She sunk her face into her hands. “Criminy.”
“I thought you didn’t cuss.”
That earned me a scowl.
I sat up and pulled her into me. “He’ll survive. I highly doubt he’ll go out and get a girl pregnant. Not today, at least.” She tried to shove me away at that last comment, but I laughed and held her firmly. “You know, Emmy, if my ego weren’t healthy, I might be offended that you keep trying to get away from me.”
She mumbled her response into my chest. “If you weren’t such an a-s-s, I wouldn’t have to.”
That make me pull back. “Did you just spell the word ‘ass’?” I really couldn’t hold my smile back, even if I’d wanted to.
“Yes.” Her look dared me to comment further.
“Just checking,” I responded before kissing her soundly.
“So, this isn’t awkward or anything,” Jay said as he spooned more cereal into his mouth. Emmy and I had migrated to the kitchen after a healthy morning make-out session, only to find Jay preparing his breakfast.
“I already told you. We didn’t do anything!” Emmy said in exasperation, the statement causing Jay to turn a mild shade of green.
I interjected, “For Christ’s sake, you’re just making it worse. Quit while you’re ahead, woman!” At least she’d stopped pacing like she’d done the first five minutes we’d been in the kitchen.
Jay took a moment and then resumed eating.
I pulled Emmy to a position behind Jay so he couldn’t see us, and then I wrapped her in my arms. “Breathe,” I whispered in her ear. I felt her sigh against my chest.
It was time to change the subject.
“How are you feeling about your game today?” I asked Jay as I released his sister.
He swallowed his bite before responding. “Good. I think Coach will put me in a bit earlier today. Wes was having some shoulder pain at Friday’s practice so he might take it easy.”
I pulled out a chair and sat across from him. Emmy set a cup of coffee down in front of me and I smiled at her before responding. “That’s great news. I mean, obviously not the part about Wes’s shoulder, but I’m happy you’re looking at more time on the mound.”
He nodded before turning to Emmy. “Hey, I forgot to tell you Mom called me last night. They’re coming the Friday after next and staying until Monday.”
She stilled and looked back at him. “As in, less than two weeks from now?”
“Yeah,” Jay returned with a smile. Then he got up from the table and took his bowl to the sink. “Good news, huh?” he asked before walking toward the hall.
“Yeah,” Emmy responded distractedly, staring at a spot on the wall. I had no idea what that meant, but I was guessing things got complicated when Naomi was around.
“Oh,” Jay’s voice carried from down the hall. “And she said to tell Gavin hello.”
Emmy didn’t appreciate the snicker that comment elicited from me.
Despite the less-than-ideal encounter with Jay, Emmy loosened up and we had breakfast together, exchanging casual conversation and touches as if we’d been doing this for ages. For a woman who didn’t see this going anywhere, she sure seemed comfortable with me inserting myself into her life. I took that as a good sign.
Then I took off, after a lingering kiss at the door, so Emmy and I could both get some work done before meeting up for Jay’s game in the afternoon. I bought her a drink and some popcorn, which we promptly spilled when Jay completed a double play at the top of the fifth, catching a fly ball and throwing an opposing player out as he attempted a return to second base. Jay pitched an amazing few innings and I loved the look of pride on Emmy’s face as she watched her brother lead his team to a win. It was also great seeing her relax, even though I caught her checking e-mails on her phone a couple times.
We finally parted ways in the school parking lot, but not before I got in some last words. “Don’t even think of telling me that wasn’t a date.”
To which she smiled her dazzling smile that hit me squarely in the chest and left me in high spirits the whole rest of the day. She was getting to me, and I could only hope I was doing the same to her.
Chapter Twenty-One
Cocktail Therapy
EMERSON
I sighed and leaned back into my desk chair. It was no use trying to lie to myself. I missed Gavin Monroe. It had only been thirty-six hours since I’d laid eyes on the guy and I freaking missed him. How pathetic was that?
It was Tuesday morning and I was supposed to be reviewing contracts for a merger, but there I was mooning over a man instead. This was so entirely unlike me. It was as if an alien form of me named Emmy had taken over my body and filled it with fluff and hormones. I’d practically fallen all over myself when he’d called the night before and asked me out to dinner for tonight.
