Chapter 25
Beer: It helps make things not suck.
Grayson
I know Suzie thinks we’re back to being just friends, but she’s dead wrong. And it’s my job to show her how wrong she is. I need to wear her down is all. After this weekend, she can’t deny how explosive our chemistry is. Besides, I’ve been thinking about what Mom said. She was right. Anyone willing to drive half a state to slay your demons for you is worth fighting for.
I may not be ready for the picket fence and the twenty children she wants to have, but I am ready to try for a relationship. I know I’ll regret it if I don’t, and I am done with having regrets.
With these thoughts whirling around in my mind, I open the door to McGraw’s Pub. I haven’t been here since two weeks ago when Liz showed up unexpectantly and I lost my mind. I know the uncles are ultra protective of Suzie. They probably weren’t very impressed by how I acted. I need to man up and apologize to them for yelling at her. I will show them my head’s screwed on straight now.
The uncles look up when I enter. Their eyes narrow and I know I’m right. I don’t waste time heading their way.
I don’t make them wait. “I’m sorry I yelled at Suzie the last time I was here.”
Wally uses his foot to push a chair out from under the table. “Sit.”
I bristle at the order, but I’m a soldier. I know how to take an order. I sit my ass down. I keep my mouth shut as I wait for them to begin.
“Is your head screwed on straight now?” Lenny demands.
“Yes, sir.”
“Just like that?” Barney doesn’t look like he believes me.
“I talked to Liz and my parents.” When they continue to stare at me, I confess. “And I’m seeing a counselor.”
“About damn time,” Sid remarks.
“Sorry?” What does he mean?
“Son,” Wally says and snags my attention. “Anyone with eyes can see you’re struggling. We know a bunch of old farts like ourselves can’t solve your problems, but a woman? A woman can soothe over those rough edges and make solving your problems worth your while.”
He tilts his head toward Suzie who’s sitting at a table with Phoebe and Hailey. She’s giggling, but she doesn’t fool me. I can see the strain around her eyes. She’s worried I’m going to tell everyone we’re in a relationship despite promising her I wouldn’t tell anyone. I don’t break my promises. Now, if people guess what’s happening? An entirely different matter in my book.
“Ah, you finally hit that,” Sid says when he notices me studying Suzie.
My nostrils flare as my anger blazes to life. “I didn’t hit anything. Suzie is a woman, not some whore I took home.”
Wally punches me in the arm. It isn’t some play punch either. He’s making it clear he can kick my ass if necessary. Message received. “He was testing you. Congratulations! You passed.”
“Are you fucking kidding me? Do you think life is some fucking joke you can take bets on?”
Pops arrives with a tray of drinks and slaps me on the back. “No, this is not a joke. But Suzie is one of our own. We need to make sure she ends up with someone who won’t hurt her.”
“Like the asshat Toby did?”
“She told you about Toby?” When I nod, Pops’ grins. “Good. She’s opening up to you.”
“Opening up? She slammed the door on any relationship between us besides friendship.”
Pops squeezes my shoulder. “Give it time. You’ll wear her down. Especially with us on your side.”
He hands out our drinks and returns to behind the bar. I sip my beer while I try to come up with a plan to ‘wear her down’. I’ve taken on insurgents, I won’t let a little slip of a woman defeat me. Unfortunately, the only plan I’ve come up with thus far is to be around her as much as possible.
I watch as Barney’s face turns red as he sucks on the straw in his coke. “You okay, man?”
He finally gives up and takes the straw out of the glass. He studies the bottom of the straw before throwing it on the table. I look closer. The end of the straw is sealed shut.
“Serves you right,” Pops shouts from across the room.
“What did you do?” I ask.
Before he can answer, Wally’s phone starts going haywire. Since he’s obviously still involved with the government in some way, he doesn’t hesitate to look at it. His jaw gets tight as he reads his message.
“Everything okay?” I ask, although I don’t expect him to answer. If he’s dealing with terrorist threats or something similar, he won’t be able to tell me anything.
“I’m going to kill him,” he says and throws his phone down.
