Page 58 of An Engagement for Erica

“Part of dating is being uncomfortable,” he said. “Don’t you know that?”

She shrugged. “It’s been a while since I’ve dated anyone.”

“No one between the last time I saw you and now?”

“Hardly,” she said. “I’ve spent too much time getting healthy and my business up and running.”

“I’d like to think you were still thinking of me and maybe what could have been?” he asked.

She wanted to be honest. “I hate to say this. Maybe I was, but I didn’t think I’d see you again either.”

His smile dropped. “It’s fine. I’m doing a good job working on you now.”

“You are,” she said. “And I wasn’t even offended with what your grandfather said.”

She knew it was just TC’s wishful thinking.

“There is no reason to be,” he said. “He likes you. Even as confused as he is, I could see it. I don’t need him to help me with you though. I’d like to think I’ve done a good job of it.”

“You’ve had nothing to do with your genetics,” she said and then slapped her hand in front of her mouth.

She’d never been so fixated on looks before and wasn’t sure why she was now.

He started to laugh. “Thank you. You can thank my mother if you want when you meet her.”

“Do you look like your mother?” she asked. “I haven’t seen any pictures of your father other than what was online from articles I’ve read. They haven’t been the best shots.”

TC Nelay Jr. was normally drunk in those pictures. Not everyone was happy and smiling around him either.

“Nope,” he said. “Were his eyes open in them?”

“I saw the one of him passed out on some local gossip blog or something,” she said.

She’d done as much research as she could before she started working for him. She wanted to know what she could going in, but she’d still keep an open mind.

“I have some features of my father, but I look more like my mother,” he said. “You’ll see. Or would you rather not?”

“I don’t have a problem with it if it works out. Are you telling your mother about the fake engagement thing?”

“I almost have to,” he said. “Don’t you think? She’s coming here to see my grandfather. She’s still very close with him even though her ex-husband was a colossal dick.”

“I don’t want your mother to think ill of me for doing this,” she said. “Maybe she won’t think it’s right. Did you think of that?”

“No,” he said. “But she’ll be fine. Don’t worry about her.”

“If you say so,” she said.

“I do. Are you in a hurry to go home?” he asked. “Not sure what to do, but didn’t know your plans.”

“Harmony isn’t home until later. If you want, why don’t you follow me to my house? I’ll show you around and we can walk down to your new house and see how close we are to each other.”

“Sounds like a plan to me,” he said. “Let me just go change. It’s gotten warm out.”

“Sure,” she said and watched him walk away. If her eyes landed on his jean-clad ass, she kept it to herself.

He had a nice body on him.

She’d been attracted to him in a suit and tie, then more casual business attire here, but today he was in jeans and a T-shirt.

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