Even the slightest recollection of Saturday afternoon and evening brought goosebumps to my skin. Gavin had known exactly how to touch and caress me to elicit the most delicious feelings I’d ever experienced. Had I known those feelings were possible, I’d have probably been a lot more tolerant of a couple of Ari’s ex-boyfriends. It was obvious some men wielded magical powers, and I should consider the possibility that she’d found a few along the line. Who was I to begrudge a girl some of that same blissful heat Gavin had triggered in me? And then there was the amazing feel of his skin under my fingers—the contrast of warm, smooth skin over taut, lean muscle was divine. I practically squirmed in my chair at the mere thought.
“Am I interrupting something?” a voice came from the doorway.
I tried to quickly school my features even as I felt my face flame. Traitorous fair skin! “No,” I said a bit too loudly to Craig’s inquiring expression. “Just thinking about what to order for lunch.” Seriously, Emerson? Is that the best you can do?
“Okay,” he replied simply, and I mentally thanked him for letting the blatant lie slide. Maybe Craig was serious about this truce. I waved him into the room and he seated himself in a chair across from me. He was dressed in his usual dark suit, and there wasn’t a hair on his head that was out of place. Craig was the picture of composure while I was a flustered wreck.
I put my palms flat on my desk to keep them from betraying me. “What’s up?” What’s up? I had to get my act together. This was not how I spoke to colleagues at work.
Luckily, Craig let that slide as well. “I was just reviewing the completed patent applications you and Melissa prepared, and I noticed a slight discrepancy. Here, take a look.” He passed a small stack of papers over and leaned in to point to a section he’d marked.
Sure enough, the date had been transposed. I looked up to him, my mind reaching back to the night last week when the paralegal and I had filled out the paperwork. I’d been a bit tired, but it was so unlike me not to catch something like that. Mistakes happened, I supposed—they just usually didn’t happen to me. I sighed and nodded, seeing my date with Gavin slipping through my fingers. “I’m so relieved you caught that. It could have caused a mess down the line.”
He smiled in a decidedly non-creepy fashion. “Happy to help. It could happen to anyone.”
“You’re kind to say so.” I returned his smile. Who was this guy and what had he done with my nemesis?
“I see you’re busy, so I won’t take up any more of your time.” He gestured to the papers littering my desk.
I nodded. “The Jackson-Pancote merger.”
“Ah. I dodged a bullet on that one,” he returned good-naturedly.
I thought back to Gavin’s assessment of Craig’s behavior at the game and I just couldn’t reconcile it with the man standing in my office. Gavin had to have been mistaken.
I handed the patent paperwork back to Craig. “I’ll get this changed immediately and re-file. Thanks again.”
He nodded, then said, “I have it up on my computer right now. I can easily take care of it so you can get back to the thrilling world of mergers.” He raised his eyebrows, causing a genuine smile to cross my face.
A few weeks ago, I wouldn’t have trusted Craig to pump my gas. Now I only hesitated for a moment before responding, “You know, that would be terrific. Thank you, Craig.” I felt my pulse jump, realizing that Craig had just unknowingly saved my date with Gavin. I couldn’t wait to tell Gavin how wrong he’d been—how wrong I’d been—about the man.
The rest of the week flew by, probably because I got to spend every night either hanging out with Gavin or talking on the phone with him until all hours. It was just like they say—time flies when you’re having fun, and I’d never had so much fun in all my life. I’d never laughed as hard, felt as light, or felt as much, period. I was starting to see possibility where it hadn’t been before. And I was trying hard not to think about it too much—quite the feat for a woman who overanalyzed just about every decision she ever made.
The only fly in the ointment was my father. I was still avoiding him like a complete coward, but I didn’t know what to say—especially considering my new revelations about all things Gavin Monroe. It was all too complicated and I couldn’t deal with my dad quite yet. So, I was amassing an impressive collection of e-mails and voicemails, feeling rotten about it and knowing I’d have to face him soon.
