Even the Score(39)

“You’re at a crossroads in life and career right now, Kyle. The agent you pick could really help—or hurt—your career.”

“Mm-hmm.” He nodded again.

“Let me tell you what I think my job is as your agent.” I leaned forward, putting my elbows on my desk, and folded my hands in front of me. “Imagine that you’re in a car, driving down the road that is life, and I’m in a helicopter, flying up above you. You can’t see the potholes, broken-down cars, and lane closures that are in your way up ahead, but I can, and it’s my job to make sure you drive around them and stay in the safe neighborhoods. Know what I mean?”

He nodded again as an innocent grin formed on his lips, making my heart soar. Thank God something hit home with that kid.

By the end of our conversation, I couldn’t get him to shut up. He told me all about his mom’s amazing peanut butter cookies and his three little brothers. That poor kid had better find a good girl and marry her quick or the fast-paced athlete life was going to chew him up and spit him right back out. I really didn’t want him to be filling out an application to manage a Starbucks ten years from now. He continued to chatter happily as I walked him to the elevator and shook his hand once more. Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed Andy appear in his doorway.

“I’ll have my mom send an e-mail as soon as I get home to get the ball rolling on everything.” Kyle grinned like a goofy kid as he pushed the Lobby button in the elevator panel.

“Sounds good, Kyle. Can’t wait to get started.” I smiled, waving good-bye as the doors closed.

As I turned to face Ellie, she threw her hands in the air and rushed around her desk, wrapping me in a tight vise hold.

“That sure sounded like a yes,” she said in a muffled tone against my shoulder as we swayed back and forth.

I closed my eyes and squeezed her back. “Thanks. I’m so excited. I had to work for that one. That poor kid had no idea what he wanted.”

“Congratulations,” Andy said from behind me.

I let go of Ellie and spun to face him. “Thanks.” I sighed and bit my lip. “I’m really excited for that one.”

“You should be. That’s a big win for the company and an even bigger win for you.” His blue eye twinkled. He leaned in to give me a hug, wrapping his arms around my shoulders. I closed my eyes again, tucking my arms under his as I let the smell of his cologne invade my senses and rule me for just a second. His back muscles flexed under my hands, surprising me. Except for the one night in the bar, I’d always seen Andy in a suit, and from the outside he appeared to be lean but not very muscular. What I just felt under my hand told me an entirely different story. He let go and I did, too, reluctantly. He turned and walked back to his office, but something was bothering me.

“Come in!” Andy called out after I knocked on his door.

“Hey,” I said nonchalantly, closing the door behind me. “I wanted to talk to you real quick. I kinda owe you an apology.”

He frowned and leaned back in his chair as I sat across from him. “An apology? For what?”

“Because I’m a total jerk.”

“You’re not a total jerk,” he scoffed. “Not even kind of a jerk.”

“Out there.” I pointed back toward the door. “Before I met with Kyle, I came out of my office and saw you guys talking. I assumed you were trying to steal him from me, then when he told me what you had been saying to him, I felt really bad.”

Andy let out a quick laugh. “No need to apologize. We both know what kind of business this is and can think of lots of agents we know who would do something like that. But I would never steal clients from you, Dani. You’re my coworker, not my competition. You’re also very damn good at what you do, and I would never take that away from you.”

I pressed my lips together and nodded. “Thank you for that. I never got validation from the Leighton brothers . . . ever, so you saying that really means a lot to me.”

“Well, I’ll gladly validate you as often as I can as long as you promise not to go anywhere.” He leaned forward, resting his forearms on his desk as he laced his fingers. “The office is different with you in it.”

“Different?”

“Yeah. I don’t really know how to explain it, but everything is just . . . better. Ellie is happier, Ethan is—well, he’s still Ethan.”

“And you?”

That tiny, two-worded question shifted something in the room.

The corner of his mouth pulled up into a sexy smirk as his blue eyes softened. “I’m much happier.”

Heat crept up my neck to my cheeks. “Well, I have a feeling Ellie has always been happy, and I know Ethan has always been Ethan, but . . .” I paused and swallowed quickly. “But you’re the one that matters. I mean—you’re the one who I want happy. Like . . . happy to have me here.” I stopped rambling because I was only making it worse.