by R. C. Martin
“Fuck,” he muttered.
“What? What are you thinking?”
“I’m thinking you don’t give a shit about baseball.”
Theodora shook her head slightly. “No. But he does.”
“And you love him.”
She sealed her lips closed immediately and stared helplessly into Geoffrey’s piercing blue eyes. A simple yes didn’t feel adequate enough to explain how she felt about Judah, so she said nothing. She stared back at her friend and allowed him to see her heart, instead.
“Fuck,” he repeated, this time leaning toward her. He propped his elbows atop his legs, as if he needed the support, and his awareness caused a blush to suffuse across Theodora’s freckled cheeks. “Was he good to you?”
Five words. One question. For reasons she would never be able to explain, for reasons bigger than herself, his inquiry, his tone, and the look in his eyes was enough to bring a knot to her throat as her eyes glossed over with tears.
“Perfect,” she whispered around her emotions. “He was perfect.”
Geoffrey stared at her in silence for a moment more. He then nodded and reached for her phone. “Okay, then.” With his attention zeroed in on the screen, he took one of her hands with his free one and gave it an affectionate squeeze. “Let’s find you some perfect seats.”
With a sniffle, Theodora squeezed his hand in return, certain her heart had never felt so whole.
Chapter Eight
“Hey, were you able to look at the presentation I sent you?” asked Logan as she filled my doorway.
I glanced up at her and then back at the images I’d been studying for the last fifteen minutes. I knew, by the time stamp on her email, she’d sent them early Sunday morning. On any other weekend, I would have seen the photographs from her site visit, dissected her mock-ups, and constructed a thorough response. However, my weekend had been far from ordinary.
“It looks good. There are a couple things I’d reconsider; but overall, it’s solid. The color palette you’ve chosen is strong, and your ideas seem to keep the integrity of the original design while adding something much more unique.”
“Thanks. I love their new branding,” she said as she stepped into my office. “It made it easy to come up with ideas. Also, the woman who owns these bakeries is adorable and so vibrant. She served as my inspiration, as well. You’ll see. You can still make the meeting, right?”
Flipping my wrist, I checked the time and considered what I needed to accomplish that day. In addition to the work I’d neglected over the weekend, I’d cut into my morning when I made a stop at the floral shop before I arrived at the office. It would be a long day, but I wasn’t about to shirk my responsibilities.
“Yeah. So long as it doesn’t run long.”
“Good. We’re not the only ones they’re considering for the job, and I really want to sell them today. Her business partner seems to be the major decision maker, whereas Abby is more the creative brain behind everything. I might need you to be my closer if they’re on the fence after my presentation.”
“You know how to listen to a client. I can see that in these mock-ups, and we haven’t even had an idea session yet. If this presentation doesn’t speak for itself, maybe we’re not the right fit.”
“I want these bakeries, Judah,” she glowered teasingly. “What good is it putting up with you as your protégé if I can’t leverage you and your title when I need it?”
A smirk tugged at the corner of my mouth as I stood to my feet. Closing my jacket, I assured her, “You need me to close, I’ll close. Are they here yet?”
Logan turned to peek out of my open doorway just as I spotted her. I recognized the woman instantly—her body tucked into an all-white, no-nonsense, V-neck pencil dress. The click of her heels bounced off the glass walls as she and her partner were escorted to our client meeting space. Her attention was down, her cropped, blonde hair hiding her profile as she looked at her phone—but I didn’t need to see her face. I’d recognize her figure anywhere.
“Fuck,” I muttered under my breath.
I knew Logan heard me when she whirled around, her own long, blonde hair falling down her chest as she frowned at me. “What?”
“Nothing. Don’t worry about it,” I insisted as I made my way out from behind my desk. “Let’s get this over with.”
“Wait, hold on a second,” she demanded. She held up a hand, signaling me to stop. “Get this over with? Something just happened—something just changed. What?”
I hesitated as I weighed my options. It did neither of us any good to keep the truth from her. I wasn’t sure what would happen over the next hour, but it wasn’t fair to leave the door open for Logan to be blindsided should the truth come out. While it had been months since I last saw the prospective client, it wasn’t so long ago that I forgot our last encounter. She didn’t leave with the happy ending she’d come to expect from me.
“I know that woman,” I finally admitted.
