I blinked at him, not certain what to make of his reaction.
He cleared his throat roughly. “I mean, it’s not too much. Honestly, this is the best part of my day.” He tipped his head. “I mean second best part. The first being when you bring Zoe to set. But I just…I love talking to you.”
That was sweet. I smiled. “I love talking to you too. It’s so nice to have a conversation with a grownup sometime during my day. I know I see you in your trailer at lunch, but it’s not exactly the same thing, you know? I didn’t even realize that I’d missed talking to an adult one-on-one until we started doing this.”
King laughed as he walked around the table to his cup of tea and what had become his regular seat. “No, I totally understand. Last year when all the attention was insane, I’d turned into a hermit and hardly ever left the house. The first time I talked to an adult it was so cathartic. I hadn’t realized how much I’d missed something so simple.”
I pulled out my chair and sat. “I should probably be the one to thank you for setting up the lunch visits and these late-night chats with just the two of us. I swear they’re the only things that are keeping me from turning into a Disney character. I caught myself singing “A Dream Is A Wish Your Heart Makes” in the shower yesterday.”
King frowned into his teacup and muttered to himself, “We need to get you some time off.” He took a drink then set hiscup down. “I realize it’s a lot to ask you to work so many weeks without any downtime.”
“Oh, I don’t mind. I mean, you are paying me an obscene amount of money which is helping with my student loans. You have no idea what a weight that is off my shoulders. And Zoe really is the sweetest little girl. We haven’t had any major tantrums, really. It’s just—”
“You need downtime, Briar. I’m not looking down on you or blaming you. But everyone needs a break now and then. My brother and his wife will be up for a visit soon. I’m hoping you can get some time off then. Zoe loves her Uncle Rome.”
“That’s good. I’m sure she’ll love it,” I finished lamely. I know he’d said he didn’t blame me, but I still felt like I’d said something wrong. King had gone from smiling and playful to kinda brooding. Like I’d poked at an old wound.
I wanted to ask him what was going on, but I couldn’t think of a way to bring it up that didn’t sound nosy.
“What happened to having your parents come by?” King asked, interrupting my thoughts. “Did they not want to sign the NDA?”
I could feel my cheeks heating with my blush. “I didn’t exactly tell them about it.”
“What? Why not?”
“They already had some reservations about me taking this job. After all the pictures and speculation in the tabloids, my mom really freaked out. Pretty much the only thing that kept her from dragging me home by my hair was the knowledge you hired a bodyguard for me and Zoe. And my dad…” I shook my head as I remembered one ridiculous exchange with him. “I think my dad is convinced that you use the nanny service to find girls to sleep with.”
Tea spewed across the table, and King coughed and wheezed. I jumped up and grabbed a towel to clean up the mess, but Kingwaved me off. After a few more minutes of coughing, he wiped up the tea, studiously staring at the table and avoiding my eyes. “Sorry. Tried to breathe and drink at the same time. But uh, anyway, uh…”
“My ridiculous parents?” I prompted.
“Yeah, I know. I didn’t forget what we were talking about. Believe me.” He cleared his throat. “Uh, yeah. I’m still going to need them to sign an NDA and to meet them before they can spend time with Zoe. Maybe we can have them come out for one of our lunch dates? That way we can all get a measure on each other. Sounds like your dad needs that.”
“He’s being crazy. I’m thirty years old and divorced. I can handle myself.”
“I have no doubt. But when it comes to fathers and their little girls… I get it.”
I snorted. “Yours isn’t even two yet. It’s not exactly the same thing.”
King hitched a shoulder. “But I can’t see that ever changing. And I never want to be the kind of man who would be okay with it changing. I plan on loving my daughter unconditionally now and always. She deserves at least that much.”
“You’re kind of amazing.” I smiled at him. “But I guess you’re right. They’re just being crazy out of love. I’ll see when they can swing by for a visit.”
“Set it up with Adam. He’ll make sure they have clearance to visit the lot. And he’ll have NDAs for you to send them—email or fax, or we could messenger, too—whatever works for your family.”
“Sounds good.” I wiped at the table one more time with the cloth. “I’ll set it up.”
It would be fine. My parents knew this was a job. They’d be on their best behavior. They wouldn’t embarrass me.
I smiled weakly at King.
Maybe if I told myself that enough times, I’d start to believe it.
* * *
Three days later I felt jittery as I waited at the edge of the lot with a silent Mak standing next to me. My parents should be here any minute.
It was going to be fine.