Chloe and I sit on the floor again tonight. We’re side by side looking over her ideas. She leans over into my space and reaches for the current marketing plan notes on the floor beside me. I hold stock still and try not to notice how she always seems to smell like sunshine and the ocean or how her boobs brush against my arm. Aaaand fail. There’s no way not to notice her or the way my body responds to her.

She glances up, green eyes dark. I stand abruptly. “I gotta make a call.” Everyone in the room turns to look at me and I add, “Be right back.” I add in a wink for good measure before I slip into the hallway.

My damn palms are sweaty. I feel all strung out on hormones like some fucking kid finding daddy’s porn magazine stash. Except all she did was brush against me. For fuck’s sake.

I grip the phone tightly as I wait for Heath to answer.

“Hey.” He sounds like I woke him, and I have to check the time before I respond.

“Shit, sorry. Did I wake you?”

“How long have you been at Valley and you still forget you’re three hours behind.”

“Yeah, well, let this be your warning—don’t do drugs, fucks up your brain,” I joke.

He doesn’t laugh. “Thanks for taking care of the tickets.”

“You can repay me by not getting any more. Two in one week? That’s fucked up, Heath.”

“I know, I know. I feel awful, but I can’t take it back,” he mutters.

“I’m serious. I can’t bail you out again. Last chance.”

He grumbles out another sullen apology, and I feel like I’ve sufficiently made my point.

“Now that I went all Dad on you, tell me about hockey.”

Heath gives me a rundown on the team this year, and he sounds excited and determined, which makes me feel good about all I’ve done. I just want to give the kid everything I had and more. He finishes with a yawn.

“Send me your schedule. I’m gonna do my best to make it to at least one.”

“Alright.”

We’re both quiet, and I know I need to let him go and get back inside to Chloe. “Proud of you. Stay out of trouble, and I’ll call ya later.”

“Right-o, daddy-o.”

“Fucker.”

That gets a laugh out of him and makes me feel less like an old man.

I pocket my phone and head back into Chloe’s dorm. The girls barely look up at my re-entry. Chloe looks me over like she’s trying to determine my mood. Frustrated as hell, baby doll.