“You should get your hat out of the car,” Jeremy said. “Keep some of the sun off you.”
Robert sighed. “Always the worrywart. But you’re right. I’ll go with you to get it. Give Corey and Charlie a moment to say goodbye.” He smiled at both of us before following his son toward the parking lot.
“You okay with this?” Charlie asked me.
I nodded. “It’s fine. It’s not like Jeremy hasn’t ever driven me home before.”
“I know that. But it’s… you know. Different. A little.”
I squinted at him. “What do you mean?”
Charlie looked confused. “That was always a work thing. This is outside of work. And I know how you feel about him.”
I gaped. “Excuse me?”
Charlie frowned. “Sandy said that you… you know.”
Oh, how quickly I could feel murderous. “Sandy said what, Charlie?”
Charlie started to backpedal. His eyes were wide, and he glanced from side to side as if looking for someone to save him from the grave he was digging for himself. There was no one. He was trapped. “Nothing. Absolutely nothing. Don’t know what I’m talking about. Must be all the heat. Rattles the brain.”
I narrowed my eyes as I took a step toward him. “There’s nothing to talk about. It’s no different than any other day.”
“Keep telling yourself that, kiddo. You know what? Before you start getting worked up more than you actually are, you need to remember something: I sat through this bullshit with Paul and Vince, and then again with Sandy and Darren. If you really think I’m going to just ignore it the third time around, you’re sorely mistaken.”
“There’s nothing to ignore because there’s nothing to talk about!”
He snorted as he shook his head. “How can you all be so damn dense?”
I ignored him. “And even if there was something to say, it wouldn’t matter.”
“Why?”
“Because he’s thirteen years older than I am!”
He cocked his head. “Why does that matter?”
I was panicking. Everything felt flimsy and loose. “And he’s my boss. In a position where we’re both dealing with children. That’s makes anything you’re thinking not only improbable, but also unethical.”
“And if he wasn’t?” Charlie asked.
“It doesn’t matter because he is,” I snapped. “And I’m fine with that.”
“It’s temporary, though, isn’t it?” Charlie asked. “Robert said it’s only for the summer.” He held up a hand as I started to growl at him. “Okay, I get it. Consider the conversation over. I shouldn’t have crossed that line. You’ve got a good head on your shoulders, more so than Paul or Vince did when they were your age. And I know your future is important to you, as it should be. I shouldn’t have suggested anything that could put that in jeopardy. I’m sorry.”
And because I couldn’t not, I reached out and wrapped him in a hug. He made a grunt of surprise before his arms came up and held me tightly. “It’s fine,” I mumbled. And then, only because he made me feel safe, I added, “It sucks. A little. But I’m working through it.”
I felt him nod against my cheek. “Can I give you a piece of advice?”
I sighed. “Like I could stop you.”
I felt the deep laugh as it rolled up through his chest. “Life is short, Corey. Far shorter than you think it is when you’re twenty-three. Don’t let it pass you by. You don’t want to find yourself an old man filled with regrets from all the chances you didn’t take.” I started to protest, but he hushed me. “I’m not saying this is something you’ll regret. And even if it was, take the opportunity to learn from it. But you need to remember that sometimes, everything you’ve ever wanted could be right in front of you. Paul realized that. Sandy did too. You’ll get there, kiddo. And when you find your happiness, you’re going to deserve every single second of it. I can’t wait to see how much you’re going to change the world as much as you’ve already changed mine.”
I sniffled against him. “You asshole.”
“Everything all right?”
I pulled away to see Jeremy and Robert standing near us on the sidewalk with matching expressions of concern. Robert had put on a tan fedora. Jesus Christ, he looked amazing. I wiped my eyes hastily. “It’s nothing. Charlie’s just making me have feelings I never asked for.”