Page 78 of Better Daddy
I gape at him, my mind spinning, my lungs starved for oxygen. Is this man seriously pleading with me?
All those years ago, I knew he felt some sort of way about me, but I figured it had more to do with fucking over Sully than fawning over me. I never meant to lead him on, and if I did? Shit, I feel terrible. Also, Sully is going to lose his mind. This is so, so bad.
“I don’t know what to say,” I whisper.
He shrugs. “I don’t need an answer right now. I know this is a lot. I just—” He glances down at the table and then looks back at me. “You have a decision to make. You need to decide whether you’re with Murphy and Machon or if you’re ready to become a true member of the Higgins firm.”
A wave of unease makes my stomach flip. “Is this about choosing between you and Sully, or choosing between your firm and his?”
“Aren’t they one and the same?” he asks, his tone flippant.
I bristle, straightening in my seat. “Is that why you hired me? Because you wanted to date me?”
Will sighs, as if he’s annoyed by the question. Or maybe because he thinks the answer is obvious. Too bad, because I’m not getting it. “Yes.” He huffs, lacing his fingers on the table. “You’re a forty-year-old associate, Sloane. People our age are partners by now. Even your husband didn’t make you a partner.”
I wince, that one hurts.
Will doesn’t seem to notice, or if he does he doesn’t care, he just prattles on with my list of deficiencies. “You haven’t practiced in years, and you come in covered in coffee stains and late for every appointment. You haven’t made it to one court appearance on time since you started. Any other associate would be gone by now.”
My heart plummets, my mouth too dry to respond.
As if he wants to soften the blow, he puts his hand on mine again. “But I want to be your partner, your teammate. If it’s you and me, I’vegot you. But if it’s not me, I can only cover for you for so long.” His eyes harden, and suddenly, I understand why Sully always describes them as beady. “So you have a decision to make. Are we giving this a shot, or are you going back to your husband?”
Shocked, I disentangle myself from his hold. Is he telling me I won’t have a job if I don’t date him?
Chapter 27
Sully
Ipress down on the top of the pen, and it responds with a satisfying click. Then I do it again. Lo is speaking, but I can’t focus. Even if what she’s saying might be important. Hell, I know it’s important. Lo doesn’t waste our time, and I’m a wanker for wasting hers.
But all I can think about is my wife.
I’m still peeved that her work meeting got in the way of our date.
It’s ironic, yes, considering I was always the one canceling dates for work. I understood before, but the full sensation of the sting Sloane felt so often really hit me with her canceling on me.
I made reservations for dinner at a small French bistro where the menus are printed in French and the servers speak it fluently. My goal was to show her that I still remember the trip to Paris we always dreamed about. I paid a ridiculous sum to reserve the entire restaurant for the night. When she canceled, I wanted to track her down, toss her over my shoulder, and drag her to the slice of heaven I’d curated for us.
I didn’t of course. I reminded myself that her job is important. Her needs and wants are important. I want her to feel fulfilled. So I sent Cal and Lo to dinner in our place and spent the evening playingMinecraftwith T.J. and Murphy. I tried to be fun, but mostly, I was disappointed. The pain only grew when Sloane came home, because although she curled into my chest and burrowed into me like she was trying to escape the outside world, she hardly said a word.
I blamed the silence on exhaustion, since she didn’t get home until almost eleven, but in the two days since, she’s been just as quiet, and my unease has grown.
The wanker that I am, I was certain we’d moved past that. When she opened up to me about her worries regarding the pregnancy, about our future, it seemed as though we were back on track. Yet I suddenly feel as though I’m walking on a tightrope. Like each step I make has the potential for disaster.
“Sully.” Lo smacks a stack of papers against my desk.
“Yes,” I agree automatically as I blink back into the moment. It’s a safe answer, because honestly, Lo is almost always right.
She scowls. “What is going on with you? Cal’s usually the one who gets lost in his own world.”
I shake my head. “Sorry.”
“If you tell me you were thinking about which color slushie you want for lunch, I will lose it.”
“No.” I chuckle. “I’m just worried about Sloane.”
Her eyes soften. “I know her last pregnancy was hard, but she seems to be doing well this time.”
