A Father's Name(67)
“And I’d never want that to happen. That’s why Tucker,” he congratulated himself for not even hesitating over her name this time, “and I have always been very clear about the nature of our friendship and the fact that it can never be anything more.”
“I think you’re both fooling yourselves, but who am I to have an opinion on it? As long as she isn’t hurt, you and me, we’re square. As for Friday, we’ve got you covered here.”
“Thanks, Lou. I’m going to go check it out with Angelina, too.” Damn. “Tucker,” he corrected.
“Sure. You check with her, kid.” Lou shot him a knowing smile that Tyler chose to ignore as he walked down the hall to Angelina’s office. The door was ajar, and she was talking. He peeked in and saw she was addressing Jace, who was playing with some blocks in the middle of the floor.
“…and then I said, no way. He’s the most annoying man I ever dated.”
He knocked and stepped in, ready to defend himself against her claims. “Who’s the most annoying man?” He knew he should hope she’d say him, but he found himself taking umbrage at the thought.
“Gary Johnson.”
“The guy who won’t take no for an answer? What did he do now?”
“Oh, get that look off your face. My honor doesn’t require defending. Anyway, I’m quite capable of defending myself. Something Gary Johnson is now intimately aware of.”
“What did you do?” Tyler asked.
“I told him in no uncertain terms that the only way I’d ever go out with him again would involve the end of civilization as we know it, the demise of every other male, and it would still probably require my own personal lobotomy to make me say yes.”
Tyler found himself grinning at her very vivid description. “I take it he got the picture?”
“Sadly, no.” She shook her head in disgust. “But then I reminded him that my friend Laura has a husband who’s a cop and I would actively pursue a restraining order if he bothered me again. And I’d be sure his employer got a copy.”
“Ouch.” He knelt down by Jace, who obligingly shared a block with him.
She nodded. “Yeah, I think he finally got the picture then.”
She seemed confident, but Tyler still didn’t like it. “If he gives you any other trouble…” He left the threat hanging.
Rather than appreciating his concern, Angelina grimaced. “Thanks, but I don’t need you, or anyone else, rescuing me. I’m not looking for a white knight, I’m looking for a partner.”
“That’s not what I hear.” He put another block on top of the other, making a two block tower, which Jace promptly swatted, then cackled with glee as it fell into ruin.
“I was referring to a partner in life,” Angelina said, “not a partner here at the business. You’ve been talking to Pops?”
“No, but in case you missed it, the guys in the shop gossip like women in…”
Angelina’s scowl told him he’d be hard-pressed to find an analogy that wouldn’t offend, so he simply backtracked and said, “Gossip like a magazine about the newest celebrity craze.”
“Nice save,” she said.
“Thanks. I didn’t come back here to gossip or trade quips. I wanted to be sure it was all right if I took a long lunch on Friday. Lou said it was, but I don’t want you to think I’m taking advantage of our…friendship. I need to take this meeting.”
“If Lou said okay, it’s okay with me. He’s pretty much taken over the scheduling in there, although he hates it as much as I hate this…” she waved at her computer screen.
“Can I do anything?”
“No.” He made another two block tower, which Jace immediately knocked down and chortled over. He kissed the baby’s head. “I should probably get used to dealing with things on my own. You and your dad rescued me with this job, and then with Jace. I need to take care of this solo.”
He started for the door, but she called him back. “Tyler. Is everything okay?”
“You mean about the meeting?”
She nodded.
“It’s an annoyance, nothing more serious.” He tried to give her his most reassuring face and wasn’t sure she bought it.
“If you need anything, you let me…all of us, know.”
“I will.”