Sex, Not Love(45)
I uncorked the wine I’d opened yesterday and poured two glasses. “Nope. All good.”
When I handed him a glass, he caught my eye. “Damon come around again?”
“No. I think you scared him away.”
“Good.”
I sipped my wine. “So where are we going tonight?”
“One if by Land, Two if by Sea.”
“On Barrow?”
“That’s the one.”
“I pass it all the time. I have a client nearby.” I squinted. “Looks romantic from the outside.”
“Saw it featured in Architectural Digest a few years back. Been meaning to go. But haven’t had the chance.”
“I thought you came to New York all the time.”
“I do. Meant there was no one I wanted to take there.”
God, he was sweet without even trying.
His words, coupled with that intense stare, made me squirm. I grabbed my phone from the counter. “I wonder where Izzy is. She’s not usually this late. What time is our reservation?”
Before Hunter could answer, the front door opened and slammed shut.
“I was beginning to wonde—” Her face halted my sentence. It was red and blotchy, and her eyes were swollen. She’d definitely been crying. I went to her. “What happened? Are you okay?”
“Fine,” she snipped.
Hunter and I glanced at each other. His carefree face from a moment ago was gone, replaced by lethal anger.
“Izzy,” I said. “You need to give me more than that. Did someone bother you on the way home?”
For the first time, she noticed Hunter was in our apartment. She also caught the look on his face and seemed to realize the man was ready to kill someone if she didn’t put his mind at ease.
“Oh. No. Nothing like that.”
I blew out a heavy breath. “Then what happened? You’re late, and you’ve clearly been crying.”
“I don’t want to talk about it.”
“Are you sure?”
Izzy slumped into the couch without removing her backpack. “One of the girls on the basketball team was talking about Dad.”
I sat down next to her. “Like what?”
“Apparently her dad was an investor of Dad’s, and when they sent home the player roster for the team, they listed both you and Dad as my emergency contacts. Her father saw the name, saw me at the game, and since I look just like Dad, he knew. Now everyone knows my father is a criminal.” Tears filled her big brown eyes. “And that’s not all.”
Oh God. More? I wasn’t sure my heart could take seeing tears spill over. Izzy was a tough girl. She hadn’t cried since her father’s sentencing hearing, and even then, she hid them from everyone.
“What else happened, sweetie?”
“Yakshit is going to the dance with Brittany.”
“What dance?”
“The Sadie Hawkins dance.”
“Isn’t that a dance where the girls invite the boys?”
“Yeah.”
“I didn’t even know you asked Yakshit to go with you.”
The tears spilled over. “I didn’t.”
“Oh, honey.” I pulled Izzy into a hug.
She tried her best to hide the sobs. There was no sound, yet her shoulders started to shake. We stayed that way for a solid ten minutes—her sobbing and letting me hold her. I hated the cause and her pain, but I was happy I could give her whatever comfort she would allow.
When she sniffled the end of her tears, I pushed the damp hair from her face. “What can I do to make you feel better?”
“I just want to eat and go to bed.”
Hunter had retreated to the kitchen. I assumed to give us some privacy. I looked over at him with an apologetic face just as he looked up from his phone.
“Hi, Hunter.” Izzy forced a smile. “I wore my J strap today at practice. Thanks for sending it.”
He nodded. “No problem. Hope it helps.”
Izzy noticed what I was wearing. “Are you guys going on a date?”
I answered no at the exact same moment Hunter answered yes. That made her smile.
She got up from the couch, finally removing her backpack before heading to the refrigerator. “What’s to eat?”
Hunter answered. “You like Italian food?”
Her spirit chirped up. “Nat made sauce?”
I walked to the kitchen. “No, sorry. I made you a turkey and avocado wrap.”
She tried to mask her disappointment. “That’s okay.”
“Come on. Leave that wrap for lunch tomorrow,” Hunter said. “Let’s go get some lasagna and meatballs.”
“Really?” Izzy’s eyes sparked a glimmer of happiness.
He looked at me while answering. “I don’t fool around about food.”