Meanwhile, Jay was positively thriving. His grades were excellent, he was getting more playing time, and both he and Gavin raved about the extra training sessions. Coach Davidson was even starting Jay at a game next week. That prospect, along with the upcoming visit from Mom and Aldo, had Jay talking non-stop and back to the carefree teenager I knew and loved.
Even work was sailing along smoothly. Despite the time I was spending with Gavin, I was able to keep up with all my cases and accounts. I still had some work to do on the weekend in preparation for a meeting with the AgPower team on Monday, but that was par for the course. And there were two games in the tournament this weekend, so hopefully we’d win those and make it to the championship. Nothing would please the managing partners more than that, and if Gavin and I could help make that happen, all the better.
“I have to say, I love seeing you like this,” Ari said as she sipped her cranberry and vodka and assessed me from her spot across the table. Gavin was out with the guys, giving me some overdue girl time.
I usually saw Ari several times a week, mostly due to her boundless energy and willingness to accommodate my work schedule. I was undeserving of such a wonderful friend, but we’d been inseparable since childhood, so I supposed it wasn’t so surprising that we continued to do whatever it took to maintain our close bond.
I’d always gone to all her school plays and performances, and I’d held her hand when she’d gotten her first piercing—and her first tattoo. I’d also stood by her side as her mother read her the riot act and prayed to whatever patron saint whose duty it was to look after unruly teenagers who liked to dye their hair and pierce their noses. And I’d been there to hold that dyed hair back when some awful boy broke her heart and she’d drunken herself into oblivion to drown the pain.
We were each other’s touchstones. Ari understood how important my professional pursuits were to me, and she supported me wholeheartedly in my aspirations. She wouldn’t let a busy work schedule on either of our ends cause our friendship to suffer. So, there she was, sitting across from me after a full day of work and with an evening of karaoke hosting ahead of her—just so we could catch up and lay eyes on one another. But this time, the reason for our almost week-long separation had been a guy. Sure, there had been times when Ari first started seeing someone and she’d been swept up in the guy, losing touch with me for a week here or there. But it had never been the other way around. This was a first, and Ari was apparently the number one fan of Team Gavin.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” I shooed her away, taking a sip of my own drink to cover my lie.
“Nice try, chica. You’re in lurve with Mr. Baseball,” she cooed, making me practically choke on my Pinot Grigio.
“You’ve got to be kidding me,” I managed to say. “I’ve known the guy for a few weeks!”
She chewed on her straw and gave me an innocent look. “Sometimes that’s all the time it takes. So, tell me. What kind of bat is he swinging?”
“Okay, no more liquor for you.” I tried to pull her glass away but she snatched it up.
“Oh, please. This is my first one. I thought the homerun king would have loosened you up by now. I haven’t talked to you in days—you owe me some juicy details.”
I had to admit part of me was tempted, given my newly-discovered sex drive and Gavin’s apparent ability to find and push every single one of my buttons. But I didn’t even know how to begin to talk about this kind of thing. “Relax,” I said. “We haven’t…you know.”
Her mouth fell open and her eyes narrowed. “You can’t be serious! What’s the point of spending all your time with that tight, young ass if you’re not gettin’ you some?”
It was my turn to drop my jaw. “Oh my God. He’s not a piece of meat, Ari!”
“Well, you clearly don’t know the first thing about meat if his is still in his pants. I’d have been all over that by now.”
“I’m aware.” I took another sip of wine, wanting to change the subject to anything else before she started suggesting sexual positions and asking my thoughts on butt stuff. “What would Elliot say about you lusting after another man? Shame, shame, shame.” I shook my head at her.
“Eh,” was all she said in return.
This perked me right up. Was it possible there was a break-up on the horizon? Don’t get me wrong—I’d never want my best friend to suffer heartbreak, but I was pretty sure this relationship with Elliot the Egomaniac wasn’t the real deal. “Do you care to expand on that?”
Ari eyed me. “Are you a therapist now?”
“That depends. Do you want me to be?” I answered cheekily.
“That depends too. Do you have anything useful to share?” she shot back.
