Page 34 of Just Like That
I nodded. “He’s a neat kid, butman, does he not stop asking questions.”
Hazel giggled. “You have no idea. On the way here, I swear I was doing everything in my power to avoid the question game. It doesn’t help that I think he might actually be smarter than me.”
I smirked, a chuckle pushing through my nose. “I think maybe you’ve got more going for you than you give yourself credit for.”
She shifted, dramatically blinking in my direction. “JP King ... was that a compliment?”
I rolled my eyes and covered my sly smile with a sip of bourbon. “Hardly.”
Hazel’s eyes narrowed on me. “Are you sure you aren’t going to fall in love with me if we move in?”
I shouldn’t have liked the way our playful banter made me feel. It was as though the stress of work, my family,her—none of it mattered. For a split second, I was just a man sharing an intimate moment on the star-soaked beach with a gorgeous free spirit of a woman.
A woman whose presence I had no right enjoying as much as I did. But for a moment I could be the kind of man I always hoped to be.
“Please. I make my living assessing risk and reward.” I sighed and stretched my legs out in front of me. “Trust me, this is just business.”
It amazed me how easily the lie rolled right off my tongue.
TWELVE
HAZEL
I satup with a jolt when awareness crept into my peaceful dreaming. Songbirds chirped through the open window, and the sun was much, much higher than it should have been. I took stock of my surroundings, my heart rate leveling when I realized I was still in the spare bedroom of JP’s house.
The king-size bed was plush, and sleeping in it had been like floating on a cloud of down and fluffy pillows.Six, to be exact. I flopped back down and pulled one over my face. It was poofy and warm and I wanted to drown in it.
I think maybe I’ve been sleeping in a bus for too long.
I stretched my toes and glanced at the small clock on the table beside the bed. I’d definitely overslept, but I still pouted about not getting another thirty minutes in the world’s most comfortable bed.
Resigned to starting my day, I piled my hair on top of my head and slipped on a pair of cutoff jean shorts. The air was cool, so I opted for an oversize sweatshirt with a luna moth and flowers on it.
After brushing my teeth, I went in search of Teddy. My steps creaked on the hand-scraped, wood-plank flooring. There was so much untapped potential in JP’s house. He’d built it with solid bones and expensive features, but it lacked any warmth.
What it needs is a woman’s soulful touch.
My hands glided across the picture frame molding in the hallway. The door to the primary suite was on my left, and my heart skipped as I walked past. It was empty, and I was just snoopy enough to take a little peek inside.
Unsurprisingly, JP’s bed was made with crisp lines and an unfussy pillow arrangement. The walls were the same boring gray as the rest of the house. Not a painting or picture frame in sight.
Boys.
My eyes settled on the wingback chair and small table, curious about what book he was reading. I looked at the little lamp, remembering how my pulse spiked on the evening when he’d returned my little flicker of light. I hadn’t seen him but I couldfeelhis gaze on me that night. I’d flicked the light on and off, and sparks danced under my skin when he returned the gesture.
As I descended the stairs, I wondered what it meant. Was it a flicker of hope that there was a gentle human inside him after all? JP was a puzzle written in a cipher without a key.
When I reached the bottom of the stairs, I was hit with the warm, inviting smell of coffee and syrup. My stomach grumbled.
As I rounded the corner, my feet came up short and my eyes went wide. Teddy was standing on a chair in front of the kitchen island, covered in flour. Next to him, JP wasn’t much better. A streak of white powder was dusted on his cheek, and his scowl was out in full force.
Teddy held the box of pancake mix up to read. “It says the battershouldbe lumpy.”
JP held a spoonful upside down, the thick batter clinging to it. “Lumpy is one thing, but this is hard as a rock. It’s practically concrete.”
“Maybe we should ask Hazel if she knows?” Teddy asked.
JP shook his head as I clung to the wall, trying to stay out of sight. “No. Let’s let her sleep. You can surprise her with breakfast.”