I can’t resist looking. There’s a picture of a woman in a dominatrix outfit. A blindfold covers her eyes, but the rest of her body is on display since the only clothing she’s wearing is a leather bustier with a matching pair of panties. I did not need to know Wally is into some BDSM shit.
“I am not a submissive,” he growls before marching off.
I stand and follow him. This is going to be good.
“I’m going to kill him,” Wally mutters as he rounds the bar.
Pops doesn’t look concerned. He crosses his arms over his chest and narrows his eyes on Wally. “Maybe you’ll think next time before you have some salesman call me at o-dark-thirty.”
I obviously missed something when I was gone. This group of friends show their love for each other with practical jokes and gags. They’re always trying to one up each other. It’s a guy thing.
“Big deal. You lost a bit of sleep, you big baby. I’m going to be getting emails from dominatrixes for weeks.”
“Who’s got his phone?” Sid asks. “I want to see those pictures.”
Lenny raises an eyebrow at him. “Since when do you let a woman take charge in the bedroom?”
“Never, but those women look hot in those leather outfits.” Sid wiggles his eyebrows.
“What do you call a potato dominatrix?” Barney asks. “A mashochist.” He chuckles and raises his fist. Suzie walks over to give him a fist bump.
She takes a step back, but I move to trap her in place. My nose fills with her herbal, spicy smell and my body instantly reacts. My pants are suddenly too small as my cock starts to fill. It hasn’t had its fill of Suzie yet. I’m not sure it ever will.
“You haven’t answered my texts,” I whisper into her ear. I notice her shiver and I angle my head away to hide my smirk. She can fight it as much as she needs to, but she can’t deny she wants me.
She takes a step away. “I’ve been busy. Some of us do have jobs you know.”
Hailey chortles. “Poor Suzie is too busy eavesdropping on everyone else at the office to take thirty seconds to text you back.”
“If only she could stick to eavesdropping,” Phoebe mumbles.
My Suzie is a troublemaker down to her bones. There’s never a dull moment when she’s around. “What did she do now?”
“It’s not bad enough Lola is overly affectionate with me.”
“Is that what we’re calling humping your leg now?” Suzie interrupts to ask.
Phoebe ignores her. “She squirted potty training spray on the legs of my desk to make Leroy pee there.”
I cough to hide my laughter because Phoebe is not amused.
“And here I thought there was a problem with Leroy.” Hailey frowns at Suzie. “I’ve taken him to the vet because he’s way too old to be having ‘accidents’.”
Suzie shrugs. “I told you he didn’t need to go to the vet.”
“But you didn’t tell me why.”
“It was strictly need to know.”
The uncles return to their table giving Suzie the space to move. She immediately backs up and starts to walk away. “Hey, Precious,” I call before she can get too far. “You want to play pool?”
“I want you to stop calling me precious is what I want,” she hisses.
Phoebe sighs and places a hand over her heart. “He calls her precious.”
&nb
sp; Hailey smirks before starting to sing, “Suzie and Grayson sitting in a tree.” Suzie slaps a hand over her mouth before she can continue. She has to stand on a chair to reach Hailey’s mouth since my munchkin is half a foot shorter than Hailey, but she’s determined.
“Stop it. Nothing is happening between me and Grayson,” she insists.
I don’t contradict her. There’s no need to when her friends are looking at her like she’s the world’s worst liar.
“This is going to be fun.” Sid rubs his hands together. “I’ve got July.”
“No.” I’m putting an end to this shit before it can begin. “There will be no betting about our relationship.”
“There is no relationship,” Suzie continues to insist.
No one pays any attention to her. I’m not the only one who knows she’s fighting a losing battle. Good to know I have her friends and family on my side. Together, we’ll wear her down eventually. Hailey winks at me. Another ally in my fight. I think I’m going to enjoy this.
Chapter 26
Apparently ‘beer’ isn’t a ‘helpful reply’ when asked how to improve team meetings.
Hailey parks herself on my desk the next day. I push her off. “I don’t want your butt cooties on my desk.”
