by Jolie Day
My nostrils flared, and I fake-coughed to cover it up. Shit. Why did his comment irritate the hell out of me? Yeah, I didn’t want Miles to add Laney to his ever-growing list of conquests. “Where did you see her?”
Miles grinned. “I saw her one day when I was driving to work. She was stunning.”
I felt myself growing more agitated, trying not to go there with my brother. “I was just letting you know what was going on with her. That’s all, okay? Sure, she’s gorgeous, we all know that, but I’ve never looked at her that way. And you shouldn’t, either! She’s my best friend…and off-limits.”
He nodded, still seeming slightly unconvinced. “Whatever you say, bro. Not so sure if you’re trying to convince me or yourself, but whatever. We’ve got a meeting to get ready for.”
As anticipated, the deal went down without a hitch three days later, making Miles a very happy man. I got a thrill from it, too, of course, but he was an even bigger adrenaline junky than I was. The higher the dollar amount on a contract, the higher he got from it. I was just glad to get the weirdness with Laney off my brain, especially after everything Miles had suggested about her.
The next night, I was gearing up to join my brother and our client Adriana Miller to celebrate the success of the big deal. Laney had been behaving the same: declining my invites to go out, as usual, but she’d said she’d been crazy busy. Which didn’t surprise me. I was just happy she wasn’t upset about walking in on me with another woman. Again. I knew she’d been trying to get everything in her life back on track. She’d even learned how to use my coffee maker and had it ready for me in the mornings, leaving funny little notes. Today’s had said, “Have a good day, Jockstrap.” I had to chuckle at that one. She never ceased to amaze me with the names she came up with. Man, I could get used to waking up to the smell of fresh coffee and her funny notes. I hoped to catch her on my way out the door, but I had no idea what time she would be home tonight.
I stopped to look in my bedroom mirror and straightened my tie before grabbing my keys and strolling into the kitchen for a quick shot. A little tequila always helped me amp up the charm before meeting up with business associates.
Just as I was about to down my drink, the front door opened. Laney walked in looking calmer than she had the past several nights. She had on black heels, a pretty white blouse and blue jeans, and they hugged her curves in all the right places. Her long brown hair was braided back into a bun, and her big green eyes, behind black-framed glasses, met mine with a smile.
“Oh, hey.” She gave me a little wave as she walked over to the counter, tossing her purse down.
“Hey there.” I smiled. “Would you like a shot of tequila?”
She laughed hesitantly, but finally agreed. “Okay, sure. Why not?”
I poured another one and slid hers across the countertop. We both tapped the small glasses to the counter before throwing them back.
Laney’s face wrinkled, and she stuck out her tongue. “Whew. It’s been a while since I’ve done shots.”
“Did you just say ‘shots,’ as in plural?” I raised a brow. “Because I’m more than happy to pour you another.”
“Didn’t you just have one when I came in? Can you really handle three all in a row like that?” She stared me down with uncertainty.
“Don’t underestimate my tolerance,” I replied confidently, pouring another for both of us. “But, no, that was my first. I hadn’t tossed it back yet when you walked in the door.”
“Well, two is my limit. Because I just realized I’m drinking on an empty stomach.” She stared at the empty glass with what I assumed was regret. “Have you had dinner? I can cook us something. Or we could order some food?”
My phone dinged with a message from Adriana, letting me know she was five minutes from the restaurant. Which meant I was officially late.
“I’ve got plans for dinner. I was just heading out the door.” Laney’s face dropped in disappointment, and I had to admit I was disappointed, too. “Hey, do you wanna come? I can call the restaurant and have them add another guest to the reservation. Miles will be there. I could even invite Damon. You remember those guys, don’t you?”
“Oliver, no.” She shook her head, seeming a little offended. “You don’t have to drag me along on your date out of pity or whatever. I’m more than happy to cook something for myself and curl up on the couch. You go out and have fun. I’ll see you later.”
