Roxy choked. “Not Mia—Frankie. She’d be perfect.”
“Since when did you become an expert on relationships?”
“Having a really bad one gives you an advanced qualification. Almost like a college degree. You become an expert. I bet I could have letters after my name.”
“Do you have any particular letters in mind?”
Roxy grinned. “DMWM.”
“I’m not even going to ask.”
“Don’t Mess With Me. I kept it clean, because I’m a mom now and I don’t want Mia growing up hearing shit. I mean stuff. Things. I don’t want her to grow up hearing things. And I want her to know that if a relationship makes her feel bad, she should get out. She shouldn’t hang around, like I did.”
Something about the angle of Roxy’s chin prompted the question. “Has Eddy been bothering you again?”
“Since the last time you showed him the door? No.” She gave a half smile. “Man, he was terrified. His face. And you didn’t even touch him. You just told him to get out, and gave him a scary look. How do you do that?”
“Scary facial expressions are my party trick.” He paused. “You’re not going to get back with him?”
“Never. He doesn’t want to know Mia. What sort of man doesn’t want his own child? And he made me feel bad about myself.” She put the top back on her water bottle. “I won’t be with a man who makes me feel bad. Life can be crap all by itself. I don’t want to invite crap into my home. And I don’t want Mia growing up seeing that kind of relationship. I want her to know she can choose something good. That she deserves it.”
Matt looked at the fierce stamp of her features and felt the same deep respect he had on the day she’d appeared at the door of his office. “You’re an impressive person, Roxanne.”
“Hey, don’t go falling in love with me, because that whole boss-employee thing never works. It’s the power thing—” She shook her head and there was a twinkle in her eye. “No. Just no.”
“I’ll try and remember that.”
“Frankie would be perfect for you. She’s supersmart. Knows all the Latin names for flowers and everything. I heard her saying them under her breath. And she’s got a great body. When did you last have a serious relationship?”
Matt stirred. “It’s been a while.”
He thought of Caroline, sobbing and wailing, begging him to forgive her, telling him it hadn’t meant anything, a moment of madness because she’d been drinking. Telling him what they shared was still there. That it wasn’t gone.
For Matt, it was gone. Maybe he could have forgiven a drunken fling. What he couldn’t forgive were the lies. She’d taken a knife and slashed through the trust they’d had. Without trust, everything was gone.
He decided it was time to end the conversation. “I have things to do. I’m leaving you in charge, Rox.”
“Me?” Her chest puffed out. “So now I’m the boss?”
“You’re the boss.”
“Do I get a raise?”
“In your dreams.” He already paid her way above the going rate for unskilled labor and they both knew it.
“But I can hire and fire?” She eyed James. “You’d better watch your step.”
James was in the process of hauling large concrete slabs. Sweat darkened his T-shirt, and his hair was plastered to his head in spikes. “I wish you would fire me. Then I could get out of this damn heat and go home.”
“Put a dollar in the swear jar.” Roxy put down the water bottle. “I’ll help you, wimp.”
James rolled powerful shoulders and shot a glance at Matt. “Why did you take her on?”
“Right now I can’t remember but I’m sure I had a good reason.”
“I’m thinking of going back to law. She can’t follow me there.” James stomped back across the roof and Roxy grinned after his retreating back.
“He loves me, really. Can’t imagine him as a lawyer, can you? These things you have to do right now—do they involve Frankie?”