“I’m wearing jeans. Besides, cooties aren’t real.”
Phoebe enters with a tray of coffees and a box of donuts. Uh oh. Alert! Alert! An ambush is impending. It doesn’t take a genius to know what this little ambush is about. They want to talk about Grayson. I am not discussing my non-existent relationship with the soldier with them.
I open the bottom drawer where I keep my purse, intent on making a run for it.
Hailey dangles my bag in front of me. “Looking for this?”
I make a grab for it, but she lifts her hand over her head – a place I can’t reach. Stupid, obnoxiously tall woman. “You’ll get it back as soon as we’re finished.”
I collapse in my chair. It goes flying backwards and hits the wall with a bang! Shit. I rub my lower back where it got jarred by the collision. My back is already annoyed with me after a night of tossing and turning. Sleep eluded me as my mind conjured up image after image of Saturday and all the delicious things Grayson did to my body.
Thinking of Grayson’s magical tongue causes my body to heat and my cheeks to catch fire.
“Your look right now,” Hailey’s finger circles my face, “is why we’re having this conversation.”
Phoebe hands me a coffee. “It’s only fair since you wouldn’t leave me alone about giving Ryker a second chance.”
“And I was right. You’re now happily living together and engaged to be married.” I pat myself on the back.
“What’s to say you can’t get your own happily ever after?” Phoebe asks.
Ryker walks in but comes to a halt when he notices the group of us drinking coffee at my desk. He shakes his head. “Call me whenever whatever this is, is done,” he says and does an about-face.
“Don’t you want a donut?” Phoebe yells after him.
“Babe,” is his only response as he marches down the hallway toward the elevator.
Phoebe giggles. “He doesn’t eat sugary stuff.” She snags a chocolate glazed donut and takes a bite. She moans. “Yummy.”
“You used to not eat sugary stuff either,” I remind her.
“Nuh-uh.” Hailey snaps her fingers in my face. “You are not changing the subject.”
“Subject? I didn’t realize this little meet and greet had an agenda. Do you want me to take notes?”
“Stop being a smartass,” Hailey grumbles.
“I learned from the best.”
She smirks. “I am the best, aren’t I?”
“Neither one of you can keep to an agenda,” Phoebe mumbles around another bite of donut.
“Excuse us for not being Ms. Richer Than God who grew up having board meetings at the breakfast table.”
“No.” Phoebe wiggles her finger at me. “I’m not letting you get away with getting off topic. Now, back to the matter at hand.”
I don’t want to. I really don’t. But I ask anyway. “And what is the matter at hand?”
“You and Grayson,” Hailey supplies.
I figured as much. “I told you. Nothing is going on between me and Grayson.” But my body betrays me, and I feel my cheeks warm. Stupid cheeks need to stop betraying me!
Hailey snorts. “Liar.”
“You know I don’t do relationships,” I remind them.
“Isn’t a friendship a relationship?” Phoebe asks, and I snarl at her.
“I don’t do romantic relationships then,” I amend.
“Why not?”
“Yeah, Suzie, why not?” Hailey teases. I engage my eye lasers, but they have no effect on her. Damn it.
“Because.”
“Not good enough. You insisted I give Ryker – who freaking kidnapped me in case you forgot – a second chance. You literally wouldn’t shut up about it. You can be super annoying.”
I grin. “I know. I kind of rock annoying.”
Phoebe is not to be deterred. “If you don’t want me bugging you day in and day out about giving Grayson a chance, then you’re going to have to tell me your story.”
“Do I have to?” I whine. I’m acting childish, but I can’t help it. I already broke open my heart and told Grayson the whole ugly Toby story on Saturday. Do I have to do it again?
Adult Suzie rears her ugly self and reminds me, You weren’t heartbroken on Saturday. You were embarrassed. You don’t know everything, I tell her. Sure, I do.
“Fine,” I grunt and tell her all about the lying, cheating scumbag also known as Toby, my ex-boyfriend.