“It’s not a date,” I said. “We’re just celebrating a contract we signed yesterday at work. Please come?” I batted my eyelashes (like a damn girl), flashing the puppy dog eyes. That face had historically always made her cave into whatever I was trying to drag her into. She swayed with a little grin while she thought it over, but I could tell she was about to give in. It’d worked since we were kids. She couldn’t resist.
“I see that smile!” I taunted, pulling her in for a friendly hug. “I know what that means. You’re coming.”
She smacked my chest playfully, pushing me off her. “Okay, fine. I’ll go. But please give me a few minutes.”
“We’ll have a blast.” I raised my hand to hers for a high-five. “We’re taking my bike.”
“Oliver…”
“Just kidding. Relax.” I chuckled. “We’re not taking my bike.”
“Okay, good! I almost changed my mind. Let me just freshen up a bit, and then I’ll be ready to go.”
I glanced down at the message from Adriana, and another from Miles, letting me know they were being seated at our table. Fuck it. They can wait.
“Sure thing.” I smiled up at Laney. “The tequila and I will just be waiting here for you.”
She laughed and added over her shoulder, “That bottle better not be empty when I get back. I don’t want to spend all night babysitting your drunk ass and then dragging you home.”
I held up my hand, crossing my fingers. “Scouts honor.”
“You weren’t in the scouts, Pumpkin!” she shouted just before slamming her bedroom door.
7
Laney
“Hey, Laney.” Miles pulled me into a hug as I took my seat, and the waiter set a dirty martini on the table. “It’s been a long time. You’re looking great. How have you been?” He cringed. “Yeah, sorry. Heard about the fire. I mean other than that.”
Smiling, I didn’t know what to respond to. He’d rattled off several different things at once. “I’m good. Loving my job. And congrats on the new deal. Oliver told me all about it.”
Miles quirked an eyebrow and chuckled. “Did he now?”
“Shut up, asshat.” Oliver interrupted before I could respond, and I had to laugh, because it reminded me of when we were all teenagers. The guys were still the same. “Yeah, I told her about our success.” He turned to me with a smile.
My heart fluttered in my chest.
“So, Elaine…What is it that you do?” Adriana asked as the waiter brought another round of drinks for her and Miles. Adriana Miller looked like Posh Spice with her blunt cut and friendly expression.
“Please, call me Laney. I work in medicinal chemistry.”
“She’s a scientist.” Oliver beamed.
The woman’s eyes widened. “Very impressive. What does medicinal chemistry do exactly, Laney?”
“A lot of different things.” I shrugged. “I specifically work in synthetic chemistry, developing oncology drug discoveries.”
Adriana tilted her head, as if she didn’t understand.
“She cures cancer,” Oliver chimed in once again.
“I’m not actively curing cancer,” I corrected. “But we are working to find more cures and treatments, yes.”
“That’s a very noble pursuit.” She sent a surprised glance across the table. “I feel very shallow now in celebrating our real estate deal. All we really do is exchange buildings and properties from one set of hands to another.”
Miles tipped his glass in the air. “And we make a lot of money in the process.”
“Yes, but your friend over he
re is saving lives.”
“Trying to,” I added with a smile.
“She’s about to start attending NYU’s PhD program,” Oliver said, picking up a breadstick and breaking it in half.
“If I get in,” I amended. “In addition to my work in the lab, I’d like to contribute more to the research side of things. There are so many treatments that don’t get picked up by big pharmaceutical companies due to a lack of profit or understanding of how the drugs work. I’d like to make sure everyone, doctors, patients, scientists, and academics know the broad range of options out there.”
My phone began vibrating in my purse, and I leaned over to check it. I felt a rush of happiness at the sight of Lisa’s name scrolling across the screen. “If you’ll excuse me for a moment.” I smiled and rose from the table. “I just have to take this call. So sorry.”
I retreated to the front lobby of the restaurant and answered Lisa’s call.
“Girl, you have no idea how glad I am to hear your voice. I’m so happy you’re calling.” I sighed.
