Tanner snickered. “I’d say. You still hold the controlling interest, and you managed to pay me back in the first year. I’m only glad I was able to land a job with you.”
I grinned. “It helps that you’re friends with the boss.”
“Speaking of which, boss man, I can’t believe you’re standing back here. You should get out there and mingle. Sasha has a hot friend here with her, too.” He moved forward, and I followed.
“Sasha?” I gave him a puzzled look. I hadn’t met any Sasha.
“Yeah, Becky’s sister. The gorgeous woman who was just with me.”
I’d already forgotten about her. There were tons of beauties at the party, and while I’d mostly only invited my workers, I’d had Tanner help me include some of our other friends for fun. Tanner and I had slept with a few of them, and it looked like several of my single associates were about to get lucky.
“She’s special,” said Tanner in a daze.
“Oh, right. The third one of the week.” He had been getting more pussy than me lately, and that wasn’t usually the case. He usually let the ladies trip him up with strings, and I had no desire to be tied down to a woman like that. Or any woman for that matter. It wasn’t that I didn’t want a deeper relationship, but I knew finding the perfect person who was made for me would be a challenge. It would take just as much hard work as starting my business if it was possible at all. “I’m good, man.”
“Come on, man. You haven’t dated a woman in way too long. There’s a running bet at the office that you’re into men, and in case you haven’t noticed, Becky is having more fun than you.”
That made me laugh. He knew damned well I liked to keep my personal life private, and while I’d been with many women lately, I hadn’t officially dated any of them. I also didn’t have cause to invite any of the women I’d been with to my job and preferred that most didn’t know a whole lot about me. That was something they had to earn.
“You should go find Sasha and make sure that she’s not already moved on to another.” I liked to fuck with him, and the look on his face was worth it.
He looked out across the crowd, and sure enough, sexy Sasha was standing with the contortionist who was wrapped around her like a snake.
“Dammit,” he said. “I really like her.” We both watched as Sasha moved her body slowly, grinding against the human rubber band like he was her biggest fantasy. She looked across the room to Tanner and curled her finger, but he shook his head.
The music changed, and few of my wilder guests started dancing around the fire breather. When I looked up, Becky laughed as he rubbed his face in her tits. The crowd cheered, and before I knew it, there were others grinding on the man, and they had all started chanting.
Some of the associates grabbed Tanner and pulled him over to the makeshift dance floor with them, including Sasha who wrapped her arms around him and kissed him hard and deep.
I looked around the room and realized I had eyes all over me, and while I could take my pick of any of the ladies in the room, I wasn’t about to dip my toes in the company water. Not only did I have to work with these people, but I had to lead them. Besides, I was growing tired of the same old hookups with shallow women whose only talent was putting their whole fist in their mouth or tying cherry stems with their tongues. Boring.
I needed something deeper. Maybe it was because I was seeing that one dream had come true, and I couldn’t stop wondering what was coming next. My projects were all on track, and life was good. Too bad I didn’t have anyone to truly share it with.
Chapter 2
Jessica
There was nothing like being woken up by a dog and a six-year-old boy at seven-thirty on a Saturday morning, but that was my life. I opened my eyes to see that it was, in fact, the dog who sat on my chest, and as I pushed him away, Camden jumped up and down beside me, shaking the bed. “Can we go to the park today?”
“Get off of me, Max.” I pushed the golden retriever, hoping he would take the hint, but he laid there like a big lump, breathing his doggie breath in my face. “Honey, it’s still early. I’ve told you not to wake me up before eight on Saturdays, and Max should already be outside.”
“But I’m used to getting up for school, and it’s not fair to make me sit around being bored while you’re asleep. Besides, teacher says that early to bed and early to rise makes you healthy, wealthy, and wise.”
I let out a groan. “I’ll remember that the next time you want to stay up late.”
“I already took Max out, but Mr. Ryan is outside in his underwear again, and nobody wants to see that. Not even the dog.” He had a point, and I had told him to get in the house when the old man came out half-dressed. Mr. Ryan had been our neighbor for years and was at the age that he made no apologies and, unfortunately, had a hard time putting on pants.
“Fine, I’ll get up.” As soon as the words left my mouth, Max jumped down from the bed and padded his way to the door as if waiting on me to follow.
Camden jumped up and down, still wearing his airplane pajamas. “So, this means we can go to the park today?” The look of excitement was so intense that I hated to dampen his spirits.
“I’m sorry, Cam. I can’t. I have a wedding today, and I’m meeting the bride at noon.”
His joy had turned to sadness in a blink, and he stared up at me with big blue eyes just like his father’s and pleaded, “Can’t we go before? Just for a little while?”
“It’s the weekend, Cam. We’ve talked about how most of my events are going to be on Saturdays, remember? I’ll make it up to you tomorrow.”
“But they won’t have the planes there tomorrow.” His shoulders slumped, and he looked to the floor.
“Planes? They’ll have planes there today?”
“Yes! And it’s only today.” He took off to the living room where we kept his backpack for school, and after taking it off its hook, he unzipped it and searched inside. “See! Teacher reminded us yesterday.”
