“Nothing I can’t handle.” I say. I’m extra careful never to be alone in a house with that guy as he can only paw me with his purvey little hands, so much in front of others.
“Be careful.” He says his protective side showing.
“I always am.”
My cousin Aaron recently married my best friend Piper. I set them up. I am, I’ll have you know, gifted in the art of match-making. Piper runs a chain of pie trucks, Piper’s Pied Pies, that have just been franchised into a national business and my cousin is a cute and wealthy lawyer. Since I matched them up I also paired Piper’s off-sider Lucy up with another of our friends Chase. They’re the fifth couple I’ve matched in as many years.
That’s such good news for them, but now all my closest friends are in relationships and that leaves only me single. I guess it’s a bit like doctors not treating themselves. I can’t quite seem to find someone, anyone, I like. I get plenty of offers. I am, after all a successful business woman who dresses daily in killer heels and tight dresses. I am also, if I do say so myself fantastic at both flirting and dancing. The problem is if I meet another slick guy in a suit who thinks he’s all that and a bag of chips, well, I think I’ll puke.
My family of course wants me to marry a nice Italian boy. That is not ever going to happen. I love my mad, crazy family but I do not want to marry into someone else’s. Two families like mine; I can’t even imagine what that would be like. Two sets of mothers and Nona’s meddling, two groups of relatives asking you when you were having babies, two opinions on how I should be home with the kids and not building my empire. I do not think so.
I know what I don’t want, but I don’t know what I do want. Well, I have inkling. There was someone once who I thought might have been right but I was eighteen and young and I guess naive. Still, the truth is, I haven’t met anyone who has lit my fire like that since. I guess I don’t need a guy like that, what I need is a guy who makes me feel like that.
Easier said than done.
“So Aaron, here to pick up Piper? She’s working late.” I say glancing at my watch.
“Yeah some big wig from head office is in to talk marketing and branding with her. They’re meeting me here and we’re going out to dinner.”
“She’ not exactly trying to impress him bringing him here.” I say laughing. O’Shaunnessy’s is our favorite hangout but with its cracked vinyl booths, beaten up bar and rows of televisions it isn’t exactly swanky.
“He wants to see the company’s origins and wants to keep its grass-roots feel so she’s obliging him.”
“Typical advertising speak,” I say polishing off the scant remains of my martini.
Aaron shrugs and sips his beer. I flag down another martini as Piper enters the bar. She thinks I’m waving and waves back.
“They’re here.” I say to Aaron. His face lights up like the loved-up newlywed he is. Whenever Piper is in the vicinity he gushes. It’s disgustingly cute. On days like this, I have to remind myself that I did this. I put them together and now I must suffer silently through the sight of their joy.
“Hey,” Piper says in her adorable Australian accent. I think part of the reason I befriended Piper was that cute voice. There is a man behind her but I can’t see him yet. “Guys this is Luke from Head office. Luke this is my husband Aaron and my friend Cherie.”
Luke steps in to view and I try not to be sick. Luke is the very Luke I was in love with at eighteen. The only man who ever made my heart go pitter pat, just before he broke it of course. I see a blink of recognition before he very professionally extends his hand to Aaron who is on his feet ready to shake. “Nice to meet you Aaron.”
“Hi.” Is all I say.
Where is that second martini? And why does Luke look even better than he did when he walked out of my life twelve years earlier?
“Nice to see you.” He says.
The seating configuration being what it is, he is forced to slide in next to me when Piper says. “I told Luke we’d have a drink here first, Aaron.”
I am sitting next to Luke. I’m trying to inch as far into the corner of the booth as I can. I decide to move my briefcase from the wall to the side between us. A shield, if you will, from the sight and smell of Luke. Luke is wearing a pair of jeans, some leather loafers and a sky blue polo shirt. I can tell by looking that all are insanely expensive. His dark blond hair is longer than I remember it but the blue eyes remain as magnificent as I I recall.
Well, at least sitting next to Luke for all of thirty seconds has confirmed my libido isn’t dead. Unfortunately it only seems to fire up when he’s in town. That is really, very bad news.
Aaron is asking them about their day and despite the huge, epic nature of this moment for me, normal conversation is proceeding around me. It is bizarre.
“Hey Cherie,” I pull myself back to the moment and focus on Piper. “Do you want to join us for dinner?”
“Thanks, but not tonight. Huge day today. Huge day tomorrow.” That last part wasn’t exactly true but a girl has to do what a girl has to do.
“What do you do?” Luke asks me.
Piper who is my biggest cheerleader saves me from speaking again. “Ohmygosh, Cherie is like the best real estate agent ever. She rented me my space, which is how we met. She’s the go to girl for all real estate in this area.”
“Wow,” Luke says his face looking surprised. How dare he be surprised. “Good for you.”
“Yeah well, I’m lucky I do something I love.” I can see he wants to say something, but he doesn’t. “Anyway, I might make tracks. I’m exhausted.”
“You didn’t drink your martini,” Aaron says.
“You know I’m so tired that last one just hit me hard, better safe than sorry. Excuse me Luke.” Another lie. I’ll be mainlining pinot Gris the minute I get home. He stands so I can get out of my corner. He doesn’t move that far away and offers his hand to me. I hand him the briefcase. There will be no touching. I’m already losing my mind. I can’t touch Luke that would be too much.
“Okay,” Piper says but I can see she’s disappointed. I can usually be relied upon to come to any dinner, tell fun stories and joke with any guy; it’s almost inevitable with me. Well, not this time.
Luke hands me the briefcase and our fingers touch. Zing-bam boom I feel a buzz from my cheeks to my lady parts down below. Can this get any worse?
“Well, maybe I’ll see you again.” Luke says but there’s a question in there. Does he really think I want to see him again? He dumped me. He left me without saying good-bye. He, yeah dammit, he broke my heart. I will be actively avoiding this guy. I just give him the raised eyebrows that say ‘really.’
“Bye guys, enjoy your night.” I say trying to breeze out of there. I’m aware that Luke is watching me leave. I can feel his eyes on my back. Hopefully I look amazing in this dress. I want that the man can see what he missed. He can look if he wants but he definitely cannot touch this ever again.
Table of Contents
Any Way You Dream It, Copyright Monique McDonell
Dedication
Table of Contents
Prologue
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Epilogue
Acknowledgements
About the Author – Monique McDonell
Excerpt: Any Way You Fight It
McDonell, Any Way You Dream It: An Upper Crust Novel - Book 2 (Upper Crust Series)
Any Way You Dream It: An Upper Crust Novel - Book 2 (Upper Crust Series) Page 19