“I saw your texts, Sug.” She snorted. “What the hell’s going on? What do you mean a Pomeranian burned down your apartment?”
“It’s a long story, and that part was an accident.” I smirked, glancing through the open wood columns to see Oliver chatting up Adriana at the table. “But don’t worry about me. How’s Aruba?”
“Divine, of course,” she answered through a contented sigh. “But Chad’s getting on my last nerve. I can’t wait to come home and have a girls’ night with you. I need it.”
“You have no idea how bad I could use one of those.”
“I don’t have much time. We’re scheduled for a scuba diving class in twenty minutes, and apparently Chad thinks I take too much time getting ready.”
I couldn’t help but laugh at the thought of her boyfriend waiting impatiently while she perfected her eyeliner in the bathroom mirror of their luxurious hotel room. Lisa always looked good. And she wasn’t one to concede her daily rituals of getting ready for anybody—no matter how rich and handsome he was, or how many five-star resorts he whisked her away to.
“But tell me—what the hell’s going on? Are you staying at your dad’s?”
“No, actually”—I moved further into a quiet corner and glanced around to make sure nobody was within earshot—“I’m staying with Oliver.”
I had to move my phone away from my ear to avoid the sting of her reactive shrieks and cries. When she seemed to quiet down, I slowly brought it back to the side of my face. “Are you done, sweetheart?”
“I’m sorry, but you can’t just drop a bomb like that and expect me not to freak out!” she gasped. “You’re staying with your lifelong crush, who just so happens to be one of your best friends and is probably secretly in love with you, too. It’s like a rom-com movie just waiting to happen! Tell me everything.”
“I appreciate your confidence in me, but Oliver is not in love with me. And there’s nothing to tell. Aside from how incredibly awkward and uncomfortable it is for me. He sucks at wearing clothes at the appropriate times, and he has girls rotating through his apartment like a revolving door.”
“Triple T’s?”
“Yep.”
“Mmm…sounds promising. The no clothes part, anyway. So what about those emaciated hos? They’ve got nothing on you. You’re brains and beauty.”
“You don’t understand.” I rubbed the bridge of my nose. “I can’t compete with them. This whole thing is like daily torture of having the fruit I can’t ever taste dangled right in front of my face. Even worse, I have to watch other women chomping away at said fruit while knowing I can’t have any!”
“Elaine.” Lisa’s voice grew stern. “There’s not a damn thing those chicks have that you don’t. In fact, you’ve got quite a bit that they don’t have.”
“My boobs?”
“No. Well, yes, but that’s not what I had in mind. Like the fact that you’re Oliver’s best friend. They’re the ones who can’t compete with you.”
I felt the comfort of her words wash over me, settling my nerves with ease. “Thank you. I miss you.”
“I’ll be home soon. Hey, before I go… Have you heard from NYU yet?”
“Not yet. Hopefully soon. Maybe without that hanging over my head, I wouldn’t feel so uptight about everything with Oliver.”
“I’ve got my fingers crossed for you, but they’d be crazy to turn you down. Now go tell your new roommate you love him, and then climb him like a tree. Show him what a freak you are!”
“Uh, I think you’ve confused me with yourself,” I teased. “There will be no tree climbing with Oliver Humphries.”
“Suit yourself. Well, at least go rub it in those snotty girls’ faces that you’ve got your rightful place as his best girlfriend, and they ain’t got nothin’ on that.”
“Thanks, sweetheart.”
“Remember, you only live once. Relax, spend time with him. Enjoy yourself, and I mean it. Hey, and don’t be shy. Maybe you catch him sleeping on the couch. Just kiss him! Or even better, girl, suck his popsicle like a lollipop. Every guy loves waking up to that. That’s what Chad told me, anyway. I bet you Oliver won’t say no to that.” She took a deep breath. “That was a lot in one dang breath. I gotta go now. Love you, girl. Bye! Oh, and do everything I would do!”
