He paled slightly, but nodded. "Like a date. We can start over. We can put the past behind us and get to know each other, like normal people."
Say no. Say no. Say no."Okay."
We went back to the gate and toward the beach, neither saying anything. Perhaps it was a sign that we didn't know how to communicate unless we were accusing the other of misdeeds or having sex.
Finally, I asked, "Why did you ask me about Boss Kids?"
"I probably shouldn't be saying this, but Bran asked Archer to do a full background and business check on the organization."
It didn't take a rocket scientist to figure out that Boss Kids was what Bran wanted to talk to me about today. Normally, I would automatically shut down an idea of Bran. It was a Pavlovian response to anything he tried to rope into. But this time I was actually intrigued by the idea.
“Is he buying it?" I asked.
"I don't know. According to Archer, Bran is showing an interest in it, but apparently he wants to run it by you first."
"Normally, he'd buy it and then try to force me into it. It's progress that he is asking me about it first."
"You said yesterday that you would meet with him today. That didn't happen?"
"No. I wasn't feeling up to it today." Noel didn't need to know that I woke up puking my guts out. We continued to walk. "So what is your story Noel? Have you always been…" I didn't want to call them a name since we were trying to get along.
"An asshole?" He glanced at me with humor in his expression.
"I might've said bastard, but asshole works." I gave him a small smile in return.
He shrugged. "I don't think so but maybe. I built a career that requires me to be suspicious and decisive. I suppose that combination means that sometimes I'm an asshole and a bastard."
"Except I thought you were retired."
"I am. But old habits die hard."
Mo’s hand drifted out and his fingers gripped onto my swimsuit cover up. I reached my opposite hand over, taking his hand in mine and leaning over to kiss his fingers. “And how are you today, Mo? It can’t be easy living with this guy."
“He’s given me a run for my money.”
"He seems more content." Perhaps that was why my hormones were mixed up. Noel could be such a jerk, but as a father, he was gentle, nurturing, and attentive. Perhaps that tapped into some ancient fertility instinct in me.
"He likes you, that's for sure." Noel stopped and turned to look at me. "I suspect that he has a better sense of people than I do. I should probably follow his lead."
My heart did a loopy loop in my chest thinking his words meant something. It was bad enough to be attracted to Noel when we weren't getting along, but now that we were being civil, the fear factor about what could go wrong rose.
“Is Mo's mother coming back?"
Noel's expression darkened and he started walking again. While on the one hand, I hated that my question put a barrier between us, another part of me was relieved. I couldn't let myself go tumbling full force in love with this man.
"No."
“You know that this will work only if you actually share about yourself with me, right?"
His jaw tightened. "What you want to know?"
I threw my hands up. “You avoid everything I ask you, so you pick the topic. What are you willing to tell me about yourself?"
He was quiet for a minute and then he said, "I like being Mo's father."
I suppose that was something. The fact that my insides melted meant that it was a sweet statement. “You're surprisingly good at it, considering how you are with everyone else. Or maybe it's just me."
"I can say the same about you."