and notes. When Alice had taken his first one, it had been more than theft, it had been a violation. She’d stolen what amounted to his personal journal—true, he was a guy and journaling was for girls, but this qualified…sort of.
This was stupid, he should take it to her right now and show it to her. It’s not like she’d understand anything in it, because she was the only person in American who didn’t care about football. If he showed it to her, he’d conquer his phobia and they could move on.
He picked it up and stood. He sat back down. Not yet, it wasn’t that he didn’t trust her, it was that he wasn’t ready. Grace didn’t need to take over every part of his life. He was entitled to keep some things to himself. He tossed the spiral on his desk and made himself mentally change course.
The Hero Olympics. He’d never had more fun competing in anything. Before today, he couldn’t remember the last time he’d done anything fun with his kids. Before Grace, his life had become a series of juggling catastrophes, now she’d smoothed out his personal life so much that he could sit back and enjoy the ride.
He laced his fingers behind his head. He could actually date—get out there—meet someone nice. Only he didn’t want to. He’d already met someone nice, and she wouldn’t go out with him. She’d moved into his house, cooked his meals, watched over his children, and had taken control of his life. For all intents and purposes, she was his wife—only there was no personal contact. Marriage without sex—it was hell on earth. He lived under a look-but-don’t-touch rule that he didn’t believe in or fully understand. They were both adults, and it was just sex. Once they’d tired of each other, they would end it and move on. Their lives didn’t have to change.
He leaned back in his chair and propped his feet up on his desk. Only the thought of her moving on to another man pissed him the hell off. Usually, he reserved mad for work. His home life evened out the mad by calming him. At least it did now.
What kind of man would Grace go for? Probably someone artsy and cerebral. Chord could picture some snotty musician waltzing into her life and snatching her up. He wanted to strap the bastard to his car and use him as a hood ornament.
He should be the one to snatch her up…only nothing lasted forever. Maybe she was right, they should keep things professional. They had a good thing going.
He gritted his teeth. They may have something good, but it could turn into something wonderful…or it could become a nightmare of epic proportions. He smiled to himself. That was the fun of the game. In the beginning, it could go either way, but in the fourth quarter, there usually was a clear winner.
Grace knocked on the open door as she stepped into his office. “I need some time off.”
Damn, he’d forgotten to close the door. How had that happened? He always closed the door.
“Sure.” He shrugged. What did she do in her free time? “When?”
“What evenings are you free to watch the kids?” She sat in one of the chairs in front of his desk.
It seemed crowded with her in here.
“Let me check.” He wiggled the mouse and his MacBook Pro came to life. After clicking the calendar at the bottom of the screen, the month view pulled up. “It looks like I’m free tomorrow night or Sunday. What’s up?”
“I have a date.” She smiled.
He stared at her while the words sunk in. “With who?”
“None of your business.” She stood. “I’ll tell him that tomorrow’s fine. A Monday night date. Oh, and can I have Sundays off too. You know as my permanent day off?”
“Sure, I guess.” He wasn’t over the date thing. “Who is he?”
“Does it matter?” She turned to go.
“Yes, I think I need to meet him.”
“Why?” Her eyes narrowed.
“You know…in case he ever comes over while I’m not here. I need to know the people my kids spend time with.” It was lame, but the best he had. Oddly, a
This was stupid, he should take it to her right now and show it to her. It’s not like she’d understand anything in it, because she was the only person in American who didn’t care about football. If he showed it to her, he’d conquer his phobia and they could move on.
He picked it up and stood. He sat back down. Not yet, it wasn’t that he didn’t trust her, it was that he wasn’t ready. Grace didn’t need to take over every part of his life. He was entitled to keep some things to himself. He tossed the spiral on his desk and made himself mentally change course.
The Hero Olympics. He’d never had more fun competing in anything. Before today, he couldn’t remember the last time he’d done anything fun with his kids. Before Grace, his life had become a series of juggling catastrophes, now she’d smoothed out his personal life so much that he could sit back and enjoy the ride.
He laced his fingers behind his head. He could actually date—get out there—meet someone nice. Only he didn’t want to. He’d already met someone nice, and she wouldn’t go out with him. She’d moved into his house, cooked his meals, watched over his children, and had taken control of his life. For all intents and purposes, she was his wife—only there was no personal contact. Marriage without sex—it was hell on earth. He lived under a look-but-don’t-touch rule that he didn’t believe in or fully understand. They were both adults, and it was just sex. Once they’d tired of each other, they would end it and move on. Their lives didn’t have to change.
He leaned back in his chair and propped his feet up on his desk. Only the thought of her moving on to another man pissed him the hell off. Usually, he reserved mad for work. His home life evened out the mad by calming him. At least it did now.
What kind of man would Grace go for? Probably someone artsy and cerebral. Chord could picture some snotty musician waltzing into her life and snatching her up. He wanted to strap the bastard to his car and use him as a hood ornament.
He should be the one to snatch her up…only nothing lasted forever. Maybe she was right, they should keep things professional. They had a good thing going.
He gritted his teeth. They may have something good, but it could turn into something wonderful…or it could become a nightmare of epic proportions. He smiled to himself. That was the fun of the game. In the beginning, it could go either way, but in the fourth quarter, there usually was a clear winner.
Grace knocked on the open door as she stepped into his office. “I need some time off.”
Damn, he’d forgotten to close the door. How had that happened? He always closed the door.
“Sure.” He shrugged. What did she do in her free time? “When?”
“What evenings are you free to watch the kids?” She sat in one of the chairs in front of his desk.
It seemed crowded with her in here.
“Let me check.” He wiggled the mouse and his MacBook Pro came to life. After clicking the calendar at the bottom of the screen, the month view pulled up. “It looks like I’m free tomorrow night or Sunday. What’s up?”
“I have a date.” She smiled.
He stared at her while the words sunk in. “With who?”
“None of your business.” She stood. “I’ll tell him that tomorrow’s fine. A Monday night date. Oh, and can I have Sundays off too. You know as my permanent day off?”
“Sure, I guess.” He wasn’t over the date thing. “Who is he?”
“Does it matter?” She turned to go.
“Yes, I think I need to meet him.”
“Why?” Her eyes narrowed.
“You know…in case he ever comes over while I’m not here. I need to know the people my kids spend time with.” It was lame, but the best he had. Oddly, a
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