Page 9 of The Deal Breaker
His cheeks turned pink. “I will soon. After I see Henry out.”
Henry rolled his eyes. “I found my way here. I can make it back without getting lost.”
“Just being a polite host.” Dash shifted his weight between his feet. “It’s freezing outside.”
“You’re a good friend to be so concerned about my well-being.” Henry sounded amused. He turned his attention to Iris. “Since Dashiell feels the need to chaperone me, I’ll quickly make our plans.”
“Plans?” She and Dash spoke in unison.
“Yes.” Henry beamed, appearing pleased at himself. “For tomorrow.”
“Day or evening?” Iris had mentioned looking at apartments this weekend, but she hadn’t expected him to offer to go with her.
“Both.”
Dash wiped his face.
Maybe he was getting sick. Nothing else, including Raina, kept him from his Friday night gaming marathons.
“I don’t want to take up your entire Saturday,” she said, confused what Henry had in mind.
“Saturday, Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, etcetera,” Henry spouted. “All the days are the same to me.”
Oh. She remembered he didn’t work. “Fine.”
Dash flinched. “You’re agreeing just like that?”
She nodded. “Do I need to bring anything with me?”
Harry tapped his chin.
Uh-oh. Iris recognized his mischievous expression. Henry was up to something.
“No food or passport required,” he said finally.
“Passport?” Dash’s Adam’s apple bobbed. “Do you even have one, Iris? When was the last time you took a vacation? Traveled overseas?”
His incredulous tone angered Iris. Dash would never ask anyone else those questions. He, however, didn’t believe she had a desire to do anything except work for him. As if washing clothes, cleaning house, cooking, and running errands was her life’s purpose.
That burned.
But she didn’t know what to say without crossing the line. He might not be her best friend any longer, but he was her boss. She blew out a breath to calm her spiraling anger.
Henry shook his head.
“I took a vacation when you were with Raina’s family.” Which she’d told him, explaining how she and Henry had explored a few things Portland offered up for the holidays—riding the train at the Oregon Zoo to strolling through the festival of lights before listening to performers at the Grotto. But he’d most likely had something else on his mind. “It was a staycation.”
Henry wrapped his arm around Iris and pulled her close against him. “I had fun with you.”
“It was a blast.” When she’d been growing up, her parents had been too busy working at their restaurant to do those things with her. As an adult, she hadn’t had the money or time. Once she did, she hadn’t wanted to go alone. She stared at Dash. “I have a passport.”
Henry squeezed her. “She needs one in case someone might want to take her to Paris for dinner or Milan for a fashion show or London to watch tennis.”
Iris tried not to laugh. He did those things on his dates, but she wasn’t sure why he was telling Dash. Henry was the only unattached billionaire she knew, but he would never do any of those things with her. They were nothing more than friends. Still, she appreciated his support. She only wished she didn’t need it.
She raised her chin. “Or the opera in San Francisco.”
Henry winked. “Or a Broadway musical in the Big Apple.”