I laughed and made a kissing noise into the phone, then hung up.
The next morning, I was in a great mood when I woke up earlier than usual to head out for my first day back to work. I was ready to get back in the lab, and the pleasant evening and my brief phone call with Lisa had lifted my spirits even more.
I sang my way through a shower, and even spent a few extra minutes on my hair and makeup. The bonus of having to rebuild my entire wardrobe was that it made me realize how much better I’d gotten at picking out clothes that made me feel great.
I’d thrown on a cute white dress with a green leafy pattern. It wrapped and tied just under my breasts, accentuating them while hitting the rest of my curves in all the perfect places. Admiring my reflection in the mirror, I let out a big sigh and smiled. I looked damn good. And I had another few new dresses hanging in the closet that I was saving for special occasions. What that occasion would be—I had no idea. It was the kind of morning where it felt like anything was possible.
Creeping out of my bedroom, I noticed Oliver was asleep on the couch. He must have watched late-night TV and passed out. I stared at him longingly for a moment before snapping myself out of it and heading to the kitchen to prepare a batch of breakfast muffins and coffee. I knew Oliver would love them. I even added bananas into the mix because they were his favorite. I loved making breakfast for him—it was the least I could do after he’d let me stay at his place rent free. Well, and I enjoyed cooking. While the muffins were baking, I pulled out the stationary and a pen I’d stashed away in his junk drawer—he never used it, anyway—and started writing today’s note.
Yep, I was the dork who’d spend hours searching for the perfect postcards for my friends. I loved it! I was also the person who liked to send “real” letters (yes, handwritten and in an envelope) rather than email. It felt so impersonal otherwise, and I added my own flair to everything, just for fun. Because who wanted boring? Not me. Oliver had always thought it was goofy, but I’d done it anyway just to annoy him, in a joking way of course. I knew it was much too girly for him to ever write notes or letters, but oh, well, it wouldn’t spoil my fun!
I read the note back to myself after I’d finished and laughed at my Star Wars reference. Which made me think of a perfect Netflix night—one he wouldn’t object to. Yes.
Hey, Nerf herder!
Have an awesome day!
Don’t give your employees too much BS.
Oh, and don’t mess up that new business deal.
Ha!
Laney
Setting my note on the countertop next to the coffee maker, I pulled the muffins out of the oven and placed them on a cooling rack. After making sure
everything was good to go, I headed back to the living room. I tried my best not to wake him as I walked over and admired how painfully gorgeous he looked, even when he was out cold.
Brushing his sandy-blond hair away from his face, I pulled a blanket from the back of the couch and draped it across his shoulders. As I leaned over him, another strong desire hit me. And I almost laughed out loud when I remembered Lisa’s suggestion. Okay, here I go… I wouldn’t kiss his lips, but how about his cheek? Just a quick peck? Yeah. That sounded good. You got this, girl.
Unable to resist, I pressed my lips softly to his stubbled face. I couldn’t help but think of what his full lips would feel like against mine, his mouth on my skin, being with him. I sighed, allowing the fantasy to linger in my mind for only a moment. Just as I pulled away, I jumped at the sight of his eyes opened wide, glaring at me. My lips parted to try and offer some kind of explanation or apology, but he quickly groaned and rolled over, shutting his eyes tight as he pulled the blanket over his head.
A second later, I could hear him snoring from under the cover.
Swiftly shaking it off, I headed for the door. What was I thinking being such a creeper?
At least I didn’t go through with Lisa’s other suggestion. Oh, my gosh. I almost snorted, imagining his face waking up to that surprise.
It was strange being back in the lab, working late after everybody else had gone home. It was the same scene from the night Mr. Cruz had called to give me the bad news about my apartment. I found myself being jumpy and oddly afraid to be in there all alone, as if the next bad thing could creep up and surprise me at any moment. But I did my best to shrug off the feeling and ordered a turkey on rye with a side salad from the trendy new sandwich shop down the block (they delivered), before diving back into work.
