by Jenna Reed
“Goddammit, Erica,” Jackson said. “You ran off before he woke up and didn’t stop to ask him whether or not he was clean or had been tested recently?”
“Tested recently?” I asked. “Is that something you do regularly?”
Jackson stared at me like I was an idiot. “Of course I do. I’m not stupid enough to trust every woman I sleep with who says she’s clean.”
Maybe talking to my doctor wouldn’t be as embarrassing as I thought it might be. Considering Jackson’s admission, I asked, “Do you think Rhett does the same?”
“He better,” Jackson growled. When I gave him a warning look, he stifled some of his anger and thought about the question. “Rhett Banks is an asshole, but I don’t think he’s that careless. He’d want to protect himself as well as the women he sleeps with.”
I sighed in relief. Given that Rhett and Jackson were cut from the same cloth when it came to that, I trusted his assessment.
“That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t talk to your doctor,” my big brother said emphatically. “Or that you shouldn’t just ask Rhett yourself.”
“I’m not calling him.”
“Then ask Cody,” he countered.
I scrunch my nose. “I’m not telling anyone else about this, and neither are you. Got it?”
Shaking his head at me, Jackson knew how stubborn I could be. “Fine.”
I poured two cups of coffee and handed him one. “Thank you.”
He sighed. “Just don’t ever do something like this again, okay?”
“Trust me,” I said with a scoff, “I won’t.”
4
Rhett
The smell of coffee drifted into the bedroom, stirring me from sleep. Normally a morning person, I couldn’t immediately remember why I felt so groggy and exhausted. Stiff muscles and a satisfied feeling reminded me and a grin spread across my face as I rolled over onto my back.
“Erica,” I mumbled, “want some coffee?”
When she didn’t reply, I pushed up onto my elbow and glanced to the side. Surprised to find the bed empty, I had to pause and wonder why I was surprised. The women I slept with didn’t usually sleep over. Why would I expect Erica to stay? But I remembered passing out next to her and hearing her even breathing before I succumbed to exhaustion as well. The thought of waking up next to her hadn’t been unappealing. For some reason, it irritated me that she had left without saying anything.
Maybe she’d just gotten up, smelled the coffee before I did, and went to get a cup. The preprogrammed coffee machine held coffee strong enough to wake up anyone. Swiping my pants from the floor, I tugged them on and went in search of Erica.
My apartment wasn’t large, and I preferred a minimalist style. So, when I entered the common area and found it empty, there weren’t many other places to look for Erica. Even so, I checked the master bathroom and guest bath, even the pantry. Frustration I didn’t understand crept under my skin. Where was she? Why had she left without a word? We’d had an amazing night together. I didn’t do the friends-with-benefits thing often, but I was certainly willing to consider it with Erica. She’d left without giving me a chance to suggest it.
Shuffling back into the bedroom, I stared at the clothes scattered across the floor. All mine except for the white, lace panties I’d stripped off Erica the previous night. Only the corner stuck out from under the bedspread, which had been kicked to the floor. It suggested she’d left in a rush. Why? Irritated all over again, I busied myself with cleaning up the mess, scooping up all the clothes and tossing them in the hamper. It wasn’t until I turned back around that I saw my wallet lying on the floor as well.
Reaching for it, I grabbed the corner and flipped it up into my hand. The crinkly wrapper of a condom made a slight sound when it fell back to the carpet. I paused and stared at it. My mind ran back through everything I’d just picked up. I looked in the trash can to see if anything had been tossed in their last night and I simply couldn’t remember. It was empty. All I’d picked up from the floor were clothes. No wrappers, no used condoms.
Shit.
Was that why she bolted? Sitting down on the end of the bed, I tossed the wallet onto the mattress and scrubbed a hand through my hair. Erica had teased me all during the wedding, and I’d teased her right back. She could be fiery when she wanted, but I had gathered that it wasn’t often she let that side of herself take control. Waking up to realize we’d had unprotected sex must have made her panic.
I knew exactly what my reputation was with women. I’d worked hard to cultivate it. What someone like Erica might not understand is that while I slept with plenty of women, I was careful in selecting partners and protecting myself. She wasn’t at any risk from me, unless she hadn’t been on birth control. That realization slapped me across the face. How could I have forgotten to put on a condom? It was my first rule.
Always use a condom.
Always leave them wanting more.
Always man up.
I lived by those rules. I’d never made this mistake before. Shocked, I struggled to wrap my head around the possible consequences. While I doubted that I was at risk of contracting anything from Erica, what if she got pregnant? Was she on birth control? Would she have gone home with me last night if she weren’t?
That question stalled some of my panic. Erica was a smart girl. She had a career. She didn’t want a relationship. She was adventurous and willing to play with fire. I couldn’t imagine that she wasn’t on birth control. It wouldn’t make sense for her not to be. Right?
Slowly, my pulse slowed and my mind calmed.
Now that I’d settled that concern, I wondered what I should do next. What did you say to a woman after having unprotected sex and she runs off before you wake up? Did you say anything at all, or save her the embarrassment of bringing it back up? Having never been in such a situation before, I didn’t have a clue. Her sneaking out suggested she didn’t want to talk to me at the moment. Maybe I should just let it be, at least for a few days.
