CHAPTER SIX - AMBER
Emery seemed like she was feeling a bit better. She sat up on the couch, her legs crisscrossed. I sat beside her while she chattered on about her friend from school.
“Josie’s house has a pool. I go swim there sometimes. She also has a dog, but he’s little and he barks a lot. I don’t like him. I want a dog. A nice dog. I’ll name her Sprinkles.”
She’d been going on like that for a while, talking in a steady stream of consciousness like only kids do. She barely paused to take a breath.
Not that I minded. The poor kid had been cooped up in the office all day. I’d have been dying to talk to somebody too. I hadn’t meant to start a conversation with her or anything when I came in though. I just wanted to check on her one last time before I left. She seemed so excited to see me, I couldn’t just walk away.
“And sometimes Josie braids my hair. Daddy doesn’t know how to. Do you?” She looked up at me with such a sweetness in her face. Poor thing. I knew what it was like to lose a mom. That was the world I came from, and it was a long life of wishing you had moments that you never would experience.
“Sure. Would you like me to braid your hair right now?” I offered with a smile on my face.
She clapped as her little face lit up. “Yes, please! I would love that!”
“Okay, scooch over and turn around.”
Emery sat with her back to me and I gathered her long, blonde hair behind her head. “Maybe you can teach Daddy how to do it. He’s no good at fixing my hair. He can barely make a pony tail.”
I laughed softly. “Well, I’m sure he’s doing the best he can.”
“I know, and I love him for it.”
I heard the door open behind me. I glanced over my shoulder to see Chef Harrison walk in.
“I thought you went home. What are you still doing here?”
“She’s braiding my hair!” Emery yelled with joy in her voice.
“You heard the kid. I’m braiding her hair.”
He moved around the couch so I could see him without craning my neck. “I can see that. But it’s been a long day. I figured you’d be home, getting some rest.”
“I stopped by to see how she was doing. One thing led to another and here we are.”
He nodded. “It’s getting late, little lady. It’s time to get you into bed.”
For a split second, I thought he was talking to me. The thought of him getting me into bed had my heart skipping a beat. What I wouldn’t give. But no, I knew it was a horrible idea. I couldn’t imagine getting into bed with a man like him not wanting to do it over and over and over again. Or worse, falling for Mr. Scrooge in the process. No thank you.
Not that he was offering. I almost snorted at the thought.
“But Amber’s not finished, Daddy,” Emery complained.
“Yeah, I’m not finished, Daddy.” I cringed when the word came out of my mouth. “Eww. Sorry. I’m never calling you that again. Forgive me.”
He gave me a look and sighed, ignoring my teasing. We were back to being stiff from what I could tell.
“Fine. She can finish. But it has to be quick. Someone needs their rest.” He lifted his eyebrow and stared down at Emery.
Chef Harrison sank down in the chair behind his desk. No, not Chef Harrison. He wasn’t Chef Harrison right now. Not with Emery around. Now, he was just Luke. The way he’d been when we prepped the kitchen earlier. The hard exterior falling away, revealing the real him.
And the real him was way better than the chef.
Even though he’d told me to be quick, I found myself slowing down, not wanting this moment to slip away like it had earlier. I liked spending time with Luke, the man, not the boss.
He sat there watching us with a curious expression on his face. I couldn’t tell what he was thinking, but he didn’t seem unhappy for once. That had to be a good sign. The softness of his expression left me wanting to know his story, wanting to heal his hurts if I were able. He was so fucking hot, so masculine and strong as he sat there, relaxed. Everything about him turned me on.
Emery hummed softly while I braided her hair. There was something so sweet and innocent about the tuneless melody. It filled me with a warm glow, and it awoke a feeling of longing I’d never felt before.
I always knew I wanted to have kids someday, but I’d never really thought about it seriously. I was way too young to think about it then.
Either way, cooking came first. Then going to school. Then finding the right job. The whole kid thing was just something that was far off in a nebulous future.
But sitting here with Emery, I realized just how much I wanted a family. How much I needed it. Oh well. Maybe someday.
I finished the braid and tied it off with a rubber band from my purse. Then I grabbed my compact mirror and held it in front of Emery’s face. “What do you think?”
Her eyes lit up as she looked at her reflection. “I love it.” She turned around and threw her arms around me. “Thank you so much.”
I didn’t know why, but I got a little choked up by the hug. Some deep, raw emotion welled up in me, making me feel happy and sad at the same time.
“You’re very welcome,” I said, hoping my voice didn’t betray my feelings.
Emery looked up at me. “Will you come over and put me to bed?”
The invitation caught me off guard. I wasn’t really used to being around children. It was easy to forget they had no filter sometimes. She wanted me to come over so she asked. It was as simple as that.
Luke spoke up from behind his desk. “Honey, we can’t ask Amber to do that. She needs to get home, too. She worked really hard today.”
Thank God he noticed. I used to think he didn’t pay attention to anything good, but rather which ass to chew next when he was in the kitchen.
“Puh-lease?” Emery begged, drawing the word out.
“I don’t mind,” I said, wanting to score points with my boss. “Besides, how could I say no to this little face?”
“Awesome,” Emery said.
I looked over at Luke. Deep furrows lined his brow, like he was conflicted. Finally, he shrugged. “Well, then I guess you’re coming over.”