“Abby? Or—”
“Diane.”
It took only a second for the underlying facts of my admission to become clear to Logan. Her face fell and her shoulders sank before she spoke again. “I’m guessing, based on your reaction upon seeing her, you don’t know her on a professional level.”
Tucking my hands into my pant pockets, I shook my head slightly. Until that moment, it never occurred to me that I’d never asked where she worked. The designer of her bag, the make of her car, the confidence in her stride—I didn’t care where she spent her days. Over the course of our acquaintance, I cared only if she had any desire to share a few nights in my bed.
“You’ve got to be kidding me. Are we doomed already? Can you handle this?”
Now, it was I who frowned. “No hearts were broken, Logan. She was a dalliance, nothing more.”
“Oh, come on,” she hissed, taking a step toward me. “I know how you can be. Either she walked away from you or you walked away from her. If it’s the former, great. If it’s the latter? Who knows what kind of apologies are owed?”
“We’re all adults here. Not to mention, this is business. There will be no apologies. Now—let’s not keep the client waiting.” Extracting a hand from my pocket, I gestured toward the door. Logan eyed me suspiciously and then offered me a nod as she turned to take her leave.
I gathered my tablet and followed after her, my eyes fixed on Diane as we entered the conference room. She and Abby stood as Logan greeted them warmly.
“Thank you so much for coming. I’ve asked our managing partner, Ju—”
“Judah,” interrupted Diane when she looked my way. I could tell by the sound of her voice she was genuinely surprised to see me. I then watched as her eyes gave me a quick once over before she continued to speak. “I had no idea you worked here.”
“You two know each other?” asked Abby innocently.
I shifted my gaze in her direction for a second. She was a curvy woman, dressed far more casually—as if we’d interrupted her morning in the kitchen. Her curly, brunette hair was piled on top of her head, a yellow scarf tied around her edges. She wore no makeup, but it was obvious she didn’t need it. Her pale-blue, button up shirt brought out the cheery blue in her eyes—the same eyes that bounced between Diane and me as she waited on our answer.
“In a manner of speaking,” I replied.
Diane scoffed before she took her seat. I didn’t miss the subtle way she flipped her hair as she muttered, “This ought to be rich.”
She was surprised, maybe a little pissed, but definitely still attracted. It wasn’t arrogance that made me think so, either. I felt her stare more than I felt her attitude. In the back of my mind, something told me if I wanted her, I could have her. But I didn’t want her. I’d had another—all weekend. What I wanted was to win the bid.
I looked to Logan as I took my seat, and she shot me a warning glare before she began her presentation. An hour later, after I added my closing pitch, it was Abby who sealed the deal.
“I think you
r plans are stunning. Everything you showed me is almost exactly what I was imagining.”
Diane cleared her throat. “We still have one more design firm we—”
“Oh, I can’t imagine that’s really necessary now,” interjected Abby with a grin. “I mean, to be polite, we’ll go listen to their pitch—but I want you guys.”
“Abby and I will weigh our options and be in touch.”
Logan glanced at me with an apprehensive look in her eye before she refocused her attention across the table. “We want your stores to have the makeover they deserve. How about we get the ball rolling? We can have a contract sent over to you this week so we can start the redlining process,” she said as we all stood. “This way, no time is wasted between now and your final decision.”
“That’s perfect.” Abby gently took hold of Diane’s arm as she added, “Don’t worry about this one. I’m sold, and I’ll get her on board, too. Thank you so much. And it was nice to meet you,” she told me with a wave.
“You as well,” I replied sincerely.
She and Logan were the first to exit the room. When Diane and I reached the door, I held it open for her. “You should listen to her. We’re the right choice.”
She paused before passing by me. “You say that like you’re hoping to see more of me.”
“I’m only telling you the truth. Logan will do right by you.”
She hummed her rebuttal and followed after her partner. I couldn’t decipher her meaning, but I didn’t put much thought into it as I returned to my office. Not two minutes later, Logan was in my doorway again.
“So, I think this is happening.”
“You don’t sound as excited as I thought you would be.”
“I’m excited,” she said as she crossed over the threshold. “Trust me, I’m excited—but I’d be an idiot not to be a little worried.”
“Worried?”
“Oh, don’t do that. Don’t play oblivious. Diane barely paid attention to me in that meeting.”