“Probably not.” I let myself smile, dropping the act. “But you can still tell me.”
“Ugh. It’s probably going to sound stupid, but he hurt my feelings and he refuses to apologize.”
That was entirely unsurprising, and I felt a pang of guilt that I hadn’t been there for her immediately after Elliot acted like, well, Elliot. “What did he do?” I braced.
“Like I said, it’s probably stupid,” she prefaced before continuing, “So, his birthday is coming up in a couple weeks and I asked him what he wanted. I had some ideas and needed to see if I was on the right track. Anyway, after we settled that, I said, ‘Don’t you want to know what I want for my birthday?’ I mean, I know it’s still a few weeks out, but you know how much I like presents.”
I did. Ari got ridiculously excited about gifts, no matter the occasion. “Of course. What did he say?” I wasn’t sure I wanted to hear the answer.
Her lip curled. “He said, ‘Oh, I already know what I’m getting you. A six-month membership to my gym.’”
Good God. It was worse than I thought.
“Oh, Ari,” I said, reaching over to grab her hand. “He’s an idiot.” I couldn’t help it. He had to be an utter moron not to see the stunningly gorgeous woman he was lucky enough to be dating. She shouldn’t have to change a single thing for him.
She sighed. “I know. But he’s my idiot.”
“So, what happened then?”
“I tried to stay calm and explain how that was the worst present in the history of the universe. He got totally offended and called me selfish.”
I was ready to hunt Elliot down and ensure he would never participate in the propagation of the human species. I’d be doing all of us a favor, really.
“So, not only did he basically call me fat, but he called me selfish on top of that. We both refuse to apologize, so we’re not speaking right now.”
“I’m proud of you for standing your ground. Not that you ever have a problem doing that,” I grinned. “But I’m proud nonetheless.” I received a small smile in return. “I’m so
rry he treated you that way, sweetie.”
She scrunched her nose up a bit. “Yeah, me too. But I’m not letting it ruin my night. Fuck men!” She lifted her glass in a toast to no one in particular.
I darted my eyes around us, hoping nobody heard her proclamation.
“Oh, but when it comes to Mr. Baseball,” Ari said with a grin, “I mean that in the literal sense. You should definitely fuck that man.” She nodded and I thunked my forehead on the table.
Chapter Twenty-Two
Scrabble with Jennifer Beals
GAVIN
“Come on, Ace! You got this!” I cupped my hands around my mouth and shouted as Emmy took a couple practice swings outside the batter’s box. Despite the fact that the game was almost over and we were winning, I knew Emmy wasn’t satisfied with her level of play thus far. She’d missed a catch earlier, which had resulted in the orange team scoring a run, and she was anxious to redeem herself. If her bosses considered a dropped ball an indicator of her level of commitment to the firm, I’d suggest a new profession. But I was fairly certain Emmy’s need to prove herself had very little to do with her firm and more to do with her personality in general. Nevertheless, I wanted to see her do well—especially if it brought out that smile that went straight to my cock every time.
Today’s game was considerably more subdued than the last one, owing to my bat-shit-crazy crew’s absence. In fact, even Ari and Jay had skipped this one, promising to make an appearance at Sunday’s game instead—assuming we’d win today and advance to the next round. This was a foregone conclusion in my mind, of course.
The orange team’s pitcher adjusted his cap and gripped the ball, all while keeping an eye on Emmy as she stepped up to the plate. He got into position, shifted forward and swung his pitching arm around, releasing a fastball with a snap of his wrist. Emmy’s swing would have brought Jay to his feet had he been there. It was perfection. The ball connected with her bat right in the sweet spot and went sailing directly over the centerfielder’s head, causing him to chase after it. Our bench went nuts, shouting and cheering for Emmy and the other player on base to run like hell. By the time the ball made it back to the infield, we’d scored one run and Emmy was safely on third, that smile firmly in place. I wanted to run up and kiss the living hell out of her. Instead I settled for a loud, “That’s how you do it, Ace!” and my own smile. It was safe to say Emmy’s reputation with the firm—and herself—was once again in good standing.
The Game (Carolina Connections Book 4) Page 19
