“Your parents’ cabin was the hangout spot for you and your jock buddies. As soon as we finished working, I knew your team and their bunnies would show up. It wasn’t my scene, so I left.”
He stared at her with what looked like sadness in his eyes.
“Janae, the only people who were in that cabin on session days were you, Michael, and me. I never would’ve put you in a situation where you felt uncomfortable, especially when those days were my only chance to talk to you without an entourage or either of our parents being around.”
He stepped closer and she wasn’t sure if it was because she was still sitting, but he seemed to be everywhere. It should’ve made her uncomfortable. Instead, she wished he’d sit down next to her so she could be in his space without looking as thirsty as she was.
“I never minded the times we had to meet at your parents’ housebecause you were coming directly from practice with your dad. Your mom was always nice to me.”
“I would’ve been nice to you too if you’d let me.” He did sit down next to her on the sofa and she could see the slight bit of sadness glinting in his eyes. “I knew you were cool with Mike, so I always thought you ran out so fast because you didn’t want to be around me.”
If only her immaturity had allowed her to have a conversation with Adam, things could’ve been so different. She wasn’t wishing away her marriage or any of the relationships she had before meeting Marq. She just wondered if high school might have been different if they’d connected the way they each apparently wanted to in this moment.
Emotion thick and strong filled her chest, making it hard to breathe. For all her badassery, she couldn’t understand for the life of her why his presence and his words were making her feel like she might be in need of some albuterol even though she’d never had any respiratory issues a day in her life.
“Is it still colder up there at the tip of the mountain like it was when the group of us would go up there as kids?”
He chuckled for a brief second, and she knew he was aware of her swift subject change. She had to break the spell his words were weaving somehow. They were in his office, and even if she could manage to sort out everything she was feeling and have a deep conversation with him about this, his workplace wouldn’t be where she would do it.
“Probably more so since we’re both old now.”
She placed a hand on her chest and let her jaw drop in mock offense. “Speak for yourself. I’m not claiming that.”
“Live in denial all you want if it makes you happy. Just make sure you bring a sweater. I don’t want you blaming me for that arthritis that’s gonna grab hold of you from being out in that cold air.”
She half smiled, half glared at him. “You’re so damn disrespectful.”
“I rather think that’s one of my better qualities.”
“You think?”
He leaned in closer, too close for the two of them to be sitting in his office, where the attraction between them couldn’t go further than the heated glances they were sharing now.
“I know. Come up and find out for yourself.”
She nodded, opening her mouth to say something, but before she could say it, the intercom on his desk buzzed.
“I guess that means it’s time for me to get back to work.” He stood, taking her fingers into his and gently pulling her up from the couch. “As much as I’ve enjoyed sparring with you, I gotta get back to it.”
She nodded, smiling as she headed for the door. She’d come here to fight, and somehow, Adam had bled all the anger out of her and figured out a way to get her to work on a compromise. If his luck held, maybe he could pull this miracle off twice by figuring out how to do his job and stay in her good graces.
I guess I’ll find out this weekend.
Chapter 15
“Hey, son.”
As he walked through the front door, Adam’s eyes followed the sound of his father’s voice to find both his parents sitting in the living room in their respective armchairs.
They’d been sitting in those chairs for as long as Adam could remember.
“Hey, Dad.” Adam shifted the reusable shopping bags in his hand so he could close the door behind him, stepping into the living room to greet his mother with a kiss and his father with a squeeze to his shoulder.
“What’cha have there?”
His mother looked down at the bags and then up at him.
“Just a few essentials to keep you stocked up over the weekend.”
