Page 95 of Sparks Fly
His words cause me to choke on my own breath, which I try and style out the best I can, grabbing my napkin and coughing into it.
“You okay?” he asks.
I nod, reaching for my water and taking a small mouthful. “Just a little surprised, that’s all.” My voice is tight and a little squeaky, the raspiness still there from me choking on fucking air. “Is that what you want?” I ask with a wince as I place my glass back on the table.
“I think so, yeah.” He nods, rubbing his hands together. “I mean, I still want to be world champion, but what with her working here now… well, I think it would work better.” He gives a soft smile.
“In what way?” I feel awful for quizzing him, but this is hardly ideal. I am crushing fucking hard on my son’s ex-girlfriend and he sits me down to tell me he wants to get back with her.
I scrub my face.
“Well, just that she’ll understand the pressure I am under a little more. Won’t be as needy.” He shrugs.
“Mate.” I smirk “She knew the pressure you were under before she worked here. What makes you think this will be any different?”
He inhales heavily, looking away into the restaurant and this is a classic sign that Royce is getting frustrated. He pushes his hand down the side of his head, his tongue darting out and running along his bottom lip.
“It just will, okay,” he snaps then laughs it off, shaking his head from side to side.
“Okay,” I mutter, his eyes finally locking on mine. “And I am assuming you have spoken to Anaïs about this?”
He looks at me dumbfounded.
“I take that as a no.” I lift my brows just as the waiter walks our dinner over and placing it down in front of us. I thank him and he disappears.
“Why does it matter? She’ll take me back,” he says a little too confidently and it instantly gets my back up.
“Yeah?” I try and sound as interested as I can but all I want to do is go and find her, claim her, and then see who she’ll choose.
The fuck is wrong with me?
“Yeah, I’m gonna take her out for dinner tomorrow night, sweeten her up. Worst case she’ll say no, but I might get a cheeky lay out of it.”
I stop chewing, eyes locked on his.
He did not just say that.
“What?”
“What?” He laughs, his shoulders lifting and rising and the fucking blood boils in my veins.
“Nothing.” I shake my head because all the things I want to say, I shouldn’t and the last thing I want to do is fall out with my son over a girl.
“You don’t think it’s a good idea.” His smile fades.
“Royce, it’s up to you, you’re a big boy. I just want you to remember the reason you broke up with her… your words… your actions.”
“I know.” He sighs. “But I miss her, Dad.”
His words gut me. “Then you better talk to her.” It is all I manage, because what kind of dad would I be if I pushed the idea out of his head.
I giveRoyce a lift back to our hotel and we go our separate ways. Sighing, I move for my room to go and have my meeting and that’s when I see her and Nora, standing, eyes wide and I am desperate to lose myself in them.
Nora holds her hand up and smiles.
“Hi, boss.”
I wave back, but my eyes are on her and only her.
