She sounds defensive and wounded and I feel like an asshole.
“Of course. Sorry.” I give her a tight smile. “She’s my kid, you know? I want to protect her.”
The doors open and I gesture for her to go first.
She makes a low noise, frowning. “Is she close with Ross?”
I pause. It’s an odd question. “Not particularly. They know each other but I wouldn’t say they’re close.”
“Oh.”
“Why?”
“No reason.”
The elevators open and we walk back to our offices. She tears the plastic wrapping off and holds the Dunkaroos out to me.
It’s the kind with rainbow sprinkles in the icing, the best kind. Sometimes, when I feel like a drink, I sneak one from Bea’s stash.
“Want one?” Jordan asks, and it’s an instinct for me to shake my head.
“No, thank you.”
Her eyes narrow, but before I do something like tell her how lovely she looks today in the silky navy skirt and cashmere pullover, I say goodbye and head to my office, pushing thoughts of Jordan out of my head.
CHAPTER 27
TATE
Friday evening,I drop Bea off at Holly’s, and when Holly and Jeff see me, they start applauding.
“Thank you, thank you.” I bow to them, laughing. They always do this when they see me wearing a tux.
“You look handsome, Dad,” Bea says.
“Thank you, sweetheart.” I press a kiss onto the top of her head. “What are you three up to tonight?”
“How do you feel about sushi?” Holly asks Bea.
“I feel great about it,” she chirps before looking at Jeff. “Are we still going to paint my room this weekend?”
He looks mock-affronted that she even asked. “Absolutely, we will. You think I forgot? No way.”
“He got paint chips from the store in every shade of purple,” Holly tells her, and she brightens.
“You did? Can I see?”
She runs upstairs and Jeff follows her.
“Jeff’s a good guy,” I tell Holly. “I appreciate you picking him and not some asshole.”
She pretends to be offended. “I only mess around with the good guys.”
I chuckle. “I was not a good guy when you met me.”
“Hey.” She gives me a scolding look. “That’s not true. You were always a good guy.”
I had isolated everyone in my life and spent every night wallowing in drunken self-pity, but okay. Getting sober, having a daughter, and a decade of therapy knocked all that out of me.
