Page 3 of Single Dad's Second Chance

“You need to make time to live a little, Henry. I know you’ve been busier than usual with ‘Fifty’ opening soon.”

I smirked at his air-quotes with the new club’s name.

“But you’ve got to make sure you live a little more. Get out there. At least try to meet someone, because I know you would rather have a bigger family to come home to.”

He was accurate with his assumption that I wanted it all, that I missed having a partner and the chance to have another kid. A big family had always been an out-of-reach pipe dream. But it didn’t change my views on putting myself out there. The thought of dating irked me. When Jason’s mother dumped me—and him—and ran, it hurt.

Dating sounded messy and time-consuming.

Focusing on work, on the other hand, was safe. It was uncomplicated.

A click of the door distracted me.

There you are.

The door opened andshewalked in. I wouldn’t need to go out of my way to stop by her desk. Mia was here.

And just like that, her presence suggested that focusing on work could get very complicated.

I held my breath, suffering through the gut punch of raw desire that hit me at the sight of her. This slender, curvy woman put up with my secretarial needs, but she inspired… something more. I took in the full look of her, curious how no two days ever seemed the same. Her short brown denim skirt wasn’t office appropriate, but the bright fuchsia blouse evened it out. She always pulled off a put-together appearance but with a dash of bold eccentricity, too.

“What do you think, Mia?” I asked, feeling like a god among men when she lifted her green gaze to meet mine. The tingle of awareness that rushed through me with her direct eye contact never failed to stun me.

“What do I think about what?” she asked. Even though she was merely replying to my question, it felt like something so much more. I wasn’t sure when I started to hang on her every word, but I had.

“Hi, Eddie,” she said as she approached, papers in hand.

“Morning, Mia.” He smiled at her, familiar with her for longer than I was. He’d hired her before I became CEO.

“Do you think that I need to live a little?” I asked.

She set the forms on my desk and propped her hip against the edge. As she crossed her arms, her long brown waves tumbled over one shoulder. She stacked her elbow over her hand, then brought her free one up to rub her chin and look overly pensive. “Live a little?” She looked me over with the hint of a mischievous smile on her lips. “Yeah, you are getting old. Stale and halfway fusty already.”

Dad laughed.

“I just turned thirty-three last week,” I protested, knowing full well that she was teasing.

“And how long did it take you to get past that hangover fromoneglass of wine at your birthday dinner?”

I rolled my eyes and lost the fight to smile. She could poke fun at me all she wanted. Because it was mutual. I wouldn’t spare her. “Like you’re one to talk. Always saying you need more sleep to feel human. You’re practically a spinster cat-lady now with how much you ‘live it up’.”

“Hey, cats are cool.”

“Dogs are better.” I wasn’t sure how much longer I’d be able to hold off from Jason’s requests for one.

She rolled her eyes, used to one of our many silly sources of random bickering, like dogs versus cats or acceptable pizza toppings. “If all you do is work, you’ll be old and lonely before you know it,” she sing-songed as she pushed off the desk and walked toward the door.

“That’s what I’m telling him,” my dad said.

“You’re calling me old, too?” I retorted.

“No, but you will be lonely,” he argued.

“Nonsense.” I watched Mia at the door, smiling at my dad and me arguing before she slipped out. I never felt lonely when she was near.

She paused, turning to wave before heading back to her desk. It was too short of an interaction, but that was fine. She’d be right outside my door, like always. I’d find another reason to talk to her.

I lowered my gaze, both amused and annoyed that if I ever had any time to “live a little”, I wouldn’t mind doing so with her.

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