“Let me get this straight.” Phoebe holds up her finger. “He cheated on you and got another woman pregnant while his ring was on your finger.”
“After he told me – someone who wants a whole gaggle of children – he didn’t want children.” Why does everyone keep forgetting this? It’s the foundation of the betrayal!
“And, to be technical about it, she was pregnant before he proposed,” Hailey points out.
“Thanks for the clarification. Glad we have all the facts perfectly clear now,” I snarl.
“Did you miss what happened to me last year?” Phoebe asks.
Um, no. No one could have missed all the shit swirling around her. She was kidnapped not once, but twice. Although the first time wasn’t technically a kidnapping. It’s a long story. But the second time? Total kidnapping there.
“And yet, despite all of the shit he did and all the lies he told, you didn’t hesitate to push me to get together with Ryker.”
She must be serious. She’s swearing.
“Of course not. It was obvious you were totally gone for the man.”
Hailey pounces. “Let’s imagine for a moment, if you will, someone else who is really into a man but said someone is being cautious because of her past. Would you as an innocent bystander push the woman toward the man? Or would you let her be?”
I seriously hate when she throws my actions back at me. “You’ve made your point.”
“I don’t think she has. I’m kind of pissed right now.”
My eyes widen at Phoebe’s declaration. The Phoebe I know doesn’t use words like pissed, let alone actually get pissed.
“Why? What’s wrong?”
I hope she’s pissed at Toby on my behalf, but I’m worried she’s angry at me.
“One of my best friends turns out to be a big hypocrite. No, not big. Huge hypocrite.”
Hailey bobs her head in agreement. “I could have told you that.”
I cross my arms over my chest. “I am not a hypocrite. I’m wounded. I need to protect my heart.” I nearly cringe as I listen to myself. Convincing I am not!
“Seriously?” Phoebe bends over the desk and gets right up in my face. “He cheated on you. I agree it sucks. But get over it. My husband kidnapped me and was planning to rape me. He also set fire to Sid’s house.” She returns to her
seat and crosses her arms over her chest. “If you want to compare exes with me, you’re going to have to do better than he cheated.”
“She’s got you there,” Hailey says before taking a bite of her cinnamon twist.
“I didn’t know this was a competition.”
“It’s not. But surely you can see you’re hanging on to what Toby did because you’re scared.”
I frown at Phoebe. “When did you get this smart?”
She shrugs. “Sometime after I was kidnapped and before I got engaged.”
“Come on, Suzie,” Hailey cajoles. “I’ve never pushed you about a man before. I’ve let you crawl into your shell and hide away. But I won’t let you pull your tortoise act this time.”
“Why not?” I pout. For good measure, I jut my bottom lip out.
“Because Grayson might be the one.”
Pfff. This again? “I’ve given up on the one.”
Hailey wags her finger at me. “No, you haven’t. You might convince other people, but I know you. I know you kept the house you bought to live in with Toby because you still hope to fill it with children someday.”
I shrug. “I can always get a sperm donor.”
“Or you can woman up and give Grayson a chance.”
I don’t want to talk about this anymore. I stuff a donut in my face. There, now I can’t talk about it.
Hailey goes for a compromise. “Promise me you’ll think about it, and we’ll leave you alone.”
“What a minute. I didn’t agree to leave her alone.”
Hailey pats Phoebe on the arm. “It’s okay. For now. We’ll leave her alone for now. Not forever.”
“Fine. I’ll think about it,” I mutter.
Phoebe shoves the box of donuts toward me. “Here. These will make you feel better.”
I don’t argue with her. I plan to polish off the entire box. It’s my right after they ambushed me and forced me into considering giving Grayson a chance. As if my mind can think about anything else except Grayson and being together with him since Saturday when he announced he wanted to try for a relationship.
Try for a relationship? You don’t try for a relationship. You’re either in one or not. Men. They are such confusing creatures. They also smell good and taste good and make your body feel things your battery-operated-boyfriend can’t. See? Confusing creatures.
A Soldier for Suzie: A Military Romantic Comedy (Love will OUT Book 3) Page 14
