6. Derrick
6
DERRICK
“What is this?” I glare at the plate Izzy slides in front of me with my so-called breakfast on it.
“Avocado toast and a boiled egg. It’s good for you. Healthy.”
I glower at my new tenant. “I’m not going to fall over dead because of a couple of slices of bacon.”
“Maybe not yet.” She sits across from me, the disgusting contents on her plate matching mine. “But in the future… you never know. You should be thanking me. I’m looking out for your arteries.”
“Thank you ,” I mutter.
She smiles beatifically, swishing her dark waterfall of hair over her shoulder. “You’re welcome.”
“This is that LA gut-healthy bullshit, isn’t it?”
With a roll of her eyes, she takes a bite of her toast and swallows it before responding. “People all over love avocado toast. It’s not solely an LA thing.”
Grimacing, I pick it up and sniff it. “I’m going to be hungry five seconds after I eat this.”
“No, you’re not,” she argues. “It’s filled with good fats and protein. You’ll be surprised. Trust me.”
Trust Izzy? Not a chance.
Because I’m starving, and because, though I’m much larger than Izzy, I have a feeling she’d take me out if I even thought about getting bacon out of the fridge, I take a hesitant bite.
It takes a moment for the flavors to register, and when they do, shockingly, it’s not terrible. With another careful bite, I continue my assessment.
It’s not the greatest thing I’ve ever eaten. It’s a little slimy, the texture not quite to my liking, but it’s edible.
Izzy smiles knowingly. “Not bad, huh?”
“I’m not saying I love it,” I warn her with a pointed finger. “But it’s better than it looks.”
She does a little shimmy, basking in her win.
With the toast held out in her direction, I say, “I guess I can expect more of this shit in my future, huh?”
Wearing a smile so big she’s squinting, she nods vigorously. “Oh, yeah.”
For the next several minutes, we eat in silence. It’s not uncomfortable, but I still find myself racking my brain for a subject to talk about. Because strangely enough, I want to chat with her.
“I was thinking,” I say, pulling her attention from her plate, “we could take the boat out this weekend if you want.”
The way her whole face lights up makes me want to fist-pump the air in victory. She’s been morose in a way that, until now, I thought was impossible for someone as bubbly as she is. It’s only been a few days, but I figured she’d have perked up by now.
“Really?” She grins, bringing her toast to her lips. “That would be fun.”
I only got the boat out once last summer, after Lili begged for a solid week. I’m a sucker for whatever my granddaughter wants.
“Saturday good with you?”
She wipes her mouth on a paper napkin I don’t recognize. I tend to use paper towels. What’s the point of buying two products that have virtually the same purpose?
“In case you hadn’t noticed”—she waves a hand a little wildly—“my calendar is free.”
I give a gruff chuckle. Her sass probably shouldn’t entertain me as much as it does. “You can invite your sister if you want.”
She arches a brow. “And your son?”
Lips pursed, I nod. “I can extend the invitation if you prefer?”
She bites her bottom lip, an innocent gesture I shouldn’t find seductive.
“Actually”—she flips her hair over her shoulders and drops her focus to her plate—“if it’s okay with you I’d prefer to keep it just us. My sister… she’s worried about me, and I’m fine, really. Or I will be.” Licking her lips, she peers up at me through her lashes. “But I’d like to relax and look for whales without having her hovering over me like a mother hen. I might throw her overboard.”
I choke back a snort at the visual.
I can’t say I’m not relieved that she doesn’t want them to come. I’ve moved on from my disastrous dating experience with Via, but the awkwardness between us remains .
Izzy hops up from the table with her empty plate, snatching mine as she goes. It’s only then I realize I’ve eaten the whole thing.
“I made lunch for you,” she says as she sets the plates in the sink.
I really do need to fix that dishwasher now that she’s living here, too.
Frowning, I tilt my head and assess her. “Lunch?”
“Yeah,” she says over her shoulder, wearing a bright smile. “You know, the meal people typically eat in the middle of the day.”
I join her at the sink and take one soapy plate from her hands. “I don’t normally bother with lunch.” After a quick rinse, I dry the plate with a dish towel, then start the process over with the second one.
With a brow raised, she gives me an unimpressed look. One that says she could complete the task on her own. But she’s already doing a lot around here. I don’t mind helping, and I’d feel guilty watching her work while I sat at the table.
“If you don’t want it, it’s no biggie. Just take it with you. Maybe someone else will eat it.”
I choke back a growl that comes out of nowhere. What the hell? The visceral reaction is unexpected, but the idea of giving one of my guys the lunch she made for me doesn’t sit right.
“I’ll eat it.” I might regret this declaration once I take my first bite, but when she smiles from ear to ear, I find myself smiling back.
“Good, I think you’ll like it.”
That means I’ll hate it.
Turning away, I open the cabinet door. “I gotta get going.”
Izzy whirls around, nearly smacking me across the face with her too-long hair, and scurries to the fridge. When she pulls out an actual lunchbox, like the kind I used to send to school with my kids, I stare down at it in disbelief.
“ Spiderman ?”
“I know,” she sighs dramatically, shoulders drooping, as I take it from her. “You’re more of a Grumpy Cat kind of guy, but I couldn’t find that kind of merch anywhere but eBay, and I was not paying fifty bucks for it, so Spiderman it is.” With a pat to my chest, she saunters away, then she bounds up the stairs. Wonton lets out a yip and runs after her.
For a moment, I’m still, staring at the space she just occupied, soaking in the heat left behind by her touch.
It takes me a moment to gather my bearings, but when I do, I grab my keys and I’m gone.
Desk work is my least favorite part of the job, but I have to spend at least one day a week in the office.
Jessica, my assistant, gets up from her desk with a groan. Hand on her large stomach, she makes her way over. Her shadow looms above me, begging me to look up, though she doesn’t speak.
With a sigh, I tip my head back. “Yes?”
She places a hand over her heart. “I know you love me, but you really need to take a look at those applications I emailed to you and hire a temporary assistant. I’ll be on maternity leave in a matter of weeks.”
I pinch the bridge of my nose. Jessica has been working for me for years. She knows how I like paperwork organized, and she can handle most calls or problems without my help. She’ll only be gone for a few months, but the idea of having to work with someone new annoys me .
“I’ll look at them today.”
She stares me down, lips tugged into a doubtful frown. “I’m serious, Derrick. Especially if you want me to train them before I go. We’re down to the wire.” She taps her finger against my desk. “Pick someone.”
“Okay.” I give her a solemn nod. “I’ll have a name for you by the end of the week.”
With a harrumph, she says, “Sooner.” And then she strides back over to her desk, hand to her back. “Whether you like it or not, I could go into labor any time, and then you’ll be left with no one.”
She’s right, but it doesn’t change how badly I don’t want to deal with this.
“I could handle the paperwork while you’re gone.”
She snorts, spinning her chair to face me. “You hate paperwork.”
I prefer to be out there with my guys, but it’s only a couple of months. How bad could it be? “I know, but it’s not forever.”
With a grunt, she tips to one side and reaches for her bottle of water. “It’s long enough. There are a few good candidates on the list. Stop being a big baby and pick someone.”
Easier said than done, but I’ll have to try.