“Yes,” he answers simply, and I laugh again, drawing a small smile out of him.
“I’m fine. Really. I’ll go back to work in a few minutes, once I don’t look ugly anymore.”
“I never said you looked ugly.” A frown forms between his dark brows. “I have something to say, Jordan, and I’d like you to listen to every word.”
I swallow, bracing myself for the worst. For him to echo everything Gary said in the meeting.
“You’re just as qualified as those guys.” He lifts a hand like he’sgoing to touch my face but hesitates and rests it on the wall near my head, instead. “You have talent, intelligence, and work ethic. I know I wasn’t exactly . . .” he pauses, searching for the word, “enthusiastic about you joining the team, but I was wrong, and I’m glad I was. I believe we’re going to do great things this season, Jordan. I see so much potential in you.”
He searches my eyes. I’m stunned speechless by the sincerity in his gaze. It’s like he put my insecurities in a list and addressed them, one by one.
So this is what it feels like, to be one of Tate Ward’s chosen ones.
“And you need to believe it, too,” he says. “Okay?”
I don’t, but I get the feeling he won’t let this go until I agree. I take a deep breath. “Okay.”
A long moment of tension lingers. Damn him for being so kind, even to someone he doesn’t like. He makes it so difficult to hate him.
“No coffee this morning.” He pretends to be disappointed.
I let out another short laugh. “I figured I’d tortured you enough.”
And that low groan of pleasure he made when he drank it yesterday morning made me wonder if that’s what he sounds like when he comes.
“Too bad. I clocked you as a worthy adversary, but maybe I was wrong. And I was starting to look forward to those tenamsugar crashes.”
I can’t help but smile. His eyes turn fond and relieved, and my stupid, stupid heart flutters. When his eyes drop to my mouth, the air changes—snapping with sudden electricity—and the breath catches in my throat.
The urge to lift up on my tiptoes and kiss him hits me so hard I blink. He looks away, clearing his throat.
“I have another meeting,” he says.
“Me, too.” My face goes hot. “Thanks for checking on me.”
“Anytime.” He opens the door and strides down the hall while I go the other way, aimlessly walking while trying to put as much distance as possible between myself and my boss.
Georgia’s eyes flick up from her desk as we step out of the closet, but I barely notice.
I don’t know what that was, but it can’t happen again.
CHAPTER 25
TATE
“What’s that one?”I ask Bea on the balcony that evening, pointing at a constellation.
She makes a thinking noise.
“See those three stars? Those are the belt. And the two above are the shoulders.”
“Orion,” she says before pointing at another cluster of stars. “Is that the Little Fox?”
“Mmm. Nope, that one won’t be visible until spring. Maybe May or June. That’s Lepus, the Hare.”
“I like the animal ones.”
I tuck her against me and make sure she’s warm enough with the blanket. “Me, too. Those are the best ones.”
