Jason
My head spun for a good while after the interview.
God, she was fucking gorgeous. Long after April had left, her image stayed in my mind, burned like a brand. All I could think about was her stunning face, that killer body, the way she laughed.
How the hell had she managed to cast such a spell on me? And it wasn’t as though she were some kind of femme fatal—she seemed genuine and sweet, ambitious and interested in doing some real good in the world.
Then there was the matter of how well she’d hit it off with Willa. April had known just what to say, asking Willa about her obsession with animals. She clearly had a way with kids, and I was eager to see what else she was capable of.
“All right, Sprout,” I said, leaving the office. “You ready to hit it?”
“Yeah!” said Willa, hopping out of her chair. “Do you think we can go to the museum today?”
It pained me to say it, but I couldn’t. “Sorry, Will—Dad’s got too much work to do today.”
The disappointment was immediate.
“Oh…OK.” She didn’t argue—she was used to it by now. And I hated that.
“So, I talked to the Meyers next door, and they said you could hang out with them and Levi for the day. That sound good?”
“But Levi’s annoying. And he’s only five!”
“Well, you don’t have to spend all the time with him. I bet the Meyers would be fine with you hanging out and watching TV.”
“I guess.”
“But be nice to Levi, OK?”
“I will.”
Shauna glanced up at me from her desk. “You two heading out?”
“That’s the plan,” I said. “Think I’ll do a little work from home before coming back.”
Shauna smiled, a smile that had a hint of sensuality to it. “Bet you’ve got big plans for tonight. A date, maybe?”
I wanted to laugh. “Nope. No time for that. Work here then back home to work some more.”
“That’s a shame,” she said. “I’d think your planner would be full for the night.”
Shauna was into me, no doubt. But as clear as she’d made her attraction, I didn’t feel the same way. Thankfully, it’d never become an issue.
I said my goodbyes to the staff, letting them know I’d be back before too long. A few of them said hello to Willa, but she was back into her usual way of being shy and withdrawn. I hated to see it. Willa was so bright and charming and loving that the world deserved to see it.
Again I found myself hoping that April might be able to break her out of her shell. Might’ve been getting a little ahead of myself, but it was a nice thought.
Before too long we were back at the house on the Upper West Side. The place was a three-story townhome, my father’s first acquisition when he’d made his first few millions. It was enormous, with a stone Greek-style façade and granite portico that led to the ornate oak wood double doors.
Dad had been proud as hell of the place, having grown up in a small apartment in Brooklyn. The house passed onto me when he’d died, and truth be told, I didn’t want anything to do with the place. It’d been the crown jewel of my dad’s empire, and nearly every up-and-comer in the New York criminal game had their eye on it.
Not to mention Scott.
After dropping Willa off at the Meyers’ place, I was soon in the house, my footsteps echoing on the marble floors of the grand entryway. A spiral staircase led to the other two floors, and the busts and classical art that my father had decorated the place with were untouched.
I’d always wanted to clean house, to sell or put into storage all that my dad had purchased, make the place my own. But I never had the time. And despite some of the bitter feelings I had for the old man, his décor represented no small amount of sentimentality.
The moment the doors to my second-floor study shut, April was back in my mind. I couldn’t stop thinking about her. And more than that, I couldn’t stop thinking about how much I wanted her.