Page 15 of Boss of Attraction

Learning I had been raised in a trailer park and my mother still lived in one seemed to evoke no response from him. His lack of reaction surprised me, but then I wondered why it should. After all, I had no idea what his background was; I only knew him as the successful attorney with the Porsche. Maybe he came from nothing too.

“Are you planning on her staying in Pennsylvania or moving to be closer to you?”

“Ideally, I would love for her to be here and not have a job where she’s on her feet all day, but I don’t want her moving in with me, either. I’d like to make enough money to buy a house with an in-law suite or something. But not just a room in the same part of the house. Maybe above the garage so we can still have our space.”

“That’s very noble of you.”

“Thanks. I want to help her out in any way I can.”

“Is that why you went to law school? To be able to have a good income and help her?”

“Yeah. It was either that or become a doctor, but I’m too squeamish when it comes to blood.”

“Good thing you weren’t there when Fallon got shot then.”

“Oh man. I still can’t even believe that happened.”

“I know. And I can’t imagine what Patrick and Mary went through. As a father, your heart aches for your kids when they get hurt and to hear one of them was shot—I just can’t.”

“Is Morgan your only child?”

“No.” He shook his head. “I have a son two years older than her.”

“Oh, that’s right. I’ve seen a picture in your office, but they were much younger.”

“Yeah, and now everyone is gone.”

I glanced over at him. “Gone?”

“I mean, it’s just me living in the house now.”

“Oh … right. How long has it been since your wife passed?” I had no idea why I was asking him. I felt like a jerk bringing up his dead wife, but I was curious. I wanted to know everything there was to know about Sean Ashford.

“It’s been a little over five years.”

“I’m sorry,” I breathed.

“Fuck cancer, right?”

“Absolutely. It’s what killed my father too.”

“Damn, Declan. I didn’t know.” He reached over and squeezed my arm. His hand lingered just slightly before he pulled back.

“It’s okay. I barely remember him. He died when I was six and it’s just been me and my mom ever since.”

“She never remarried?”

“No.” I shook my head. “She worked three jobs while I was growing up, and even now, she works one as a waitress at a diner and takes extra shifts when she can so she can keep paying her bills. Not sure she has time to meet anyone.”

“Morgan wants me to date again,” Sean admitted.

“Is that not what you want?”

“I don’t know. It would be nice to have someone I could go out to dinner with, or go to movies with, but no one will ever replace my wife.”

“You know, you don’t have to twist my arm. I’ll go to dinner and a movie with you.” I wasn’t sure if it was time for my jokes or not, but how could I skip the opportunity to tell Sean I would date him and pass it off as a joke?

Sean threw his head back and laughed. “But I’m your boss.”