Jake raised both hands in surrender. “Whatever works for you both. I just want you to be happy, bro. You know that.”
“Yeah, I do. Thanks.”
Henry was beginning to fuss. Christina bounced him in her arms to momentarily soothe him as she carried him toward the couch. “I need to feed him and give him his bath, then put him to bed. Say good-night, guys.”
Both Scott and Jake rose to bestow hugs and kisses on the youngest Prince. He gave slobbery smacks in return, then waved bye-bye over his mother’s shoulder as she carried him from the room. She paused in the doorway to look back at Scott. “I like Tess a lot,” she said. “I always have.”
“I’m glad to hear that.”
She looked uncharacteristically fierce when she added, “Don’t hurt her.”
“I won’t.”
Nodding decisively, Christina swept out of the room with Henry.
While he appreciated the sentiment, Christina should know that hurting Tess was the furthest thing from his mind. Wasn’t that the whole point of approaching her the way he had with his proposition?
“So when did you—”
“Halftime’s over, Jake,” he cut in flatly. “Let’s watch the game, okay?”
“In other words, you don’t want to talk about you and Tess any more this evening.”
“Exactly.”
Jake directed his attention to the television screen, obligingly bringing the conversation to an end. But even though they weren’t talking about it, Scott figured his brother was still mulling over this new development. He knew thoughts of Tess would hover in his own mind until he saw her again.
* * *
Although rather hectic and borderline chaotic, that second week in December was nevertheless enjoyable, as far as Tess was concerned. The business problems that cropped up were no more than expected and fairly easily resolved. Sofia started training with Heather and was obviously going
to fit in well with the staff. People seemed to be in a generally good mood during the week, because of the approaching holidays or perhaps because the weather had taken a nice turn.
As for her personal life—that was going nicely, too. Though both busy with previously arranged after-work obligations, she and Scott managed to find time together during the week. Scott had business plans Monday evening and she had a civic club meeting. He called her just as she was getting ready for bed and they talked about their respective meetings, sharing a couple of amusing anecdotes. Something else that was new for them, she thought with a smile as she climbed beneath her covers afterward. A chatty personal phone call made for no other reason than to hear each other’s voices, to stay in contact despite their individual pursuits. It was nice that his was the last voice she heard before ending the day.
They dined at a restaurant following a long day at work Tuesday, slipping out after the rest of the staff left. Tess had rather hoped the evening would end back at her place, but the muted beep of Scott’s phone just as they finished dessert dashed that fantasy. Scott looked at her in apology after disconnecting the call. “I’m sorry.”
“Something has come up,” she said, easily reading his expression.
He nodded. “Apparently a bunch of punks climbed the fence around the rental units we’re building in Sheridan and had a little vandalism party before the cops rounded them up. Andy and I are going to look around and see if they’ve done any permanent damage. I guess Andy could go without me, but...”
“But you need to go check it out yourself,” she said matter-of-factly, knowing him too well to imagine otherwise.
He grimaced and nodded. “We were so close to finished with that project. I’m hoping there’s nothing that’ll hold us up too long. I need to put the crew on the fabric store job after the holidays, and I’m sure we’ll have weather delays in January and February. We always do.”
“You don’t have to explain. Just go. Let me know if there’s anything I need to do.”
“You’re the best, Tess,” he told her warmly.
He might as well have given her a cheery knuckle-chuck to the chin. Even though he gave her a fairly heated good-night kiss when he dropped her off at her condo, his attention was obviously focused already on what he would find at the job site. Tess let herself in her door with a wry smile. She honestly didn’t resent him at all for rushing off to work. How many times had she walked out on plans with her friends because something had come up at work and Scott had requested her assistance? Her ex-boyfriend James had accused her of being at Scott’s “beck and call” 24/7...and worse, liking it that way.
Still, she thought as she prepared for bed in her quiet home, it would have been nice if the evening had gone the way she’d hoped.
Fortunately the damages to the Sheridan job hadn’t been too extensive, so Scott was able to make arrangements for fairly swift repairs. They got a great deal accomplished in the office on Wednesday, to everyone’s satisfaction. She didn’t see a lot of Scott that day, only when he dashed in with barked instructions and scribbled his signature on whatever she slapped in front of him.
Though she had to silently chide herself a couple of times when she found herself watching his sexy mouth instead of listening closely to his words, Scott seemed to have no trouble at all seeing her as the same efficient assistant she’d always been to him. She was fairly confident the staff saw nothing different in their professional behavior, which was a relief to her even though she was aware it wouldn’t be much longer before the news got out. She wasn’t looking forward to that part, mostly because she suspected everyone would watch them surreptitiously when they were together, at least until they got used to the idea that the boss and the office manager were more than business associates. Considering that it had taken her more than a week to wrap her head around the idea, she expected the transition to be a bit awkward.
It would have been nice to think Scott was having just a little trouble keeping his personal feelings for her, whatever they might be, so well hidden. She’d hate to think she was the only one having to work at that.