Romantic Promises (Alluring Promises Series, #2)

by Baker, Janice

  I arrived at Allure a bit early to make sure things were all set up and ready. I was so excited about our first happy hour and hoping that everyone would show up.

  “You doing alright, brother?” Z asked me. I was probably asking the waitresses too many questions to make sure it was all set up. I wanted a major section reserved so that none of my employees had to wonder where to go or how to get their free drinks.

  “Yeah, I want everything to be just right. It’s the first one, so if this one sucks, they won’t bother coming out to the next one,” I told him, letting him know why I was being such a nervous ass in front of his staff.

  “It’s gonna be fine, Matt. We’ve done these before. Just relax. Want a beer?” He motioned over to Mandy and she nodded her head. Izzy came walking out from the back.

  “Yeah, maybe that will help out a little,” I told him.

  Z chuckled. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen you like this.”

  “Perry, my boss, is coming out here too. I want to make a good impression.”

  “I’m sure it’ll be fine,” he said as he clapped me on the back.

  Kara walked in, flashed me a beautiful smile and gave me a hug. “Do you need me to do anything, Matty?”

  “Nah, I think we’re all set,” I said as I glanced over at Izzy. She smiled at me, too. Everyone seemed to be looking at me warily as if I were going to freak out at any moment. I probably should calm down a little bit. I just couldn’t help being nervous about this night for some reason.

  Izzy rubbed my back as she told me, “Everything is all set. We have a sign at the door for your company, directing employees to come over here. It’ll be fine, Matt. Promise.” I nodded knowing she was right and I’m just overreacting. Mandy walked over and handed me a beer.

  “Kara, do you want a beer or your usual Cosmo?”

  “Cosmo, please,” Kara replied with a huge smile.

  “He’s coming tonight, isn’t he?” I asked as I watched her eyes light up and she bit her lip.

  Her smile fell quickly as she asked, “Is that alright? I mean I know he’s not an employee. He can pay for his own drinks.”

  “It’s fine Kara. I was just asking. I may need to size him up you know.” Her eyes sprang open.

  “Matty, don’t mess with him, please!” She begged. I remembered when she used to beg for other things, especially since it wasn’t that long ago. I took a deep breath and sighed.

  “I’m kidding. I’ll be good Kara.” She gave me a nervous smile and nodded her head. Several employees started coming in and both Kara and I greeted them and directed them to Mandy and our other waitress, Ana.

  Finally, Perry walked in. He was with some other guy I didn’t recognize. I walked over immediately and shook Perry’s hand, who quickly gave me a half hug and then pulled back.

  “Matt, this is Ted Nealy. He’s going to take over your territory in Atlanta.” My stomach dropped and I felt like I was kicked hard there. Fuck, my old territory. I plastered on a fake smile and reached my hand out to him.

  “Great. That’s great,” I lied. “You’re going to love it.”

  “So I hear. It’s a great territory. I’m going to hang here this weekend until Tuesday. Do you think you have some time on Monday to go over your customer base and their needs?”

  I nodded my head, my stomach dropping even more as I took a swig of my beer to at least appear calm and cool. “Of course, and if not, I’ll make time.” I gave him a fake smile. I caught Mandy’s eye and waved her over for their drink orders. She took the orders and I watched both guys’ eyes follow her ass as she walked away. I watched Perry shake his head and then he suggested, “How about we go take that table over there and discuss things further. I’m sure Matt has a ton of things he needs to take care of with this event.” Not really, but he obviously didn’t want me at their table right now. I took the hint and walked over towards the entrance.

  Several more employees filtered in and soon enough the party got underway. I made my way to each table, chatting with my employees and getting to know them on a more personal level. I glanced over and saw Kara at a high table with several guys and another female employee. She was smiling bright and having a great time. I was going to walk over, but realized she probably didn’t want me over there imposing on their good time.

  I glanced at the front door and watched Vanessa walk in. She was wearing the same clothes from earlier so she must have come straight from the office. Izzy went up to her and they exchanged conversations, both smiling. I wondered if Izzy even remembered meeting Vanessa at the wedding considering she was pretty drunk at the time.

