Page 30 of Let Me Say It Again

“For me? Yes.” The corners of my lips pulled up, and I winked. “But you get to be because you’re going to be engaged soon.”

“You’ll have to be my best woman.” He cocked a brow. “I don’t know if I just made that up or not, but you’ll do it?”

My mouth fell open, and I gasped, placing a hand on my chest. “Oh, Jake, I would love to. I’ll just have to check mycalendar, though, because I’m not sure if I’ll be busy that day.” I turned to get up, and he grabbed my arm pulling me back down and messing with my hair.

We both broke out in laughter and wound up sitting comfortably next to one another. I rested my head on his shoulder and sighed.

“What was that for?”

“Nothing.”

As if knowing what was weighing on my mind (this silly notion of fairytale love), he placed a chaste kiss on the top of my forehead and said, “You never know how things will work themselves out with Red.” He reached for my hand and whistled, staring at my ring.

Me? Engaged to a billionaire for real?

Definitely knew how that one would turn out—it wouldn’t.

“The one I buy Chloe won’t be nearly as big,” Jake pointed out. Then he shook his head. “You know what, though, I don’t think she’ll mind.”

Allowing my gaze to drop to my engagement ring, I couldn’t help but think how I couldn’t see any of this ending any other way except exactly as it was meant to—with Red and I going our separate ways. “Honestly, I can’t wait to get this thing off. It doesn’t feel like it belongs on my finger.”

“And whose finger does it belong on?”

“The finger of the woman who doesn’t have more baggage than what’s at baggage claim at the airport.” I tucked a strand of hair behind my ear. “I have to protect myself, Jake. No one else is going to look after me. Well, besides you, of course. And maybe my sisters now. But I don’t like to rely on people, you know that.”

“I know.”

“Because just when I do, they’ll be gone, vanish in the night or become a ghost. It’s happened too many times before, andthere’s only so much a person can take. So now I make sure I don’t get attached. Nothing is a sure thing.”

“It’s a lonely way to live and think.”

Maybe it was. Maybe it wasn’t. Either way, it was the only way I knew to keep from becoming a shattered version of myself. Everyone knew what happened when something was broken into tiny pieces. It was hardly ever reparable. I didn’t want that to be me. “Why don’t we change the topic?” I asked. More like begged, actually, grinning up at him. “When do you plan to grow a pair and just ask her?”

Chapter Twelve

Reddington

I cracked myneck and stretched my back, placing my hands on my lower back, wishing that I had a fucking genie at my disposal so I could wish for a chiropractor to magically appear. I’d been sitting, glaring down at a computer for—oh, I didn’t know—way too long considering the pain I had. And screw the people who swore good posture at a desk helped. It didn’t.

Walking into the kitchen, I lazily combed a hand through my hair. “Hey, boss,” Kieran, my private chef, greeted, nudging his chin forward. “I was about to take off.”

I furrowed my brows, massaging my neck as I took a seat on one of the bar stools across from him at the marble island. “Remind me again why you’re leaving early.” I wasn’t an ass and genuinely didn’t care that he was leaving early. If I was being honest, no one deserved time off more than him. He was the best in the business, that was why I’d hired him, and he rarely ever took a day off. Why hadn’t I made him take one before now?

Kieran folded a dish towel and placed it off to the side. “I have to pick my daughter up from my ex-wife’s.”

I nodded. “Right. You did tell me that.” I got up and pointed to the oven that was turned on. “I assume it’s timed, and I can take things from here. Go, get out of here,” I insisted, all but pushing him out the door.

“All right. Have a nice evening.” He rubbed the back of his neck as he walked to the front door.

“You, too, and I better not see you tomorrow. Take the day and spend time with your kid.”

He stopped dead in his tracks. “I don’t take—”

“You do now. Spend as much time with her as you can. You deserve it.” I leaned against the oven and instantly regretted it once I felt the heat beneath me. Shit, if I hadn’t moved I could’ve been as cooked as the chicken parmesan in there. “Seriously. I don’t want to see you. I can feed myself. Trust me, I won’t starve.”

He looked pained. I knew the feeling—neck, remember.

“It’ll still be your kitchen when you get back. But if you show up, I will fire you.” One more pull at my neck, and it occurred to me I didn’t need a genie. I was Reddington Lyons. I could get a chiropractor out here any time of day. So that was exactly what I was going to do.

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