Page 44 of Boss Daddy

“Hi,” I manage. I give a little wave as I speak, feeling like a little girl who’s walked into a grown-up conversation. I take a step forward, trying to hide the nerves buzzing underneath my skin. Whatever’s happening here, I’m about to find out.

I step forward, forcing a polite smile, and hold out my hand to the woman.“I’m Erin. Nice to meet you.”

Her smile widens, warm and genuine, and she takes my hand in both of hers.“It’s lovely to meet you, Erin. I’m Diane,” she says. “We’ve heard so much about you.”

Confused, I blink but manage to keep my smile intact. “You have?” My tone is light, but my mind is spinning.

Before I can piece it together, the man steps forward, his handshake firm and enthusiastic.“And I’m Robert,” he says with a grin. “We love Sam, but he’s always been terrible about introducing people. It’s great to finally put a face to the name.”

I glance at Samuel, my expression carefully neutral, though inside, I’m screaming. What name? What face? What the hell is going on? But Samuel just stands there, looking far too relaxed for my liking.

“Thank you,” I finally manage.

“So,” Robert says, turning his attention back to Samuel, “how about some lunch? We could go to that cafe on Madison you’ve mentioned before. Two o’clock work for you two?”

Lunch? With these people? I glance at Samuel again, hoping for some kind of clarification, but he’s unreadable, as usual. His calm only feeds my confusion.

“That sounds great,” Samuel replies smoothly. He looks at Diane and Robert, giving them one of his rare, genuine smiles. “We’ll meet you there.”

They both nod, clearly satisfied. Diane reaches out to squeeze Samuel’s arm, her gesture affectionate. “We’ll see you soon, then,” she says before turning back to me. “It really was lovely meeting you, Erin.”

“You too,” I manage.

Samuel sees them to the door, and I stand there, frozen, as it clicks shut. My thoughts are racing, a tangled mess of questions.

I sink onto the couch, my legs too weak to hold me up. I replay the conversation in my head, searching for answers that aren’t there.

Samuel comes back into the room and sits down next to me.“I’ll explain everything.”

“You’d better.”

Chapter 17

Samuel

Isigh, trying to figure out where to go from here. “We need some more coffee and a real conversation. Come on.”

Erin nods, following me into the kitchen without a word. I make a fresh batch of coffee as I try to figure out how to explain my past. She leans against the counter, watching me. She doesn’t say a word, doesn’t push, and somehow that makes it easier.

I pour hot water over the fresh beans, the rich aroma filling the air, and exhale slowly.

No time like the present.

“It was eight years ago,” I begin. “Kara, my wife, and I were driving back from a fundraiser. It was late, and there was a horrible storm. The roads were slick, and visibility was shit.”

Erin doesn’t move, her eyes locked on mine, giving me the space to continue.

“A car swerved into our lane.” My grip tightens on the handle of the French press. “I tried to avoid it, but there wasn’t enough time. We crashed. She died on impact.”

She takes a sharp breath but doesn’t speak immediately. I glance at her, then press down slowly on the plunger, letting the coffee settle.

“Oh my God,” she says softly. “I’m so sorry.”

“I’ve carried that night—and the guilt—with me ever since,” I say. “It was my fault. I was driving. I shouldn’t have been such a goddamn stubborn son of a bitch. I should’ve listened to her when she asked me to pull over.”

“It wasn’t your fault—”

“I know what you’re trying to say,” I cut her off. “But it doesn’t change the fact that I was behind the wheel that night. And for a long time, I didn’t think I deserved to move on.”

---