bye.”
“Bye, Cleo.” Derek waved.
“Bye, Derek.” I walked down the hallway and returned to the front door. “Let me know if you need anything, Valerie.”
She turned away from the window and stared at me, one hand on her hip. “There’s a yoga studio across the street. I want a membership and a schedule printed out.”
She couldn’t just look it up on her phone? “Sure. Anything else?”
“Derek needs all his school supplies. The website has a list of the items.” She hardly looked at me as she spoke, admiring her perfect figure in a nearby mirror.
“Of course.”
“And he has a parent-teacher meeting before the school year begins. You’ll handle it, I presume?”
Because she was too busy? “Sure…but couldn’t Deacon take care of it?”
“He’s at the office during the day.”
“Well, I’m sure he would take the day off for it—”
“You don’t know Deacon the way I do.”
Uh, bitch, I knew him better.
“His work is too important.”
Even if that were true, she wanted me, an assistant, to take her son to his first parent-teacher meeting? This was his first introduction to school because he was growing up, and that meant nothing to her? Sometimes I wondered if she did love Derek, or if she was still using him as a pawn in a very disgusting game. “I’ll handle it, Valerie.”
I sat at my desk, my hand deep inside a bag of popcorn, and I shoved pieces into my mouth as I looked over the schedule for the next week. We were busy, having events to handle most days and most nights. I had to move some things around to accommodate Derek’s meeting with his teacher.
Deacon texted me. Bring my mail up.
I already did.
Then bring a package or something.
You don’t have any, Deacon.
Then just get your ass up here.
I smiled, knowing he had no reason at all to beckon me. I need thirty minutes to finish up.
I’ll have dinner ready.
What’s on the menu? I had a feeling it was fish.
Asparagus and mushroom ravioli in a white sauce.
My eyes almost rolled out of my head because my sockets were so big. What???
Maybe that will get you to hurry up.
That was exactly what I did. I rushed through everything so I could get into the elevator and rise to his floor. But the food wasn’t the only thing that enticed me. It was the man who drew me…and the curiosity.
I knocked before I stepped inside.
“Perfect timing.” He set the plates on the table, where there was already a bottle of wine and two glasses.
I smelled the air, recognizing that pasta smell. “Wow, this is real.” I moved to the table and watched him step toward me, in just his sweatpants, that rock-hard chest bare. My arms circled his tight waist, and I kissed him, my nails lightly digging into his flesh, feeling the muscles of his flank.
He rubbed his nose against mine before he pulled away and presented my chair.
I took my seat and watched him take the spot at the head of the table.
There was a spring greens salad as well. I grabbed my fork and started to eat. “Wow, this is good…”
“I put it on the grocery list.”
“I didn’t even notice.”
“Looks like someone else does my shopping, then.”
“Honestly, I’m usually too busy with other stuff.” I kept eating, loving every single bite. “Damn, this is bomb.”
“Bomb?” he asked.
“You know, awesome.”
He shook his head and stabbed his fork into the lettuce. “Weirdest slang I’ve ever heard…”
I chuckled. “So, what brought this on? This is not your usual preference—even if it doesn’t have cheese.”