“Yes, because this time you’re her boss.”
“Not technically.She quit.”It was a poor excuse.I wasn’t proud of myself for using it.
He laughed, disbelieving.“Oh, in that case, everything’s fine.”
I ran a hand over my beard.He was right, as much as I hated to admit it.This was a bad idea, and yet even hearing Harry echo that fact didn’t change how much I wanted her.That alone should have stopped me from pursuing it further.
“Are you sure you want to be doing this?You and Piper only just broke up a few months ago.I know you’re hurting, but—”
“I am.I was.I loved Piper.Am I sad that it worked out the way it did?Yes.Do I want to repeat that?Definitely not.But it’s not the same.”
“Just be careful, Sam.”
“I am being careful.I know what I’m doing, and I promise you, even if I were about to settle down again, Tiffany would be the last person I’d do it with.”I’d meant to say it, but as I heard the words back, they felt cruel.I didn’t see much of a future with Tiffany—hadn’t ever considered it, to be honest, and who knew how she felt about it—but the truth was, we barely knew each other outside of work and sex.We were only having fun.
And after the last six months, hadn’t I earned a little bit of that?
“Of course, you have,” Harry said when I asked him the same.“Just don’t expect me to stop worrying about you.”
“I know you far too well ever to expect that,” I joked.
The front door opened.“Hey, are we still—” Tiffany paused, smiling when she saw who I was talking to.“Harry.Long time, no see.”
He stood when she reached him, and they shared a half hug before she took up the seat next to him.“It’s good to see you, Tiffany.I hope you haven’t been too hard on my brother here.”
I cleared my throat in warning, but of course, neither of them paid me any attention.Apparently, now that they had something in common—namely, me—they were content to get along better than they had previously.
Her eyes flickered to mine briefly.“I’m only as hard as I need to be.”
He coughed out a startled laugh, which only caused her smile to widen.“That might be too much information for me.”
“What brings you into the city?Are you checking up on him?”
I might as well have been invisible.
“Something like that.Imogen has taken Gracie to a mother’s group, so I had some time on my hands.”
“Can I see?”she asked, expecting him to have the requisite thousand proud father photos on his phone, which he proceeded to show her.
“She’s gorgeous,” she said, handing the phone back before joking, “Pity she has your nose.”
“God, I know.I’m hoping she grows out of it.Or into it.”
Tiffany appraised him.“You look good.Happier.Fatherhood agrees with you.”
“Thank you.It was a long time coming, so we’re happy.Even if we’re constantly worried that we’ll screw it up somehow.”
“I’m sorry that I didn’t know sooner.”
“I don’t know why.There isn’t anything you could have done.Unless you’re secretly an IVF specialist?Not that that would surprise me.”
She chuckled, then relaxed.“What is it about you two,” she gestured between Harry and me, “secretly hoarding your senses of humor?All this time, I thought you were a grump.”
“I guess I didn’t feel all that funny when I worked here.”
She looked chastised.“It probably helps not to be dealing with me all the time either.”
“I think Sam is handling you enough for the two of us.”
