That sparkle that he’d been sure had been love.
So sure he’d felt like a million bucks the next morning and had planned to whisk Blair off her feet.
Because he loved her.
Addy, too.
Whatever feelings Blair had for him, he’d killed when she’d walked away from his bed and he’d told her he just wanted to be friends.
Idiot.
And last night, what had he done? Pushed her to trust him when he hadn’t trusted her.
He hadn’t, not with his heart.
Stephanie cleared her throat, causing him to look at her. “Tell her, Oz. Tell her before it’s too late.”
Could he tell Blair how much he cared? To do that would give her the ultimate power over him. Would give her the power his father had held over his mother. Would cast him in the role of his mother if Blair didn’t feel the same, if she couldn’t trust him with her heart.
The MC motioned for Oz to take the stage.
Blair didn’t have to prove anything by watching women bid on Oz.
“Can you keep an eye on Addy for a few minutes?”
Reesee nodded, giving Blair a sympathetic look. Her sister knew exactly why she was leaving the room.
“Mommy, you’ll miss Dr Oz.” Addy’s big eyes looked at Blair as if she were insane to leave now. “We have to bid on him ’cause I miss him. And his date is sailing. And I love sailing.”
Blair’s mouth opened, but she didn’t know what to tell her daughter. She looked at her sister, hoping for help, but Reesee only shrugged. “She loves sailing. Buy the kid a date with the man.”
Like Blair could afford him, even if she wanted to bid on Oz, which she didn’t.
“Addy, hon, we can’t buy Oz’s date.”
“Why not?” Addy frowned at her mother. “I want to go on Dr Oz’s boat again. I’m a good captain and we need to do more bilfering and blundering.”
“Pilfering and plundering.” Blair waited for the panic to set in. The panic that always hit her when she thought of sailing. The thought of Addy being on a boat would likely send her into ventricular tachycardia.
Only her heart kept beating normally.
Because Oz would never put Addy in harm’s way. Never. He’d protect her with his life.
“Addy, I can’t buy Oz’s bid. I know you don’t understand, but things are complicated.”
“Don’t you want to go sailing with Dr Oz?”
She couldn’t lie to Addy. “I do want to spend time with him, but like I said, things are complicated. His date will go for a lot of money and I don’t have a lot of money.”
Addy’s face squished with confusion. “But Mommy, we don’t need lots of money. Dr Oz takes us places for free.”
“I’m sorry, Addy, but I’m not bidding on Oz.” She glanced at no one in particular. “Excuse me.”
She left the table before anyone could try to convince her to stay.
Blair made it to the edge of the room and was on her way into the hallway in search of a bathroom when Stephanie caught up with her.
“Where are you going?”