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“You can try, old man!”
I let out a burst of laughter. “Okay there, bud. A few more minutes and then bedtime.”
He just goes back to his game, still laughing about his joke, and I escort Olivia down the hall.
When we’re out of earshot, we stop, and Olivia turns back to me.
“Look, I do hope you’re not angry. He’s a great kid and deserves some fun. And you can check for yourself. We got all his homework done. I also saved a plate for you. Figured you’d be hungry.”
I shake my head, stripping the tie off my neck and unbuttoning my shirt a bit to breathe easier.
“I’m not. Really. I’m impressed. You managed to do all the things that I never seem to have time for, including playing Elijah’s game with him. It’s hard right now, you know? Work has always been go, go, go, but with the divorce…”
My words trail off as I think back to the conversation with Natasha. Anger flares again, and I try to push her from my thoughts.
“Hey.” Olivia puts a hand on mine, where I’m threatening to rip my tie in half. “You’re a good dad. You’re trying. He can just tell. He can tell you’re stressed, that whatever is going on between you and your ex upsets you.”
The pulse in my ears hits harder, and I step back slightly.
“He can? I try so hard to keep that stuff away from him. I—”
“You don’t need to keep it from him. You need to let him in. Show him that you’re hurting instead of snapping when it gets to be too much. Right now, he knows you’re angry, but he can’t understand why. And when he’s attacked…he’s going to start thinking you’re angry with him.”
“I…well, fuck. You’re probably right.”
A huge breath releases from my lungs, and a strange weightless sensation passes over my shoulders. It’s like I’ve lifted some of what’s been weighing me down, but there’s still a lot left behind.
“I usually am.”
A quick burst of laughter escapes me, and I glare playfully at her. Olivia just smiles.
“Unfortunately—” I drag a hand through my hair, closing my eyes as my head falls back “—I still have a very busy week ahead, including work tonight, so that quality time may be a bit harder to come by.”
“So make the most of your time tonight and any moments you do get. I know the drill when it comes to long hours. I mean, you’ve met my dad. The key is balance. When you’re at work, work. When you’re here, be here.”
Straightening, I take in Olivia. She’s ditched the sneakers she wore this morning, and her hair is a playful mess, tousled by running a million errands and caring for an energetic kid.
“You’re really smart. You know that?”
I step forward. A strand of loose hair hangs near her eye, so I tuck it behind her ear. The soft copper-colored curl feels like silk between my fingers.
Olivia grins at me. “Yes, I’m aware.”
I smirk. She delivers that sass like an expert, and I can only imagine she gets it from John, who’s never been one to pull punches.
My hand still hovers there, tangled in her locks, and my gaze has found her lips again. This is so wrong, but my steps move on their own, bringing me closer to her.
“You could be a bit more amenable. I am your boss, after all.”
I push the hair on her shoulder back, dragging my fingers down her arm.
“I’m not going to sugarcoat anything. You should know that about me. I’ll leave that to you, Mr. Salesman.”
Crossing her arms once more, Olivia cocks her head but holds her ground. Oh, this feisty little vixen is going to be the death of me.
“Mr. Salesman, huh? You know, I can do a lot more than just sell a fancy property.”
Stepping forward, I press Olivia back as she instinctively seeks to put more ground between us. Her back hits the wall, and as it does, I lean forward, bracing my weight on my arm.
