On the subway ride here, Mickey watched intently as a man bounced his son on his lap. Delaney must have noticed too because she hauled her little boy onto her lap and did the same.
Mickey laughed the entire time.
I caught a case of the giggles too as I watched them together.
There’s no denying that their bond is strong. I hope to have that with a child of my own someday.
“It’s complicated,” I say. “I don’t want to hurt my brother, but I can’t deny what I’m feeling. That kiss was unreal.”
“I’ve only felt that feeling with one guy.” She darts a finger into the air. “When he kissed me for the first time, I swear time stopped.”
I glance at Mickey when I hear him let out a squeal.
“Was the kiss with Mickey’s dad?” I ask tentatively.
She nods. “He was my first love; my only love.”
Just as I’m about to press for more, her son comes running at us full speed. “Mommy, come and see this book. You have to read it to me.”
Delaney skims her hand over the top of his head before her gaze levels on me. “A kiss like that is rare. Don’t ignore what you’re feeling because it might upset your brother.”
As she walks away, holding tight to Mickey’s hand, I type out a response to Case.
Emma: I’m good. I’m at Velvet Bay Books with my friends. Work sounds like a battle right now. How are you holding up?
His reply takes a moment. I watch as the three dots dance on the screen as he types. There’s a pause before they bounce again.
Case: I’m fine. Enjoy your day, Freckles.
My response is as quick as a beat of my heart.
Emma: You too, Rush.
CHAPTER FORTY
Case
I endthe call with my assistant in California just as I step into my apartment.
The lights are out. Stillness sits in the air.
I don’t know why the hell that surprises me. It’s after midnight. I’ve been knee-deep in Cabbott bullshit for the past two days.
The framework issue still hasn’t been fixed. I’ve got my most skilled software engineers on the job. Back in California, I’m facing the resignation of two of my top executives.
They emailed me within thirty minutes of each other to tell me they were leaving Cabbott at the end of the month. Who the hell quits their job when the boss is out of town?
Lionel Burkhard and Shaun Melcor do.
Replacing them won’t be easy. I’ll have to pull from the New York office to fill the vacancies temporarily.
I’d offer Drake an incentive to postpone his move for a few months, but he already has other plans. I need to clue Emma into those.
I should wake her up and do it now.
What the fuck is wrong with me?
Anything I need to say to her can wait until morning. It’s waited this long. It’s been days since we kissed.