Besides, I didn’t even have her number. Getting it would require talking to Cody or Sophia, who were on their honeymoon. That wouldn’t go over well. Especially if they asked what I needed her number for. No, I decided, it was better to wait. I could bring it up casually when they got back into town. Give Erica some time. Invite her to lunch in a few weeks and clear the air. Everything would be fine. Maybe we’d even have a little fun again.
Satisfied with my plan, I headed back to the kitchen for coffee and breakfast. When I reached the kitchen and saw the time, I grimaced. I couldn’t spend all day worrying. I had a game to get to.
“Glad you could make it,” Travis mocked when I hurried into the dugout with several large bags of baseball equipment. “Practice started fifteen minutes ago.”
I dropped the bags and the dozen seven-to-nine-year-olds in the dugout pounced on it. “Sorry, man,” I said to Travis, clapping him on the back. “Crazy morning.”
He shook his head. “Who was she?”
Grinning, I pushed away the condom issue and focused on the incredible night of sex. “Sophia’s maid of honor.”
Travis’s brows rose. “Must have been memorable. Haven’t seen you look that happy in a while.”
“Definitely a night I won’t forget any time soon,” I agreed. “We barely made it out of the church.”
Shaking his head, Travis tossed me a glove. “You can regale me with the details later. Let’s get these kids warmed up.”
Right. The ball game. Remembering Erica’s tight body and ample curves would have to wait. Taking a few deep breaths to clear my mind of Erica, I turned my focus to the upcoming game. Travis was already out on the field tossing the ball back and forth to the kids. I tucked my glove under my arm and grabbed a bat.
We’d been working with this group of kids all summer, and they’d come a long way. We still had two more months of games to get their skills up to where they needed to be. Walking out onto the diamond, I scanned the team spread over the field. Most were small and scrawny. Only a few h
ad even played baseball before this summer. We lost nearly every game, but they were getting closer to being competitive and I felt a swell of pride as I watched one little boy catch the ball Travis had tossed. He was so pleased with himself that he jumped in the air, his eyes lit up with joy.
Smiling as I approached the home plate, I called a few kids over and started hitting grounders to them. They missed most of the first round. As they loosened up and listened to me call out directions on how to anticipate the direction and get in front of ball, fewer balls were lost to the outfield. By the time the umpire told us to clear the field for the game, the boys were excited and ready to play.
As the boys piled into the dugout to get their batting gear on, I handed out granola bars and reminded them that there were waters and sports drinks in the cooler. They dug in without hesitation. Travis and I took turns bringing snacks and lunches for after the game. We also split the cost of all the equipment we knew the kids’ families couldn’t afford. It wasn’t required by the league, but Travis and I had both grown up playing ball and knew how out of reach this sport could be to families who could barely afford to put food on the table.
I could be an asshole in many aspects of my life. This just wasn’t one of them.
Handing Travis the lineup, I waited for him to look it over and nod before calling out the first name. “Skyler, you’re up first!”
The little guy popped up from the bench and reached for a bat that was nearly as tall as him. I snagged it from his hand as he ran by and handed him one more appropriate for his size. He grumbled at my choice, but didn’t argue. For such a small kid, he always wanted the biggest and best of everything. I chuckled inwardly and squatted down to meet his gaze.
“Watch the ball, okay? Don’t close your eyes this time.”
“Keep your feet closer together, too,” Travis added.
I held back another chuckle at that piece of advice. I still remembered Skyler coming up to bat for the first time and looking like he was attempting to do the splits.
“Let’s go, little dude,” I said and gave him a nudge out of the dugout.
I followed behind, ready to direct him if he actually got a hit.
He didn’t, but he bounced back into the dugout with a smile on his face, glad he hadn’t fallen over when swinging this time. As the game progressed, only one player managed to get on base, but five got hits. For them, it was a win, and they trooped over to the picnic tables laughing and congratulating each other on their accomplishments. Travis and I joined in as we passed out sandwiches and juice boxes. The few parents who were able to come to the games added in their praise and thanked us for working with the kids.
“I might have to miss the next season,” Travis said out of the blue.
“Yeah? Why?” He always loved doing this, so his statement truly took me by surprise.
“My dad ask me to come home for a couple months and help him with a project. They just retired, but getting restless. My mom always loved gardening so my dad is planning on building a greenhouse or two. Big enough to make a small business out of it.”
“You don’t seem too excited about it.”
“I’m excited to see my family and friends, but Cedar Falls is a small town and I’m not excited to see everyone there.”
“Ahh… what’s her name?” I smirked.
“That obvious, huh?” Travis shook his head. “It’s a long story, reserved for another day.”
I nodded, taking his hint that he didn’t want to talk about it right now. As I sat down with my sandwich, my thoughts turned back to earlier that morning. I’d panicked when I realized we’d forgotten to use a condom. The possibility of a pregnancy had shocked me. I watched the boys make messes of their lunches and talk with their mouths open. I loved coaching them. Volunteering and sharing what I knew about baseball not only felt good, it gave me a sense of purpose.
