“True, true. Well, you’ll be pleased to know that I’ve replaced Callie.”
“You have? Already?”
“Yep. Someone came in, and she was perfect.”
“Oh yeah? What’s she like?”
“She’s got a strong work ethic, a good resume, and the right personality.”
“She must have. I don’t think I’ve ever known you hire someone on the spot. Is she hot?”
I narrow my eyes at him. “You’re married. Don’t you forget that.”
“I’m not married. I just have a girlfriend. But that doesn’t mean I don’t want there to be hot women walking about the place. Anyway, I’m really wondering if that’s the reason you hired her.”
“No way. I’m not like that. I don’t ever mix business with pleasure.”
But those words feel empty as they roll off my tongue. Jodi is trouble. She makes me want to break all the rules. She changes everything.
“Oh, so she is hot then. That should be exciting. But if she’s good at her job, then don’t drive her away.”
“You don’t have a high opinion of me, do you?”
“You know I do. I’ve just seen your striking good looks get you in trouble before.”
“Hmm, yeah, I suppose you’re right. But I’m pushing thirty now. Maybe there will come a time when I want to settle down.”
“Your biological clock ticking?”
“Ha ha, very funny.”
“So that’s a yes then. How old is the new personal assistant?”
“Not that it matters, because it isn’t going to happen—”
“But?”
“She’s twenty-five.”
“Ooh, that’s pretty perfect.”
I roll my eyes and chuckle. “It isn’t perfect. She’s an employee, nothing more. Get your mind out the gutter, you old perv. Don’t try living vicariously through me because you won’t be able to keep up.”
“I’ll be the judge of that.”
“Let’s have a drink, shall we? Then we should take a walk around the casino so I can see if it’s still standing.”
“You say that like you don’t just want to take a walk around to admire how far you’ve come. The rags to riches story.”
“It was just a set of good investments.”
Some decisions made on a whim after my marriage fell apart, when she cheated on me with a rich older guy I believe she might still be with now, which resulted in me really improving my life and my mom’s life. Perfect. Of course, my father got nothing, but that’s because he’s living in Europe somewhere with one of the girls in my high school classes.
That was a fun graduation ceremony, to say the least. Finding my father with a cheerleader. In hindsight, maybe that’s why I got hitched in such a rush.
“As if you don’t love it. You have every right to stroll around proud as punch. That’s exactly what you should be doing.”
“Oh, alright then. Let’s do it. Let’s get some whiskey and admire me and my achievements. Sounds like fun.”