I took the flyer and read the advertisement. The Little Wings, a remote-control airplane club, would be at the park from eleven till four. “I’m so sorry, sweetie, but this is happening right when I have to be at the wedding.”
His shoulders slumped again, and he slouched so deeply I thought he might sink into the floor. He was already close enough to it that it wouldn’t take much. “Can’t they get a different person to take their pictures?” he asked with a sorrowful expression.
“We need the money, Cam, and with me getting laid off from the clinic, I need these big weddings. I’m sorry.” I hated having to apologize for making the money that we needed, but I knew that our time together was just as important. He was still too young to understand bills and making ends meet, and I surely didn’t want him to worry over such things, but I had always tried to be real with him.
“Could Aunt Leslie take me?” He looked up to me with those big blue eyes, so much like his father’s, as a dull pain from missing him burned in my chest.
“I’ll mention it, but she may already have plans for you, and if she does, I don’t want you to beg her.” She’d already picked up enough slack for the fact that I was a single parent, and I honestly didn’t know how I would have made it through all these years without her helping me out.
“Yes, ma’am.” He turned and walked to his room slowly, like the weight of the whole world was on his shoulders, yet strangely, I felt it on mine as well.
Max gave a whimper and followed behind him.
I went to the bedroom and got my phone from where I’d plugged it in the night before, and then I went to the back door and called for Max. He needed his exercise in the yard, and I needed to try and make my little boy happy. Knowing that Leslie was an early riser, I dialed Leslie’s number as I sat on the back-patio chair as Max ran around the small yard.
Leslie answered with more energy and enthusiasm than I’d ever had before eight in the morning. “Hey, bestie! You’re up before eight on a Saturday? Should I mark this on the calendar?”
“Am I so a
wful for wanting a bit of extra sleep on the weekends? You and my son make it sound like it’s a grave sin.”
She giggled. “I don’t blame you at all. I envy you, though, because my body clock is set, and there’s no changing it for the weekend.”
“You sound like my son.”
She slurped, and I imagined her sitting at her kitchen table with her fluffy robe and her red hair piled high on her head like a fifties housewife, sipping from her favorite kitty cat mug. “How is the little scamp this morning?”
“Pouting and near tears.” I hated to admit that I’d already made him so unhappy and the day had barely started.
“Sounds like you’re a terrible mother,” she said with a teasing tone. “What can Auntie Leslie do to save the day this time?”
I let out a long sigh. “That makes me think I’ve asked for far too many favors.”
“Nonsense, you’re like a sister, and that little boy is like my own, so tell me what the problem is.”
“There’s an event at the park. It’s a bunch of remote-controlled airplanes putting on a miniature air show. Camden wanted me to take him, but I have this wedding today and no time. I thought since you’re watching him for me, maybe you could take him?”
“It sounds like fun to me. I love airplanes, and there’s bound to be a few hot men there, right?”
Or a bunch of fathers and sons? “Yes, I’m sure you’ll meet Mr. Right.”
“I’ve always wanted to date a man who owned his own plane,” she said with a laugh.
“Haven’t we all.” Once our giggling died down, I let out a sigh of relief. “Thanks, Leslie. I don’t know what I’d do without you sometimes.”
“It’s no problem. Like I said, we’re family. We’re just about all we’ve got, and besides, I know you’d do the same for me.”
“I’ll let you tell Cam about it.” I thought that maybe she could surprise him and be his hero.
“No, I’ll be a while, yet. You go in there and tell him that you worked something out for him. I don’t mind playing the hero, but he needs to see how much you care.”
“Thanks.” She wasn’t just my best friend because she took care of me, but because she had always respected me and wanted what was best for me and Cam.
When my husband had died, she stayed with me the entire time, driving me to the hospital to sign a million papers, and then later the next day to call our families and arrange a funeral. Since then, his parents hadn’t had much to do with me, and I think it was more to do with Camden being a painful reminder of Cameron. They had loved their son so much and never had approved of his marriage to me after such a short engagement. He’d also given up finding work in his field of study to make money at the warehouse when I became pregnant sooner than they liked. And deep down, I think they blamed me and the pregnancy for his death.
But that was fine with me as long as I didn’t have to see them. I didn’t need them and their judgmental bullshit.
“I’m going to get ready in about ten, and then I’ll be on my way.”
“You’re a lifesaver. I’ll go let him know he needs to get ready too.” We said our goodbyes and then I called for Max, who followed me back in the house.
“Come on, boy. Let’s go tell Cam the good news.” I went down the hall with the dog following along behind me.
I knocked on the door before pushing it open. “Hey, champ.”
Camden was lying in bed, staring up at his model plane we’d hung from the ceiling. He’d put on his Red Sox hat that his father had bought for him before he was born, and his little face looked so much like his father’s that it was often painful. And yet, at the very same time, it was wonderful to look at him. “I talked to Aunt Leslie. She’s going to take you to the park today.”
His head snapped around, and he widened his eyes. “Really?”
“Yes, really. She’s going to be over soon, and when she gets here, I want you to give her a big hug and thank her.”
He got up and moved off the bed and then ran across the room and into my arms. “Thank you, Mama!”
