Page 14 of Boss Daddy

James chuckles. “Come on, man. I saw the way you were looking at her. You didn’t look at Ben that way during his interview.”

Guess I was being more obvious than I thought.“Does it matter?”

James snorts, leaning back in his chair. “To me? No. But to you? Might want to figure that out before things get complicated.”

I scowl into my whiskey glass. “No,” I snap. “I don’t sleep with employees. And before you start wondering, I didn’t hire her because she’s easy on the eyes. Woman’s as competent as they come.”

James throws his head back and laughs. “Come on, Sam. I know you better than to think you’d bring someone onboard just because she looks good in a pair of jeans. But let’s be honest, that woman was eyeing you like she wouldn’t mind breaking a few rules.”

I grit my teeth, the muscles in my jaw ticking. I don’t answer because there’s nothing to say. His words hit too close to the truth, and I can’t afford that kind of distraction.

James swirls his glass, watching me over the rim. His eyes soften, and I know what’s coming before he even opens his mouth.

“Don’t say it.”

He raises his hands in mock surrender, his thumb and index finger wrapped around his glass. “I wasn’t going to say a damn thing.”

“Yes, you were.”

He sighs, knowing he’s been busted. “It’s just… Kara’s been gone eight years, Sam.”

I glare at him, the words a gut punch I refuse to acknowledge.But his gaze doesn’t waver, and he presses on.

“It’s okay to be attracted to someone else. It doesn’t mean you didn’t love her.”

The knot in my chest tightens. My fingers grip the glass so hard I’m surprised it doesn’t shatter. I know James is right. The logic of it is clear, undeniable. But it doesn’t stop the guilt clawing at my gut, like I’m betraying her memory by feeling anything for another woman.

“She’s off-limits, James. To me, at least. I don’t need that kind of distraction in my life. This place takes up enough space in my mind.”

His lips curl into a smirk, but his eyes are serious. “Off-limits, huh? Nothing like a piece of forbidden fruit to make things more interesting.”

My scowl deepens. “Drop it.”

James chuckles. I know he means well. He drains his whiskey and sets the glass down on the desk. He stands and stretches his shoulders, but he doesn’t leave.

I avoid his gaze as he lingers by the door, hands in his pockets, watching me like he’s trying to peel back the layers I keep locked down tight.

Finally, I look up.

He tilts his head, his voice quiet, sincere. “Listen, I don’t want to get too personal here, but—”

“Then don’t.”

“I know you loved her, man. But she wouldn’t want this lonely life for you.”

The words hit harder than they should. I swallow the lump in my throat and force a smirk. “You sound like my fuckin’ mother.”

He grins. “I wish I was half as wise as Miss Delores.”

We share a laugh, the tension easing just a fraction. He nods and walks out, the door clicking shut behind him, leaving me alone in silence.

I take another sip of whiskey and turn to the computer on my desk, the glow of the screen illuminating a spreadsheet of numbers. Profits are up. The club’s thriving. My investments are solid. Everything in my life is moving forward like a well-oiled machine.

But the empty spaces linger—the quiet nights, the cold bed, the weight of solitude pressing down on me. Random hookups don’t fill the void. They simply scratch an itch.

Not only that, but damned if they aren’t starting to make me look immature. I’m not just some investment broker working late and chasing women. I’ve got my own business; making notches in the bedpost doesn’t exactly establish me as an upstanding member of the community.

As soon as I close my eyes and lean back in my chair I see Erin.Her smile, her sharp green eyes, the way she met my gaze without flinching. The way her body moved, confident and graceful, like she belongs behind the bar—or in my arms.

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