“Much better now, and he told me more about what happened at the rave.” I tried to look behind him to see what was in there. Based on the fancy desk and bookshelf I could see, it was an office.

“He tell you everything?” The notable hitch in his voice had me worried.

“Why do you ask?”

“Because you don’t look upset.”

Ohh. “Well, maybe that’s because he promised he’s done with that life, and since you’re in his now, I’m going to try and believe him. Also, I trust you’ll do whatever it takes to protect him from his past. Protect all of us.”

He stepped back, surprise continuing to remain rooted in his expression. When was this man going to realize I wasn’t a runner?

He didn’t need to know that yet. I was in over my head with feelings I probably had no business having for him so fast. You know, feelings that sort of never went away, even with time.

I couldn’t believe I’d actually thought he’d decorated the guest room with an Aruba-y theme because of me. He’d think I was nuts if I worked up the nerve to ask.

He slowly lifted his glass to his mouth and took a generous sip. If there was ever a time for me to be a drinker, it’d be today.

With him no longer blocking the entrance to his office, I went in uninvited, searching for a bar cart I hoped to find. “Mind if I have a drink, too?”

“I do, in fact, mind,” he said as I located more than a cart, but a fully stocked bar. An open bottle of Legacy Ridge sat on the counter, half empty.

I was still curious why he drank that all these years, especially if it was possibly a painful reminder of me. I pushed those thoughts to the side for now and faced him, settling into my typical “mom” pose with my hands on my hips. I couldn’t fight the smile trying to slip loose. “Why can’t I?”

“Because I doubt you’ve had any food today.” He crossed the space to stand in front of me, probably not trusting me to be so close to his bar without him there to intervene in my quest for a drink. “You’ll get sick if you have anything on an empty stomach, and I can’t let that happen.”

My stomach growled in confirmation, betraying me. “And have you eaten?”

“Nope.”

Well, that’s not fair.

His gaze fell to my mouth before he took another indulgent sip of bourbon.

I reached for his glass, but he shook his head and held it up. “This is not a game you will win. Food first. A sip later.”

“Just a sip?”

“I think that’s the safest amount for a non-drinker like you, even with food, while sharing a roof with me.”