Page 19 of Educating Arrogant Mr. Hunter

I growled. “There will be no dates until she’s thirty.”

His expression grew serious. “I’m on board with that.” Grayson was just as protective of Zoey as I was.

I called my assistant and asked her to bring us coffee.

“Let’s get to work. I want to end this week on a high note.” I pulled up a new document on my computer, and Grayson and I began to hash out the logistics of going forward with this new project.

* * *

I sipped my coffee, grimacing as the cold liquid filled my mouth. “That’s it. I’m calling it. I think we’ve done all we can for now.”

Grayson stood and stretched. “I’ve got a few things to finish before I head out. Give my niece a hug for me.”

“Will do.” I checked my watch. “Shit. I forgot to pick up the corsage she asked for.”

“Is this dinner or a prom date?” The lines around Grayson’s eyes deepened as he laughed.

“She told me that’s what a date is supposed to do,” I muttered and ran a hand over the back of my neck. “I think she’s figuring out I’ll do whatever she asks.”

“Beck, you can’t keep doing that.”

I groaned. “I know, but she’s already been through so much. Doesn’t she deserve this? For now, at least.”

“You know I love Zoey, and I’d give her the world.”

He would lay down his life for her.

“But she needs your love right now and your time, not the things.”

“She has both of those. In spades.” It was the sole reason I’d moved to Rhode Island. I’d been happy with my life in New York, but my daughter’s happiness outweighed my own.

“Then why does she need all these other things?”

He had a point, but I didn’t know where to draw that line. For too many days after Heather died, Zoey had been so quiet, so still. She sat in her room and stared at pictures of her and her mom for hours, only coming out to eat when her grandparents or I forced her to. I couldn’t go back to seeing her like that again.

“I know I’ve gone a little overboard, but I’ll tone it down once I know she’s okay.” Heather dying and my dad leaving were completely separate things, but I knew the hole something like this could leave behind.

“I get it.” Grayson had been around at that time. He knew how worried I’d been about Zoey. “Have fun tonight.”

“Thanks.” I grabbed my suit jacket and walked out the door with Grayson.

My assistant, Sarah, stopped me as we passed by her desk. “Mr. Hunter, don’t forget this.” She lifted a small plastic box with a flower inside for me to take.

“How did you know?”

“You had it on your calendar. I wasn’t sure if you’d have time to get it when it started to get late, so I did.” She smiled.

In the past few weeks, she’d proven to be indispensable to me. After finding out she was the one to order pastries from Red’s Sweet Salvation, which led to Ruby and Wren discovering we were the ones renovating their building, she had bent over backward to keep her job.

“Thank you for this. Why don’t you pack up and head out too? It’s close enough to 5:00.”

“I think I will. My fiancé and I have plans tonight.” This was the first time I heard she was engaged, and I realized I didn’t know much about her. I’d always made a point to get to know my employees. It helped set up a comfortable environment for us to work in and helped develop trust. I needed to be better about that.

“Have a great weekend.” I waved to her and Grayson and headed toward the elevator.

It was time to put work aside and spend time with my daughter. She was more important than any of this.

* * *

---