A Secret for a Secret (All In #3)(23)

Queenie shrugs and focuses on cutting her steak. “I used to like to do arty things.”

“Arty like what?”

“Whatever I felt like, really.”

“So you’re creative, then? How did you end up working as your dad’s assistant?”

“The crafty stuff is a hobby. And I ended up working for my dad because his old assistant’s husband had a heart attack and needed surgery, and she decided to take early retirement. I was between jobs, so I offered to help him out until I can figure what the heck I want to do with my life.”

“You mean career-wise?”

Queenie points her fork at me. “Whoa, hold up, it’s my turn to ask a question.”

“I didn’t realize we were taking turns.”

“You get a question and then I get a question.” She pops the bite of rare beef into her mouth and chews thoughtfully for a few seconds. “What’s your favorite TV show?”

“The Big Bang Theory.”

Queenie snorts a laugh. “Why does that not surprise me in the least?”

“My turn. What’s your dream job?”

“For a while I wanted to be a therapist.”

“But not anymore?”

She wags a finger at me. “My turn.”

“You didn’t even answer the question, though.”

“Sure I did. I said I wanted to be a therapist.”

“For a while, which implies past tense.”

“It’s not a realistic goal, hence the whole dream-job thing. I’d ask what yours is, but I think you’re already doing it, aren’t you?”

“I am. Why isn’t becoming a therapist a realistic goal?”

“I don’t think I’d be good at helping people.”

“Why not?”

“Because I don’t have it together, so I can’t very well help anyone else if I don’t even have my own life sorted out.”

“How can you say that? You have a job that you’re good at.”

“I’m working for my dad. I don’t think it really counts.” She waves her fork around in the air. “Anyway, this was supposed to be like a fun twenty questions, and you’re making it all serious. What’s your favorite dessert?”

“Vanilla anything.”

She chuckles and shakes her head.

“What’s wrong with vanilla?”

“Nothing.”

“Then why are you laughing at me?”

“It’s just ironic, that’s all.”

“What’s your favorite dessert?”

“It depends on the day.”

We end up ordering the chocolate lava cake with ice cream for dessert so I get my vanilla ice cream and Queenie gets her chocolate fix. And as much as I remind myself that this is a platonic thing, my body and my brain aren’t synced up. At all. Because all I can think of is how good Queenie’s mouth would taste if I kissed her right now.



“I had a lot of fun tonight. Thanks for dinner,” Queenie says when I pull into her driveway.

“It was my pleasure, and me, too, about having fun. Maybe we can do it again soon?”

“Sure. I’d like that.”

“Next time it could be a real date.”

Her smile turns rueful and my stomach sinks. “I really like you, Kingston—”

“It sounds like there’s a but coming.” I try to make it sound like a joke, but it falls flat.

“You’re a great guy, and a lot of fun, but I can’t date you.” Now she looks apologetic. “Not because I don’t want to, but my dad only laid down one rule when I took the job as his assistant, and that was not to date any of the players.”

“But maybe if we talked to him—”

“He did me a huge favor by giving me this job. I lost my apartment because I couldn’t afford it, and between the night I met you and him giving me the job, I got canned at two other restaurants, which, honestly, isn’t a surprise, because I really, really suck at waiting tables. I don’t want to put him in a weird spot or disappoint him. I just . . . can’t. I’m sorry, Kingston, but we can still hang out if you want, as friends?” She chews her bottom lip, looking hopeful.

“Sure, yeah. We can hang out as friends.” It’s honorable that she wants to abide by the rule Jake laid down, even if it’s inconvenient for me.

“Thanks for understanding.” She leans over the center console and presses her lips to my cheek. I fight with myself not to turn my head. Thankfully my restraint wins out over my hormones.

“Oops.” She makes a cringey face and rubs at my cheek, presumably because she left lipstick behind. “See you tomorrow, King. Drive safe.” She winks and then she’s out the door.

I guess being friends is better than nothing. For now.





CHAPTER 9





TERRITORIAL


Queenie

I expect Kingston to lose interest when I tell him dating is off the table. So I’m surprised when the exact opposite happens.

For the third day in a row he pops his head into my office. “You waiting for your dad?”

I glance at his closed door. “He got a call and he said it might be a while. You offering to be my Uber driver?”