Page 106 of Tempt

“Never said I was highbrow. Besides, you can’t cast stones, guy with an assistantanda nanny. Know what I have in the lit department? Three grumpy grad students, terrible coffee, and shelves full of the thoughts of dead white guys.”

The other guys already have beers, so I stick my warm pack in the fridge and grab a bottle that’s cold.

I meant to bring cold ones, but I lost track of things.

I’ve been losing track of a lot of things lately.

“He has a kid. He needs an assistant and a nanny,” Ric comments.

“Not anymore. She’s gone. Didn’t even say goodbye.”

I haven’t seen her in the five days since Andy got hurt and I lost it.

When I went back to the house, I found she’d left. Packed up her suitcase and things from the bathroom.

“Huh. Maria von Trapp,” Zander comments, then goes on at our collective silence. “Sound of Music? You’ve never seen it, where she runs back to the abbey?”

I set my beer between my feet and press the heels of my hands to my eyes.

“I thought you called her immature and irresponsible.”

My head whips around to Sawyer.

“Andy broke his arm on her watch, and you dragged her over the coals for it,” he continues.

“How’d the kid break his arm?” Zander asks.

“He got out of school and chased after some animal. She wasn’t there.”

Ric smirks. “If you fired my babysitter every time I broke my arm, I’d have been raised in a gutter.”

“I need someone to take care of me,” Zander says. “Hey Daniel, can I hire your nanny if you’re done with her?”

I grip the neck of the bottle. “No.”

“Whatever you were giving her, I’ll give her more.” He winks.

I’m out of my chair in a heartbeat.

Sawyer steps between us. “We’ve known each other our entire lives and I’ve never seen you throw a punch.”

“Today’s a good day to start.”

He grabs my shoulder. “Come on.”

I chug the rest of my beer, then rip away and head for the kitchen.

I feel Sawyer at my back as I make my way inside.

“You eating?” Sawyer asks as I reach the fridge.

“Not hungry.”

I haven’t been in days.

I’m not very active either.

When work emails come in, I ignore them rather than deal with them.

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