  Izzy looked over from their conversation and pointed towards me. I realized I had been staring at the both of them and I tried to look away. Vanessa gave a brief smile and strutted towards me.

  “I see the party is underway,” she said with a fake smile as she looked around the room.

  “It is. Did you come here to check up on me? Couldn’t take my word for it that all would be okay?”

  “I’m just doing part of my job, Matt,” she replied under her breath, as she glanced my way.

  I took the last swig from my beer and caught Mandy’s eye, gesturing for another one. “Mmm. She’s pretty. Is she going to be your girl for the night?”

  I pulled my brows together in confusion. “Why would you ask that?” Unless she could tell I’ve already been with Mandy.

  “She just looks like your type.”

  I gave her a disgusted look, unsure of where she was going with this and wondering why we were even discussing my choice of women. “My type? How would you know what my type is?”

  “She’s in the service industry,” Vanessa replied with a smug tone to her voice.

  “Service industry?” I asked, wondering why that mattered at all.

  “Yeah, she’s a waitress. Kara was a stripper and now your assistant. They like to help people out. You seem to like that characteristic – someone who will give you something easily and you don’t have to work too hard at it.”

  “What? Where the hell is your mind, Hargrave?” Her comments assessing me without knowing me were really pissing me off.

  “I’m just calling it like I see it, Williams.” Vanessa shrugged and started to walk off.

  I mumbled as she was leaving, “You don’t know what you’re talking about at all.”

  I was more than annoyed with our little back and forth bickering, I walked off to where Izzy was standing near the hallway. There was a side entrance too, but I had no desire to go there where people might be standing off to the side having their smoke, so I continued walking towards the back of the bar where deliveries are made. Pissed as hell and wanting to just hit something out of pure frustration, I started to pace by the back door.

  I noticed Izzy walking toward me with an understanding expression on her face. “Come on with me, Matt. I can tell you’re pissed. Z has a punching bag just outside the door. You can punch your frustrations out.”

  “He has a punching bag out here?” I asked as I opened the back alley door and glanced around to make sure no one was out there. Izzy stepped through after I waved her on.

  “Yeah. The therapist said it would really help him out when he gets his jealous rage and needs to keep it in control,” she explained.

  “What do you mean? Z sees a therapist?” I knew Izzy saw one because of all that she went through with her childhood and her strange ex-boyfriend, but I had no idea about Z.

  “Well, he doesn’t really see one. Every once in awhile I drag him with me when I need to get something out in the open and off my chest.”

  “And the therapist told you to hang a punching bag out here?”

  “Well, she told him he needs to figure out a way to get his emotions out in another way. He loves to box, so I thought this would be perfect whenever he gets that jealous tick, he can come out here and punch the hell out of the bag. Go ahead. Take a shot and see if it helps you right now.”

  I took a punch. Felt good, but
didn’t do what I needed to do. “Yeah, this doesn’t do it for me.”

  “Then what’s wrong?” Izzy asked with a concerned expression. Ever since she started seeing a therapist, she likes to ask a lot of questions when any of us seem to have a problem. Usually I can dodge her mini therapy sessions, but right now, I felt like going ahead and unloading on her.

  “My old job is being taken over by that douche in there. Kara won’t have sex with me anymore because she wants to adhere to the company policies and make sure she doesn’t get us fired, not to mention she just found a boyfriend. And Vanessa, in there, is trying to fuck with me at every turn she can.”

  “Then fuck back with her,” Izzy replied with a simple shrug.

  “I have been, but it’s still annoying to me that I even have to do any of this. I had the perfect life going, Izzy. I loved it down there.” Izzy knew I meant Atlanta.

  She frowned and pursed her lips. “Are you having…trouble picking girls up or something?”

  I gave her a disgusted look. “No, I can pick up any girl I want, thank you. I just...it’s not the same. I guess I’m just missing my old life, that’s all.” I shook my head thinking that’s gotta be the reason.

