“Mr. Fowler…Colt,” I say, trying to keep the surprise from my voice. “Hi.”
A flush creeps to my cheeks, as if just standing next to me, he’ll be able to know what I did last night. What I thought about him doing to me. What I think Iwanthim to do to me.
“Happy Wednesday, Rowan,” he says with a smile.
“Right. Happy Wednesday.”
“Hi!” Macie shouts, waving at him. Oh god, I forgot she was here.
“Hello,” Colt says, crouching down at her side. “What’s your name?”
“This is Macie,” I answer for her. Suddenly realizing what he must be thinking, I add, “My sister.”
He gives her a smile that squeezes at my insides. “It’s very nice to meet you, Macie.”
“You should join us,” I tell him, “Macie’s paying.”
Sliding into the seat at my side, he laughs and tells her, “Well, I suppose since you’ve taken my best employee for the day, I can take that offer.”
Best employee? I take phone calls, make copies and get him coffee. I’m hardly bringing in business and keeping his pockets lined. My job is simple, but I love it. And I kind of love that he’s flattering me, right now.
Macie leans across the table to me, whispering much more loudly than she thinks she is, “I don’t have any money.”
I laugh and pat her hand, scribbling down my last X on the board and watch as she claims the final spot with her O, winning the game. She looks at Colt with a wide grin and he answers with an exaggerated, playful wink.
“Are you not working today, either?” I ask him.
He shakes his head. “Other things require my attention, today. The office can wait until after the holiday.”
I don’t delude myself into thinkingI’mone of the things that require his attention. I’m just some girl who works for him and called him a frog.
“Are you doing anything special for Christmas?” He asks.
“We’re gonna make some cookies for Santa tomorrow, and make his reindeer a nice little veggie tray,” I tell him.
With a wistful look in his eyes, he smiles, turning to Macie. “Did you write Santa Claus a letter to tell him what you want?”
She gives him a vigorous nod, answering, “Uh-huh! I even put a stamp on it.”
“Oh, well,” he says, “I’m sure he got it, then.”
When we’ve all finished our food, I swipe the check away before Colt is able to reach it and he narrows his eyes at me, like he wants to fight me on it. It’s probably hard for him to let someone else treat him for a change. Being as rich as he is sounds really nice, and would solve a lot of issues, but it has to come with its own downsides, like everyone expecting you to cover the bill when it comes. I shake my head at him, silently telling him to not even try fighting me.
“This is my treat,” I insist.
“Then let me drive you home,” he counters.
“...Fine.”
•
I can feel my blood heat as we drive up to the house and I see Dad’s car back on the driveway. Well, half on the driveway. The other half of it has ripped through the front yard in his piss-poor attempt to park. I can feel Colt’s eyes on me and I know he sees it, too. I know he’s taken note that both times he’s been here, that car has been parked terribly. I know what he’s thinking.
“Ro, Daddy’s home!” Macie shouts from the back.
I paste a smile to my face and answer, “Yep, he sure is.”
I can feel the energy in the car shift as Colt tenses next to me, but he doesn’t say anything. He just steps out of the car and moves toward Macie’s door to let her out, taking her by the hand to help her down, then grabbing her booster seat and moving to my door to help me out the same way – minus the booster seat, of course.
