Page 118 of Cockpit
He nods but doesn’t speak as my words hit his heart. “Thank you.”
We both fall silent, our fingers intertwined, both of us staring at them instead of looking at each other.
“We should get up,” he says but doesn’t move. “You know, before he figures out that you’re supposed to stick the outie into the innie.”
I stifle my laugh, knowing damn well he could be listening down the hallway. “Maybe I could stay over again soon and play PS4 with you.”
He squeezes my hand. “I’m pretty versed in which buttons to push.”
“That you are.”
“I bet you can’t wait to get that cute little ass of yours back to San Francisco.” I look up to where Rissa is standing with her shoulder against the wall as she people watches the flow of traffic outside of my window.
Her words launch a bittersweet pang to my system. “Yeah.”
“Yeah?” she asks.
“Sorry, I’m just preoccupied with this,” I say, pointing to the blank Word document she can’t see.
“I didn’t know. I’m sorry. Do you want to go over the rundown now or later?”
I roll my shoulders and lean back. It isn’t as if my father hasn’t grilled me over it ten times already this week. “Sure. Let’s get it out of the way.” And use it as a reminder that the time left on my clock in Sunnyville is ticking.
“The plus side, which I’m sure your dad has said over and over, is that the numbers look fabulous. You really improved every facet of the visibility, and for that, I owe you. Keeping my job is definitely a plus.”
I nod. “To be honest, I wasn’t sure the idea would take.”
“What? You thought once you become a mom, your sex drive dies and you can’t appreciate a good-looking man?” Rissa laughs at the look on my face. “I’m so glad we’ve proven you wrong.”
“You definitely have.” Images of a naked Grayson come to mind. Then of him bending over Luke helping him with homework. Both are sexy in different ways. I owe Zoey an apology. She was right. A man and his child can definitely be sexy.
“And to think we’re almost in the homestretch. In a few weeks, a man will be crowned Hot Dad, and even if we only retain fifty percent of the new interest, it still leaves our numbers above what our target was, so there will be absolutely no complaints on our part.”
A few weeks . . . hearing her say it makes it all the more real. The project I’ve eaten, slept, and breathed is almost over . . . and then what? I should be happy, right? I should be thrilled to be getting back to my life and hopefully moving on to my opportunity at Haute, so why am I not?
Grayson.
“Uh-oh. You have that look on your face.”
“What look?” I force a smile, although I know she’s not going to buy it.
“The one that says as sad as we are going to be with you leaving, you’re going to be even sadder leaving someone else.”
“You’re being ridiculous,” I say while silently begging to talk to someone about all of this.
Rissa gives me the motherly glance any child recognizes before they are able to stand, and shuts the door, cutting us off from the rest of the staff.
“You’re horrible at hiding your emotions, Sidney.”
“Emotions about what?” I feign innocence, even though I know she knows.
“Love.”
“Love?” I laugh out the word. “What about it?”
“So, it’s just lust then?”
I chortle a laugh. “Lust? I’m not following you.” But I damn well am.