  Izzy tilted her head to the side and quietly stated, “Or you’re seeing all these couples getting together and maybe you’re wanting something more?”

  I rolled my eyes at her mini-assessment. “Don’t put words in my mouth that aren’t there, Izzy.”

  “I’m not, I’m just saying that Vanessa looks like someone you might be attracted to.”

  I practically screamed at Izzy, annoyed that she assumed that. “I am NOT attracted to Vanessa. She’s the most annoying person I’ve ever met.” And with that I punched the bag. Hard.

  “Hey, what’s going on out here?” Z popped the door open, peering his head around it.

  “Matt needed to punch something,” Izzy told him.

  “Oh yeah? Girl trouble?” Z asked with a small smile.

  “I don’t have girl trouble,” I told my brother.

  They exchanged a small smile.

  “I don’t!”

  “Okay!” Z put his hands up, laughing.

  I pulled the door open and stormed in back to the party.

  I grabbed a new beer from Mandy, made a joke to her and started to mingle with my sales people to make sure they were having a good time. Everyone was having fun, except me. I couldn’t stop thinking about Ted in my old territory, in my old life. That’s when Vanessa came up to me.

  “I saw you with the cute waitress. She seems to like you a lot. Hooking up with her tonight?”

  I gave her my disgusted look. She was annoying the shit out of me more and more. I slammed my beer down on the table as I yelled at her, “What is your problem Hargrave? Seriously. What is it? Are you jealous of me? Do you hate me?” I got closer to her face and smugly asked her, “Are you attracted to me?” She swallowed and looked away. Her smugness was gone now. “Tell me. Because I can’t for the life of me figure out what the fuck I did to you that I deserve such attitude from you at every single turn.”

  “I…nothing. I just. It’s that you came into this office and got a huge budget and allowed to run everything the way you want to run it and I have to play by the rules at every turn. I play by the rules. I make sure I do everything I’m supposed to and I still don’t get half the respect from Mr. Buchanan that you do.”

  My blood was starting to boil that this whole time she was just jealous of me and I couldn’t see it. “Oh so you’re in a pissing match with me and I didn’t even know it.”

  “Pissing match?”

  “Yeah, pissing match. You’re trying to get Perry’s attention. What…did your siblings get more attention than you and now you’re taking it out on me? That’s just fucking great. You’re using me as your head case.”

  “That’s not true. And I’ll have you know I’m an only child,” She yelled back at me.

  “Heh. Even better. A spoiled brat,” I retorted.

  “I am not a spoiled brat. And you should talk! You’re just scared and using every trick in the book to get your sales up. Resorting to drinking at the office.”

  We were raising our voices to an unreasonable level and Izzy came over putting her soft hands on both of us. “Uh, if you guys need to use the office to talk, you are more than welcome.”

  I took a swig of my beer while still glaring into Hargrave’s eyes. “Nope. We’re pretty much done here now, Izzy. But, thank you.” I walked away and decided I needed to mingle since everyone was looking at me. I pasted a happy smile on my face and walked over to the people who were staring at us the most. I glanced over and saw Perry watching me. Great. Just fucking great.

  ******

  Clark and I headed over to Z and Izzy’s house for Sunday dinner. Izzy’s a great cook. She used to cook for the gang when everyone roomed together over at Flynn’s. They usually get together on Sunday nights, but since Flynn and Mel were still on their honeymoon, Izzy wanted to have it over at their place.

  We walked in the front door and that amazing aroma that makes you instantly “feel” at home hit hard. Izzy really should be a gourmet chef with the skills she has. Some of the meals don’t always turn out as great, but for the most part they would overshadow some of the finest five star restaurants I’ve dined in.

  Clark rubbed his hands together as he walked into the kitchen grabbing Izzy for a hug. “Wow, that shit smells amazing. I can’t wait to eat,” he exclaimed as he tried to swipe a taste from her bowl.

