Page 23

She practically squirmed in her seat. “It’s just...” She let out an annoyed sigh, sounding frustrated with herself. “When you call me Ms. Elkins, all I hear is my ex-husband’s name. I know this is a place of work and you’re trying to run a tight ship here, but it’s like the knife in my back twists every time I remember all I gave up to be Mrs. Farrah Elkins.”

That empathetic feeling returned, hitting me straight in the gut. Emotions didn’t have a place in business, but with Farrah, it was hard to keep the two separate. Everything she did involved emotions, whether she was talking with the flooring guys or bringing Cliff an extra cup of coffee every morning.

And now, when she looked at me with pain and hope and embarrassment all blending in her deep brown eyes... I couldn’t remember how to separate what I felt from what I knew.

My voice was rough as I asked, “Would you prefer Flame?”

She giggled. “Farrah will do.”

I let out a sigh, knowing I’d regret this later, but I said, “I am hungry, if the offer still stands.”

She nodded, reaching for her purse. “My treat.”

The fact that this woman thought she was paying was ridiculous. But I liked her all the more for it. How giving she must be to know I could buy anything I desired but still demand to treat me. And better yet, not take advantage of me.

We walked outside, both clicking our keys at the same time.

“You can’t possibly think you’re driving,” I said.

She raised her eyebrows. “What? Is a minivan not good enough for a billionaire?”

I laughed. “I spent half my childhood in a minivan with all the driving we did to sports games and appointments.” Sometimes when Tyler had therapy, I would have to ride along and sit in the car with Liv and Rhett for an hour while he and Mom had sessions. “A ten-year-old Dodge Caravan with light gray fabric interior to be specific,” I said. “Showed all the stains.”

She laughed, walking to her driver’s side door. “Well, this should be a treat. Leather seats. It even has a built-in vacuum.”

We got in the car, and she said, “Mia told me about this lunch spot I want to try out.” She typed an address into her phone and then hooked it up to a charging cord and dropped it in the cup holder. A map appeared on the dash, giving directions to 214 Brews.

“I know the owner,” I said.

She shook her head as she backed out. “Of course you do. Rich people always know people. Isn’t that how you get to be rich?”

“Part of it,” I admitted.

“Caleb, my ex, he was always ‘networking’ to help him sell insurance.”

“For what company?” I asked casually. If Griffen Industries did any business with them, I’d stop it immediately.

“Green Line Mutual,” she said with a shrug. “It’s a smaller outfit in Austin.”

Noted.

We were silent for a moment, but not the comfortable kind. We hadn’t talked all week, and I realized I missed it. Missed her smiles. The emotion she’d draw out of me. She always made me feel slightly out of control, and I seemed to like that feeling more than I should.

“How was the game this weekend? Aside from the stray ball?”

She groaned, glancing at me, then back to the road. “It was awful. Levi didn’t get off the bench until the last inning, and then he struck out.”

I sucked in a breath through my teeth. “That’s rough.”

Her hands took turns hanging onto the wheel and moving through the air as she spoke. “And, of course, his dad didn’t show. It was one thing to miss a game here and there when Levi saw him at home every night, but now that we live in different towns, it’s ten times worse.” The knuckles of her hand on the wheel were white with the force of her hold. “Levi was one of the better players on his club team back in Austin, but he was older than the other boys. This is a whole new world, and he really needs to all the encouragement he can get while he gets used to those faster hits and pitches.”

Wheels turned in my brain, and I made a mental note for later. “I played baseball in high school. I was always big for my age, but I remember it being a huge transition when I joined the high school team. I’m sure he’ll get the hang of it... You, on the other hand. We might need to send you to games in bubble wrap.”

Her mouth formed a half-amused, half-surprised smile. “Oh really?”

“We can’t be losing our interior designer to a foul ball. The floors are looking great, by the way.”

The smile on her face lit up the entire vehicle. “Just wait until you see what else I have planned. I found this great place out of central Kansas with the best wall treatments. Our order was big enough that they’re sending a team our way in two weeks to apply them. It should be done by the end of the month!”