Chapter12
Dammit.
After she’d made him feel so good, he’d made herfeelbad.
The joke, which Reed now regretted, had shifted the conversation, and Anika’s previously bright brown eyes now appeared dullandsad.
“The Continuum CPA Group specializes in offering accounting and business advisory services to small and medium-sized firms. My job includes basic tasks such as setting objectives and goal-setting. I audit the work of my staff, develop and train them, prepare policies and procedures, and make sure we stay compliant according to general accountingprinciples.”
“Do youenjoyit?”
He nodded. “More than I thought I would. At my firm, one of the perks is that my position allows flexibility so I can spend time with my very own operasinger.”
He smiled, and shedid,too.
“If I had one complaint, it’s that I have to attend more networking events. That’s how I met Judge Evers. I’m starting to hate those things. Makes me miss being a staff accountantsometimes.”
Anika brushed her hair off her shoulder. Reed wished he were sitting next to her so he could run his fingers through her hair and touch herbareskin.
“I’m surprised. I always thought of you as the outgoing type. I imagined you living in New York and having quite the active social life.” She was getting back to normal, her eyes clearer, her voice sounding stronger and lessstrained.
“I did have an active social life. New York wascrazy.Fun.”
Too crazy. Too much fun. In retrospect, he’d been out of control for years. He’d partied hard and slept around. A starch-shirted accountant by day, but after hours, seeking some indefinable escape to settle his mind by engaging in activities that at twenty-nine years old now left himshamefaced.
He became a different man because of having to care for his daughter. A new man. She kept him busy and grounded, and for her sake, he’dchanged.
He was certainly more responsible than his own father had been. His father lived on the west coast with his latest girlfriend half his age. Life with his dad had been a rollercoaster ride. They’d lived a bachelor lifestyle after his mother died—barely getting by but having what they considered to be a good life. He’d never learned responsibility from his dad, only how to have fun and live in the moment. On any given day, they’d hop in the car and start driving, going until they ran out of money. For a teenaged boy, those had been the best kind ofadventures.
They’d moved around multiple times, been evicted twice, and one time lived in the car for two weeks. He loved his dad to death, but he’d been more of a frat brother than a father. He certainly hadn’t taught him any parenting skills or how to be a responsible adult. He’d had to learn those things on his own. What he had taught him was whatnotto do. For Reed, that meant establishing stability in Brielle’s life. No uncertaintyallowed.
Their meals arrived, and as Anika had stated, the food was delicious. They ate every bite and ended dinner with healthy portions of peach cobbler and strongcoffee.
Except for his joke, the night went exceptionally well. Conversation flowed easily, and he learned more about Anika than he did before. She talked a lot about her father, who’d passed before she entered college, and she had a strong relationship with her mother and brothers. From her description of her mother, they had similar personalities and tastes. Their similar taste in style was confirmed when she showed him a photo of her mother in her phone. She had the same light brown skin with golden undertones, and was dressed to the nines in a royal blue dress, large gold hat with a large rose, and matching bag—on her way to church. There was no doubt where Anika got herstylefrom.
Reed didn’t want to leave the restaurant, but he had to be considerate of Mrs. Miller’s time. He paid for the meal, and they went outside into the balmy night air. He told the valet they’d get their own cars because he didn’t want the night to end right then. He tipped the man and strolled with Anika toward her vehicle at the back of the lot, walking as slowly as he could. She walkedslowly,too.
“Remember that moped ride in Venice?” heasked.
A soft smile came to her face. “How could I forget? I can’t believe you convinced me to get on thatthing.”
“Whoa, wait a minute.” Reed stopped. “I didn’t convince you. You convinced me,remember?”
“That’s not how Irememberit.”
“Well, let me refresh your memory, madam.” He started walking again. “The night before, we ate dinner at that restaurant, the one the concierge recommended—down the alley behind the clothingstore.”
“I remember. We got so much food and that chicken dish was oh—so good. Just delicious.” Shesighed.
“At the end of our meal, you whipped out one of your ten thousand brochures, and that one was about mopedrentals.”
“I did not have ten thousandbrochures.”
“Damnnear.”
“And I didn’t whipitout.”
“Who’s telling thisstory?”
