“Because he just married my ex-wife with my blessing and encouragement.” Also, Gavin had been holding on to the secret of who broke his mother’s diamond necklace when they were kids for just this moment. Spoiler, it was Travis. “I think he can keep our—whatever this is—to himself. He owes me.”
She shoved her hands on her hips. “This cannot be that easy.”
“You keep saying that.”
“Because it’s true.” She sounded exasperated.
He held back the urge to touch her. On the chin? On the shoulders? He couldn’t touch her. But that didn’t mean that… “Sometimes things are easy.”
“Not in my world.” That escaped curl against her neck bobbled again as she shook her head.
He moved back behind his desk like a coward, too afraid that he might do something foolish like reach out to her. “I guess it’s a good thing you’ll be spending time in my world for a bit.”
They both let that gem of logic seep into the moment.
And now she didn’t look so sure, even though she’d asked and he’d agreed. So he moved back to her. Let his arm touch hers. Allowed that teensy bit of contact serve as a conduit between them. Nothing intense. Only enough to form a small connection.
“You need something.” He folded his hands like he often did at board meetings when he didn’t quite know what to do with them. “I need something.”
“Yes.”
“So it’s a mutually beneficial arrangement where everyone involved gets what they want.”
“Well…”
If they were going to do the fake boyfriend and girlfriend thing, he needed to get used to touching her. That’s the reason—the only reason—he let his hand linger at the denim covering her shoulder.
The whole fake thing? That’s probably the only reason she let him get away with it.
“Why do I get the impression you’re overthinking this?” he asked.
“There should just be solid boundaries and parameters and all that.”
“Okay.” Should he grab a notepad? Somebody from legal to draw up an agreement? He wasn’t sure. “What are your boundaries and parameters?” He dropped his hand.
She glanced at it, but didn’t make any move toward him. “What are yours?”
That was easy enough. “To not have my mom pimp me out on Let’s Hookup anymore.” Other than that, he was pretty open to suggestions.
“Is that what was happening before I came in?” She widened her eyes.
He pursed his lips and nodded. “Unfortunately for everyone.”
That sly smile he’d gotten used to on her inched across her lips. “I really love your mother.”
“Would you like to take her for a while? I’ll loan her out. Maybe she should be your partner on the videos?”
Molly shook her head. “No, Agnes is right. It needs to be all relationship-y. That wouldn’t work.”
“My mom would also probably offend your mother.”
Molly started toward the door, but paused. “My mom isn’t that kind of mom.”
“The kind that gets offended or the kind that is inappropriate?”
Molly smiled. But it was a sad smile. “My parents are more hands off than anything. It’s okay though, they raised me and we know I’m awesome, so they did something right. And they send Ollie birthday and Christmas gifts. They are the best grandparents they know how to be.”
“What I wouldn’t give for a small dose of not overbearing.”
