nshk khv.

gfhj

was too strange to try and bring it up in front of Emerson.

Slowly, I close my fingers around the card. “Are you sure? I can afford to fix it myself.”

“So can I.”

I purse my lips at him, but I take the card anyway. Looking down at my lap, we stand in silence for a moment before I quietly mutter, “I’m sorry about that call from Beau today. I didn’t expect him to be so angry.”

“It’s fine. He obviously cares about you. If you’re not comfortable working—”

My head snaps up as I stare at him in shock. “I’m perfectly comfortable. I’m not quitting because of Beau.” Okay, maybe I didn’t need to say it like that, but to think of giving up such a good-paying job in an environment I like is ridiculous. It makes me angry just thinking about it.

“Good.” His eyes are unfocused as he stares off into the distance, clearly thinking through a lot.

“You’re not uncomfortable with me here, are you?”

He hesitates, and my heart sinks. His eyes squint ever so slightly, and I can tell he’s not answering very quickly for a reason. He is uncomfortable with me here.

Fuck.

“Not because of Beau, no.”

What does that mean? It means I do make him uncomfortable in some way, just not in relation to his son.

“Do you feel uncomfortable with me here?” he asks, repeating my question back to me. And suddenly, that foot rub