Page 45 of Loving You

Adele blew out a puff of air. “That’s what I think, and I hate it. Would, ah…would you be interested in meeting him? I wanted to have a little gathering, and I know you’re iffy about big group stuff, but?—”

“I’d love to.” Bronx didn’t know how to tell him that he was flattered about being included. That it mattered that Adele wanted him there. It made him feel pathetic. “Just let me know when, and if you want me to bring anything, I can. As long as it doesn’t involve elaborate cooking.”

Adele laughed. “From what I hear, we can leave that to your son.”

Chapter Twelve

MONTY

Monty wipedsweat off his brow and wandered into the lobby. The A/C had been busted all day, and the guy they’d sent to repair it went off for lunch, and three hours later, Monty was pretty sure he wasn’t coming back.

“Call them,” he ordered Kaitlyn, who was at the reception desk. “Threaten their future generations of children if they don’t get someone in here to deal with this.”

Kaitlyn stared at him. “It’s not that hot.”

It wasn’t. But it was muggy and annoying, and Monty didn’t do well with that kind of thing. Even the slightest bit of heat tended to fuck with him, and he’d already had two attacks of cataplexy that afternoon. Luckily neither of them had been when he was with a client, but he couldn’t risk his reputation.

He was still getting started. He couldn’t lose everything before he got the chance to make something of himself.

“How many meetings do I have left?”

Kaitlyn tapped on the keyboard, her brows furrowed. “Well, none. You need to finish filling out those two folders on your desk so I can run them down to the court, and afterthat, you just have prep for the Sandem hearing on Monday.”

“Oh. Well…” He trailed off as he walked back into his office and swiped the folders off his desk, dropping them to the right of her keyboard. “Done. I’m going to finish prep at home.”

“It’s really not that bad,” Kaitlyn insisted.

She knew about his condition because all of his staff had been briefed on it. The last thing he needed was to rack up ambulance bills after they panicked when he hit the ground. But he was well aware that none of them really understood the nuance of his condition.

Mostly because he didn’t really understand it either. He knew his triggers, but that was about it. Even the doctors were still flummoxed and said they could only really hope he grew out of it—whatever the fuck that meant. He figured that was doctor-ese forit’ll never get better, but we don’t know why, so we’re going to say that to shut you up.

“I need to work at home if I’m going to be any good to anyone this week,” he told her, gathering his keys and briefcase. He swiped his phone off the desk and blinked in surprise when he saw Bronx’s name on the screen.

Bronx: Free for dinner tonight? Kylen’s been trying to schedule Luke’s first flight.

Monty: Count me in. Can you pick me up?

He really wasn’t actually free for dinner. He did have work to do. The hearing wasn’t going to prepare itself. But meeting Bronx’s son and having a nice dinner—and maybe a quiet little dessert after—sounded a lot better than straining his eyes on his couch while eating takeout.

Bronx: Yeah. I’m at my office on Fifth and Elm. Not sure where yours is, but I can swing by whenever you’re ready. I’m not officially open yet.

That was two blocks from him. Monty actually knew the building Bronx was talking about because the reno had taken up half the intersection for months. His drivers had hated taking that route to his office.

But it was easily walkable.

Monty: I’ll meet you there in ten. I’m right up the street.

He slid his phone into his pocket and turned to see Kaitlyn smiling at him. “Don’t,” he warned her.

“That looks like a date face.”

“It’s not. It’s a friend is going to give me a ride face.”

“We all need a ride from time to time.”

“I will fire you. Don’t think I won’t.” Which was also a lie. He headed for the door, pausing to look over his shoulder. “Call the HVAC place again. Threaten biblical plagues on their firstborns if this A/C isn’t fixed by tomorrow. If they don’t have a tech down here before you leave, I want our deposit back.”

Kaitlyn saluted him. “Consider it done. Have a nice ride.”

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