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“Okay,” Natalie says, her eyes volleying back and forth between us. She leaves the door open when she returns to the kitchen.

Stepping closer, I catch her arm. “Juni?” When she looks back over her shoulder, I say, “Why are you upset?”

“I guess I thought there was more to us than what’s on the surface. Is it so wrong to want a little magic?” She goes inside, but I stay a minute, needing to process what just happened between us.

Juni’s not a fact or a figure, a report, or a stock I can analyze. I need to stop treating her like I can.

When I go inside, Nick hands me the freshened drink and then gives my shoulder a squeeze. “It’s going to be okay. Now drink up. You just need to relax.”

“You’re right.” I walk to the empty chair across from Juni and next to my mom.

My mom is already regaling the small group with tales of me in a suit and tie at one year old. “He’d cry if I took his gavel away. He called it gav gav. It was so cute. Of course, he didn’t pursue law. Nick did. I think the boys ended up in careers that played to their strengths.”

Tatum asks, “Did it ever surprise you to see Andrew become CEO of the company?”

Cookie loves to talk abouther boysand knowing she’s proud of me as CEO has always given me confidence. But I know she’s also had concerns about what it takes from me to run the company. She watched the toll it took on my dad.So, perhaps her answer won’t shock me.“It doesn’t surprise me he’s in a position of power at the company. It surprises that he wanted the job in the first place. He doesn’t show the other side of himself to people outside his inner circle, but there’s so much more to him than CEO. What do you think, Juni?”

Shit. Juni’s gaze is slow to meet mine, but she sets her silverware down and takes her time to think through her answer. Looking from my mom to me, she replies, “I haven’t known him long, but I do see that other side of him, the man under the armor of the company.”

Cookie’s pleased. Not that it was a test question. My mom isn’t devious like that. But that was a good answer, good like Juni.

That’s when I realize I just really fucked up.

28

Drew

“It’s settled then,”Natalie announces. “Cookie’s coming shopping with us tomorrow.”

Normally, I wouldn’t think anything of it until I realize the “us” includes my girlfriend.Girlfriend?That’s the second time that’s snuck into my vernacular. Is it wrong? I guess that’s something I need to discuss with Juni. In addition to making it up to her from the earlier conversation.

I scrub my hand over my face not looking forward to spending the night trying to explain my side of things. Standing behind her chair, I lean down, thinking I’m going to need some time to make things right if we’re going to have makeup sex after. “You ready to go?”

“Sure.” She stands and starts to give hugs. Tatum loops her arm with hers as they start for the coat closet.

When I go to hug my mom, she stands and says, “I should ride with you. Do you mind?”

“No, of course not.”

Nick’s at the door already. We slap our hands together and then bring it in. “I never got to thank you properly for doing Mom’s dirty work and delivering that list at work.”

“You don’t have to thank me, brother. It was my pleasure.”

“I just bet it was.”

We have a good laugh about it because the whiskey’s kicked in, and I care a lot less about that list right now. Juni’s my priority. Kissing Natalie on the cheek, we say our thanks and make our exit.

Cookie and Juni are wrapped in their jackets. It’s not cold but has gotten chilly. I could say the same about the temperature between Juni and me just as easily. No eye contact is the first clue. When she spends the car ride chatting with only my mom is the second. The third, Juni putting my mom between us.

I hate to interrupt their conversation about the garden club my mom used to belong to, but we’re getting close to my apartment, and I don’t want to backtrack. “Where are you staying, Mom?”

“With you.”

“What? What do you mean?”

When she raises an eyebrow, she asks, “Did you not see my stuff in the spare bedroom? I went to the apartment when I landed this afternoon and got dressed before heading to Nick’s.”

“No. I never go in there.” My eyes catch Juni’s grin when a light from outside slides through the back of the vehicle.