  Izzy smiled sweetly, excited to share her menu for the evening as I pulled her in for a hug after shaking hands with my brother. With a British accent and her body in straight posture, she began to tell us our menu, “Herb roasted pork loin, golden potatoes with caper brown butter crumbs and…”

  “What’s up with the British accent?” Clark interrupted Izzy.

  Her smile fell from her face as she frowned at him. “I was trying to pretend I’m a gourmet chef.”

  “They have British accents?” Clark teased her.

  Defensively Izzy replied, “The one in my head does.”

  Clark started laughing. “Oh, I guess that whole role playing you guys do in the bedroom is carried out into the kitchen now?” Izzy’s eyes got really wide. She turned to Z as his eyes were just as wide while he started laughing.

  Izzy started walking towards him as he started backing up, but ran into the wall as he held up his hands, protesting, “I didn’t say anything to him.”

  “You told him!” Izzy started to hit Z with the towel. “You can’t keep a secret to save your life!” Z was now against the wall as Izzy continued to swipe at him with the towel before he finally caught it and pulled her into a hug.

  Both Clark and I groaned in frustration, damned honeymoon stage.

  “Hey, knock it off you two. You’ll burn dinner,” Clark yelled out. Izzy gave Z a kiss and went back to the stove.

  I opened the fridge and started passing out beers to everyone as I asked what’s the latest. Clark started telling us about the drama going on at his office. Turns out two girls slept with their boss and only one got fired. All the women in the office are angry about it.

  “And, it really hurts my chances of screwing anyone else. Now there’s rumors of a no-dating policy being put into place.”

  I laughed and remarked, “Sounds like my office. Vanessa put that fucking policy in place. I can’t be with Kara and I certainly can’t try for Vanessa now.” I paused and took a drink before adding, “Not that I want to after her little bitch display the other night.”

  Izzy turned around from cutting the ends of the green beans at the sink, her eyes showed her concern “So, have you spoken with Vanessa since your fight Friday night?”

  I shook my head as I took a swig from my beer. Clark chuckled as he threw in his two cents. “Nah, he actually hid in the apartment last night.”

  “I didn’t hide,” I argued as I threw an evil glare at Clark. Asshole.

 
; My blood started boiling as he continued his jabs at me. “Sure you did. You worked out and then turned on the TV. You always go out —”

  “You were going out with Tina!” I yelled at him, interrupting him mid-sentence.

  “So? It’s not like you’ve never hung out at the bar with us before.”

  I rolled my eyes as Izzy asked me in a soft voice, “Why didn’t you go out, Matt?”

  What the fuck? I felt like everyone was ganging up on me for this stupid little thing and it was pissing me off. “It’s not that big of a deal. I just felt like staying in one night. Why is everyone getting on my case about it?”

  “Because you’re a huge partier, Matt. I’ve never known you to stay in on a Saturday night,” Z felt like adding his assessment of me.

  “Bullshit. Everyone stays in once in awhile,” I countered angrily.

  Clark huffed. “Sure, if they’re dating someone and doing that cuddling bullshit.”

  I threw him an angry stare as I took a swig from my beer. “And I’ve seen you do that with Tina.”

  “That’s just to get in her pants. Who the fuck wants to snuggle on the damn couch when they could be sinking into her hot pussy.”

  Izzy glared at Clark in her usual manner. You’d think after all this time hanging around him she wouldn’t be surprised by what he says anymore. Not to mention how we all discuss stupid shit like this all the time. She turned her attention back to me. “Maybe you’re into Vanessa a little more than you’d care to admit.”

  “You started that crap with me at the bar on Friday night, Izzy. I’m not into her like you think. If anything at all, she’d probably be just a grudge fuck.”

  Izzy’s mouth fell open, just as wide as her eyes did. “A what?” All three of us guys exchanged glances as we burst out laughing. “It’s not funny. What’s a grudge fuck?” Izzy asked, clearly frustrated with all of us.

  Z put his arm around Izzy’s shoulder as he explained the term ‘grudge fuck’ to her. “Basically screwing a chick you’re not that into so you can get your frustration out.” He told her as he gave a small shrug and then added, “Or if you’re just trying to get back at her.”