“I want you to be on your best behavior, and don’t stray too far from Aunt Leslie.” I was always afraid of losing him too, and it had made me a rather overly protective mother.
He hugged me tightly. “I will, Mama! I promise.” He ran to his closet and found his shoes.
“While I know the Little Wings are going to appreciate your enthusiasm, you should probably change into some jeans and lose the jammies.”
He looked down at himself and laughed. Then he slapped his forehead and gave his best Homer Simpson’s Doh! “I forgot.”
“I’ll get you some breakfast.” I left him with his excitement and went to the kitchen to make his breakfast.
After we ate, and Leslie came over to eat the last few slices of bacon, I hurried to get ready.
While I was still in my room stepping into my dress, Leslie knocked softly on my door. “Hey, you.”
“Come on in,” I called while zipping up my dress.
Leslie walked in and came to give me a hand with the zipper, which was stuck in just the right unreachable part of my back. “I’ve sent the little one for a final potty break before we go. Did you need any help loading up the car before we leave?”
I straightened out my dress as she stepped away. “No, thanks. You two go and have fun. I only have a couple of things, and most of it is in my case.”
“Okay, then we’re going to go down and see if we can’t get good parking. I promised him I’d stop and get us some snacks on the way.”
“Do you need money?”
“No, I’ve got it.” She waved her hand dismissively, but I walked across the room to my purse and found a twenty-dollar bill.
“Here, take this in case he wants something else. I didn’t ask you so you’d pay for everything.”
She rolled her eyes and took the twenty, tucking it into her pocket. “You look like a million bucks, Jessica. You’ll have all the men turning their heads to look at you instead of the bride.”
“Is it too much?” I had always tried to wear simple party dresses, something that wasn’t too revealing or too short and tight.
“No, it’s perfect.”
Camden ran into the room. “Come on, Aunt Leslie.”
“You better come and hug me goodbye, you little stinker.” I gave a smile and, when he came closer, reached out and thumped the bill of his Red Sox cap.
He fell against me, wrapping his arms around my waist. “You look great, mama.”
“Thank you. Have fun you two.”
Leslie took Camden’s hand. “Come on Cam-Cam. Let’s go see some planes.”
I watched them go, wishing I could go with them, but after one more quick turn in the mirror and putting on my jewelry, I wasn’t far behind them.
Twenty minutes later, I carried my bag out to the car and headed across town to the venue which was already decorated for the big event. And as I walked down the aisle to see where I could find the prettiest backdrop, I couldn’t help but think of Cameron. We would have been married for seven years by then, and I didn’t think I’d ever be able to do a wedding where I didn’t get misty-eyed over missing him.
Chapter 3
Cole
I had just come out of a meeting when Tanner poked his head into my office. “That party was a smash, my friend. Everyone is still talking about it.”
“I thought you said I might have overdone it,” I teased.
Tanner walked over and took a seat in his usual chair in front of my desk. “You could have used one less fire-breathing contortionist.”
“But then who would Sasha have gone home with?” His date ended up having one too many, and after she’d gotten stumbling drunk, Tanner had left her to fend for herself.
“I hate a sloppy drunk, and besides, she was probably a better match to Dragon, the fire-breather, than me. I did have a lot of fun with her friend, though. She wasn’t much of a drinker, and well, let’s just say the next time you want a co
ntortionist, I’ll hire her. I folded her in so many positions that I thought she might break.”
I chuckled. “Sounds like you had a good time.”
He leaned forward in his chair. “Did you?”
“I did.” I gave a shrug. “We’ll have to do it again. It was all money well spent.”
He met my eyes directly. “You know what I mean, Cole.”
And I did. “I don’t have to sleep with a different woman every night to be happy.”
“No, but it sure helps. And this isn’t like you. You’ve never gone home alone from a party, and I’d have imagined that since the party was hosted at your house, you’d have two or three find their way into your bed.”
I leaned back in my chair and looked up to the ceiling. He would never understand.
He huffed like he was offended. “What’s with that look?”
I met his eyes. “Does it ever get boring to you?”
“What? Having beautiful women drape themselves all over me, or being dick-deep in pussy?”
“I mean the way they only do it because of your money? And not only that, but it’s the type of women. I want to meet someone with a personality for a change, someone whose hobby isn’t bending over and touching her toes or locking her ankles behind her head.”
“Have you fucked Sasha’s friend?” He eyed me suspiciously. “She did something like that. It was creepy but hot.”
I shook my head. “No, but the fact that you’ve only called her Sasha’s friend makes me think that you don’t know her name.”
He waved his hand dismissively. “I’ve got it written down with her number.”
I slapped my palm down on my desk. “See, that’s what I mean. I want to be with a woman whose name I don’t want to forget. And I’ve decided that until I meet her, I’ll just continue to focus on my job.”
“I get it, okay? And I didn’t come in here to grill you about your sex life, or lack thereof, I wanted to talk to you about another event.”
“What kind of event?” I hoped he didn’t want to plan another wild party so soon. I had only intended to do that kind of blowout once per year. My employees were wonderful, but my groundskeeper was still washing puke off my sidewalk from the lightweights.
Made for Me Page 3
