Maybe I’m an idiot for developing feelings for this woman, knowing we’re going our separate ways in less than a month, but it just happened. No matter how hard I tried not to, there’s just something about Flo.
Her attitude towards people.
The smart and sassy remarks that come out of that mouth of hers.
How she feels so deeply. Cares forothersso deeply.
That damn tempting smirk.
“I can’t forget about it, Evan.” Her words are heartfelt. Meaningful. And I’m not sure whether she’s referring to me talking about forgetting ittomorrow, or if she means beyond that.
“Me neither, trouble.”
I know whatImean.
“So does that mean you’ll fuck me tomorrow? And the day after that?” Flo’s flirtatious smile grows, and I roll my eyes. My lips find hers while I wash the suds out of her hair, my tongue exploring her mouth.
And instead of showering, I hoist her up in my arms, sink into her against the wall, and kiss her like my life depends on it. Because if we only have less than a month left together, we’re going to make the most of it.
“Surprise! Happy birthday!" Gracie stands on my porch, wearing that sly smirk of hers. “I didn’t get you a gift because I knew you’d hate it. Plus, you’re rich, so not like I could get you anything you don’t already have.” Strolling into the house, she chuckles at my confused expression.
“What are you doing here, Gracie?”
“What am I doing here? You’re really going to keep pretending that you’re not ageing, Evan? You can’t cancel a birthday, you know?”
Flo’s focuses on us, her neck twizzling from the space she’s taking up on the couch, tiny half-finished white Jersey for Donkey she’s inspecting in one hand, and a freshly made iced matcha latte in the other. “It’s your birthday?”
“God dammit.” I pinch my nose and groan. “Yes, it’s my birthday.”
She shoots up. “And you didn’t tell me?” Looking at Leo, she asks, “Did you know it was your daddy’s birthday today, Leo?”
My son shrugs. He doesn’t even remember when his own birthday is, let alone mine.
“Thirty-four… wow. You sure are old.” Flo sniggers, and I shoot her a look that does nothing but make her laugh more, and soon, Gracie and Leo join in too.
“Right, what torture do I need to endure today, then?”
“When’s the last time you went out somewhere?”
My eyes slice over to Flo, and she smirks, smug with my reaction over my teammate taking her for a date yesterday.
I open my mouth, but Gracie adds, “Without a kid,” and I clamp it back shut.
I mean, the last time would have been for Mae’s birthday party, but I’d spent the entire night thinking about Leo and trying to stop Flo from quitting. I hadn't drunk a lick of alcohol, and I can probably count the number of times I’d smiled that night on one hand. It was once, I believe—when Flo agreed to stay.
“Your silence is answer enough,” Gracie says as she sends Flo a wink and crouches in front of Leo. “Want a night in with Granny tonight, Leo?”
The kid’s eyes sparkle, and he nods just as my mother jumps out from her hiding spot behind the bushes to the left of the porch. A grin spreads across my lips when I see her. She looks so pleased. So proud that she’d—what she thought was—managed to hide from me.
I’d actually seen her shiny copper hair sticking out and saw her shoulder vibrate as she giggled mischievously the second I’d opened the door to Gracie, but I’m not going to burst her bubble and admit that.
Her warm arms embrace me. “My birthday boy!”
I peek over her shoulder at Flo, whose blues are warm.
“And you must be Flo!” my mother says once she’s peeled herself out of my arms, head tilting in my direction. “Wow, aren’t you a pretty one? Evan, you didn’t tell us your nanny was this gorgeous. No wonder you have herliving here with you instead of in the cabin.” She casts a suspicious smirk my way.
“It’s great to meet you.” Flo moves to shake my mother’s hand, but is surprised when she’s pulled in for a hug instead.