I’d never considered the possibility of doing the same thing for a child of my own. Sure, one of my rules was to always man up if it did happen, but it had never been something I actively wanted. This was enough for me. I contributed to society without it interfering with the rest of my life.
“You’re awfully quiet all of the sudden.” He glanced over at me, taking in my serious expression. “Everything okay?”
I looked over at him and tried to shake my thoughts away. “What? Yeah. I’m fine.”
“Still thinking about that girl from last night?” Travis mocked, asking me the same question I asked him a few minutes ago, “What was her name?”
“Erica,” I answer, smiling, “And no, I wasn’t.” Not exactly.
Travis clearly didn’t believe me, but didn’t press either. We’d been friends too long for that. He knew that if I wanted to talk, I would. There really wasn’t anything to say, though. I’d told him Erica and I had slept together, but I wasn’t the kind of guy who went around glory mongering and oversharing details that were better left in the bedroom. Besides, I’d already decided it was a non-issue. No reason to keep thinking about it. Erica and I had spent an amazing night together, and that was it.
5
Erica
I glanced over at my phone when a notification sounded, and smiled when I saw a text from Sophia. Tapping the notification, I opened the message, glad for a break from lesson planning.
Hey girl! Home and recovered from jet lag. Lunch?
I snatched the phone from the table and starting typing immediately.
Absolutely! I’m dying for a reason to get out of my apartment and away from lesson plans! Giorgio's in twenty?
Sophia’s reply was immediate. See you then!
Pushing the books and papers off my lap, I abandoned them for later and stretched my back. I’d been hunched over for too many hours. The new school year was still six weeks away, but I was struggling to get everything done in time, thanks to my boss. Shaking off the stress and worry, I hustled into my bedroom and changed out of old yoga pants and the stained t-shirt I was wearing for something more appropriate for leaving the house. I was racing out of my little apartment five minutes later.
By the time I pushed into Giorgio's Café, Sophia was already seated at a table. She waved me over and stood when I approached. After a quick hug, she urged me to sit down, looking as if she were ready to burst.
“How was the honeymoon?” I asked.
That was all it took to set Sophia to gushing. “It was amazing, Erica! I never wanted to leave. A whole island to ourselves, I couldn’t believe it. I thought Cody was joking when he said he’d booked an island. It was perfect, though. Of course, the island was tiny, just our little bungalow and the staff quarters, but it was pure heaven for two weeks.”
“That’s amazing, Phi. You both deserved the break.” I was smiling almost as much as she was, imagining two weeks on an island by myself…or maybe not by myself. I wondered what Rhett was up to for a split-second before banishing him from my mind.
Still too wrapped up in her post-vacation bliss, Sophia missed my lapse in concentration and continued on. “After the insanity of planning the wedding and starting our own business, I think we were both ready to lose our minds. Even while we were gone, not worrying about the store was almost impossible. Even though we trust Caleb to take care of things when we’re not there, the store is our baby. It was our first stop when we got back.”
“And everything was fine?” I asked, even though I’d been checking in on the store for them during the past two weeks.
Sophia laughed. “Of course it was.”
“All that worrying for nothing.” I spotted a waitress approaching and heard my stomach growl.
“Hungry?” Sophia laughed.
“Busy morning,” I said.
“What can I get you two ladies?” the waitress asked. Sophia and I met at Giorgio's often enough that neither of us needed the menu. We rattled off our drink and food choices and the waitress moved on to the next table.
“Why so busy?” Sophia asked. “You’re on summer break! Doing
nothing for two months is just about the only perk of your job.”
I sighed and wanted to bang my head against the table. “Remember how I was looking forward to my second year of teaching because I wouldn’t have to plan everything from scratch and might actually get to enjoy the summer?”
Sophia’s expression turned wary. “Yeah.”
“Well, one of the fifth grade teachers decided to retire last week, without notice, and the principal decided I was going to take over her class,” I explained. “And to make things even worse, the old bat who’s retiring refused to give me any of her old lesson plans.”
Cringing, my best friend was all sympathy. “So you’re starting from scratch, planning for a grade you’ve never taught before.”
I nodded, trying not to pout. Even as a teacher’s assistant, I’d worked in kindergarten and preschool. Fifth graders were a whole other ball game and I felt as if I were drowning.
“That really sucks,” Sophia said as she squeezed my hand. “If there’s anything I can do to help, just say the word. I owe you at least a million favors after everything you did to help us get the store ready.”
I knew she meant it, and I appreciated the offer, but there really wasn’t anything anyone could do. “Just drag me out of my apartment every so often, okay? I’ll go insane if I stay cooped up and stressed out all year, and you know I’m bad about planning things like that.”
Grinning, Sophia held up her pinky. “It’s a deal.”
I hooked my pinky with hers and chuckled. We’d been pinky promising each other anything and everything since the day we met. We were both five when my family moved in next door to hers. I’d been told to play in the backyard while my parents hauled boxes into the house. Imagine my surprise when I bounced down the back porch steps to find another little girl already there, playing in the treehouse built by the previous owners. Sophia had begged me not to tell my parents or she’d get in trouble for leaving her yard again. That pinky promise had been the first of many.
