Hearing Mildred’s nickname coming out of this posh man’s mouth always makes me smile. “Thanks, Ceddy.”
Dred steps out of the elevator—yes, the house is that fancy—takes one look at me and arches a brow. “What happened?”
“I’ll have refreshments brought to you.” Cedrick bows and disappears down the hall.
“I kissed Tally, and I don’t want to take it back.”
“Like, kiss-kiss? For real? With tongue?”
“Yes.”
“How was that?”
“Everything I wanted it to be and more.” Leaving was one of the hardest things I’ve ever done. I wanted to kiss her until the world turned to ash around us.
“And for her?”
“I think the same?”
She inclines her head to the elevator. “Want to come up to the library, and we can talk it through?”
“Sounds good.” I follow her into the elevator. We reach the second floor a few moments later and walk down the hall to the library. “Where’s the rest of the family?”
“Connor’s in the kitchen with the twins making cookies.”
“He’s a real sap for those two, isn’t he?”
“Oh yeah. He’s head over heels. It’s beautiful to watch.”
“He’s having the best season of his career.”Maybe that could be me. Maybe I could have an amazing seasonandthe woman I never dared to want.
“Being settled and feeling like part of his team has definitely changed his game,” she agrees.
Cedrick enters with tea and an assortment of other beverages, which he spreads out on the coffee table, along with a snack tray. Of course there’s Tang.
Dred pours me a glass. “Want to lay it all out for me?”
I rewind to New Year’s Eve and the almost kiss in the closet, vowing to stay away from her, driving her home tonight, being unable to walk away, taking her out for dinner and ending the night with that kiss that’s been playing on repeat since I left her. I run my hands through my hair, panic hitting hard now. “What the fuck am I going to do, Dred?”
She settles back in her chair and sips her Tang. “What do you want to do?”
I rub my bottom lip. “I shouldn’t want to date her.”
“But you do want to date her,” Dred affirms.
“It’s a really bad fucking idea. Like literally the worst idea inthe whole damn world. Vander Zee will bury me in an unmarked grave if he finds out about this.”
“He may want to, but it’s unlikely that he’ll actually follow through,” Dred says, unhelpfully.
“I need advice! I’m kind of freaking out here!” I snap.
She raises an eyebrow.
I sigh. “Please help me help myself.”
“Let’s take Vander Zee out of the equation. If he was a nonissue, what would be holding you back?”
“Beyond the age gap and her still being in university?”
