Page 26 of His Secret Obsession

I push myself out from underneath the Jeep and smirk at him. “For a twenty-year old kid, you have an unusual fondness for dad jokes. Is there something I need to know?” Pushing myself off my knees, I grab a nearby towel and wipe the grease off my hands.

He shakes his head. “You’re a hard cookie to crack, boss. If I don’t get you to laugh by the end of the week, I’ll owe Paige another ten bucks.”

“Get that look out of your eyes,” I gruffly order.

“What look?” He innocently bats his eyelashes.

“That look,” I mutter, pointing an accusatory finger towards his face, “that says you’re scheming and up to no good.” His lips twitch, and I narrow my eyes. “How about we make our own deal?”

His eyes light up, and he leans forward. “Sounds interesting. Whatcha thinkin’?”

“Make me laugh at one of your lame jokes, and I’ll owe you a hundred bucks. If you don’t, then you never tell me another joke again.”

“How much time do I have?”

I think for a minute. “Six months.”

“I’ll take you up on that bet!” Andrew does a little jig, practically jumping with excitement. Clearly, he thinks I’ve given him plenty of time. But I think he underestimates my resolve, or howlameI find his jokes to be.

Even if they do occasionally make me want to smile.

Not that I would ever admit to that.

“Hope you’re ready to lose,” I warn him. “You’re gonna die a little bit inside each time you think of a new one and can’t share it with me, aren’t you?” A chuckle rumbles from my throat. Andrew opens his mouth and I’m vaguely aware that he’s rambling about the ways he plans on spending the hundred bucks I’ll owe to him, but I’m no longer listening.

The flash of Maddie’s red Toyota Corolla catches my eye as it drives past the shop towards the house. Just the thought of finally getting a glimpse of her sends a riot of nerves through me. It’s been two weeks since she broke up with Luke and one week since she’s moved back in with me. She’s been avoiding me like a disease.

This shit needs to end.

“Can you close the shop up today?” I ask Andrew. Normally, it’s either me or Paige who closes up for the day. But she’s on vacation this week, and I’m not putting this conversation off any longer. He gives me a mock salute, and I turn away from him before he can see me rolling my eyes.

Hurrying to the bathroom, I scrub my hands until the remnants of grease are gone. Then I make sure my office door is locked before stepping out into the chilly air. As I walk towards the house, my cell phone pings with a text message. I sigh when I pull it out.

Luke: How is she?

Mostly just keeping to herself. She’s fine.

He’s been texting me almost every day. Although we haven’t spoken about it much, he knows how angry I am. Our father raised us to be the kind of men who are faithful to their women and, when he passed away, I continued to raise him with the same morals. But after I got over the initial anger, I quit givinghim a hard time. It has been obvious to me that he deeply regrets his actions, and he’s grieving the end of their relationship.

I hate to see him hurting, even when he deserves it.

Throwing the front door open, my gaze sweeps around the house. Quickly seeing that the downstairs area is empty, I bound up the steps. I take them two at a time, trying to get there before she—

The sound of her bedroom door shutting has a well of frustration rising in my chest.

“Shit!” I curse, clenching my fist and slamming it down on the stairwell banister. It sends a sharp sting of pain through my hand, but I ignore it.

If I had to guess, she plans on holing herself up in her room all night. Because that’s what she’s done every single night since she’s been back. And I don’t know why it matters. It’s not like we haven’t ignored each other for the past four years anyway. I pause outside her bedroom before running a hand through my hair.

Raising my fist, I decide tonight is the night I’m finally going to knock.

But then I remember what happened the last time I was this close to her bedroom, and I draw in a shuddering breath. Arousal threatens to stir my cock to life, and I groan. Resting my head against the closed door, I squeeze my eyes shut.

I already barreled my way into her place of work, making demands like a neanderthal. And now I’m going to barge into her bedroom making even more demands while sporting a hard on? What would I even say to her?

My shoulders slump.

Tomorrow.

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