Page 39 of Broken Daddy

“I don’t think I got the chance. My wife made it very clear when we met that she was going to have a career, no matter whatmyplans were. It’s part of why…” He glances down at Eva, gives a little nod. “We put some things off a little longer than normal.”

“What did your wife do?” I’m curious; I know a little bit from talking to Russ, but I never got the full story. And he seems comfortable talking about her, which surprises and intrigues me. Most people never get past the initial grief of losing someone.

“She owned her own company. Staged houses for rich people, ran the whole thing by herself with only a few college kids to help move furniture around.”

“Oh, wow. That’s really impressive. Yeah, I can see why she didn’t waste time with men who couldn’t hold their own.”

Nate grins and wraps an arm carefully around Eva, who snuggles in closer. He seems unfocused, eyes faraway with memories.

“Yeah, she was something else.” Our eyes meet, his piercing green. They quicken something in me. Not desire, which is confusing, and sends my world off-balance for a moment. “You two would’ve gotten along, I think, if you’d ever met.” He sighs and shakes his head. “She’d say you were good for me.”

Another surprise, another spike of curiosity. “Really?”

“Oh yeah.” This time when our eyes meet, his are calm. A little sad. “Anything that gets me out of my comfort zone and out of my own little world. You’re good at getting on my nerves, and if Julia were here, she would approve.”

I let that soak in, sitting back and finishing off my latte as Nate turns his attention to gently waking Eva.

Maybe I should be a little weirded out. After all, the guy I’ve been hooking up with just told me his dead wife would’ve liked me…

But it’s oddly reassuring. This whole day has been oddly reassuring, and I’m left once again feeling settled and secure.

Perhaps a little less untethered than I thought.

Chapter16

Nathan

The headache that’s been building all day is just starting to ebb away when Nash storms into my office, quickly followed by Trudy, my assistant.

The look on her face has me rising immediately. Trudy is always immaculately put together; a stout little Jamaican woman, she knows how to handle every unruly, privileged client that Ironside has ever had. But Nash has her frazzled.

Her deep brown curls look frizzy as she stumbles in behind him, eyes wide. Nash is sneering, fists clenched and breathing heavily. He opens his mouth to speak and I cut him off.

“Trudy, I’ll handle this. Thank you.”

She looks from me to myprevioushead of finances and closes her mouth hopelessly. I’m not sure who she’s worried about in this situation—me or Nash.

Trudy knows me from back when the company just started. She was a single mom then and I was blazing a trail through the construction sector.

“Howdareyou!”

It comes out at a higher pitch than Nash intended. I can tell by the fury in his eyes and the way his neck flushes to his ears. A smirk starts to wind its way across my jaw.

“Howdareyou slander my name! My lawyer will be opening a defamation suit—”

The laugh that erupts out of me is dark and harrowing. Nash looks like he’s been slapped.

“How dareI?”

I prowl across the office, aware that Trudy and a few other employees are watching from the hallway. My door is closed, but they can see everything—and probably hear the thunder in my voice, despite the even tone.

“How dareI?You seem to be forgetting that a defamation lawsuit only works if what I’ve said about you is untrue, Nash.”

The red flush turns to purple as he sputters.

Casually, I flip open a file on my desk—one I have several copies of. One that the company lawyer has several copies of as well. Just in case.

“You might have gotten away with it, but you failed to realize Trudy keeps a careful eye on the numbers, Nash. Apparently, she’s more meticulous than you led me to believeyouwere.”

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