“Logan, as I said before—this is business. She may have been distracted, but I wasn’t.”
“Well, are you at least going to tell Teddy?”
My eyebrows tugged together in confusion. “Tell Teddy what?”
“That you’re going to be working with a woman who looks like she can’t decide if she wants to slap you or jump you for the next few months.”
“Teddy doesn’t need to know.”
Logan folded her arms across her chest and took another step into the room. “Not that you asked for it, but I’m going to give you some advice. If you have a girlfriend, and something like this happens, you tell her. If you’re not open about it and she finds out—”
“You’re right—I didn’t ask for your advice.” Unable to prevent my scowl, I went on to clarify, “Teddy is personal, Diane is business—the two have nothing to do with each other.”
“Jude—”
“You just landed a new client—how about we focus on that?”
“Fine,” she murmured in reluctant surrender. “I’ll go get that paperwork started.”
Chapter Nine
I was up before the alarm clock sounded. I knew I wouldn’t need it—but Teddy wasn’t exactly a morning person. While I sat propped up against my pillow, my tablet in hand, I let the incessant beeping play on and continued to read. When she groaned in protest, I glanced over at her.
“Please. Make it stop. Please,” she mumbled.
“You’re supposed to be on the road in an hour. If I turn it off, will you get up?” I asked, amused by her annoyance.
“What time is it?”
“Seven.”
“Seven,” she breathed. “We went to bed at—two—three. Three—that’s four…Maybe I’ll just be late.”
“The most you’ve got is an hour, sweetheart. My tee-time’s at nine.”
She peeked open one eye and squinted up at me. “How are you awake? How are you not as exhausted as I am? We’ve barely had any time to sleep.”
Chuckling, I reached over to finally silence the alarm. While I was at it, I picked up the cup of coffee on my nightstand. It was only half full, and not as hot as it was a twenty minutes prior, but I surmised it would be warm enough to coax her into an upright position.
“My internal clock is set ahead of yours. Here. This might help.”
“Coffee. Coffee always helps,” she murmured, pushing herself up vertically.
She was so anxious for a sip of caffeine she didn’t even bother to lift the sheet to cover her nakedness. While her hair draped over one of her breasts, I didn’t resist the urge to take in the sight of her milky skin, dotted in a smattering of freckles. I hadn’t had nearly enough of her yet, but I took as much as I could in the two nights we’d managed to make work that week. As used to the idea as I had become, I still didn’t relish the fact that her Saturday night would be spent with her parents. Nevertheless, I understood there were healthy limits to my selfishness, and her visit invoked them.
After Teddy drained the mug, she handed it back to me, her eyes dimmed in embarrassment. “I’m sorry if you weren’t done with that.”
“There’s more where that came from,” I assured her, setting the empty dish aside. “I’ll make sure you have some for your drive.”
“That would be amazing.”
In an act that seemed as bold as it was natural, she moved toward me and tucked herself beneath my arm and against my chest. I didn’t resist her silent insistence but laid my tablet on my lap and offered her my attention.
“Good morning,” she murmured sweetly.
I kissed her then. I kissed her because it felt right; but also, because it was during moments like those that I felt I was losing my footing. Like the reality I’d built around me was falling away. I needed something to tether me to the ground—and she was all I had.
“I have to tell you something,” she whispered as she curled against me even more.
Her words triggered a memory. I thought of Logan and the advice she’d issued earlier in the week. We’d won Abby and Diane’s business. The contract was signed, and I’d be seeing more of Diane in the coming weeks. Still, in spite of Logan’s warning, I felt it entirely unnecessary to tell Teddy. With her snuggled against me, I thought my choice impossibly obvious.
“Okay,” I muttered in reply.
“I did a thing. I mean—I made plans. For us. Next Friday. But—you might have to leave work a little early.”
Frowning good naturedly, I replied, “Go on.”
“Well, I’m sure you know the Cubs are playing next weekend.”
“Go on,” I repeated through a smirk.
“I know you prefer to see them play in Chicago, but since they’ll be here—I thought we could go watch them. I bought us tickets.”
I hesitated a moment, staring into her hazel-brown eyes, both swollen from not enough sleep and alight in anticipation. Finally, I queried, “You bought us baseball tickets?”
She nodded her reply, and I brought my lips a hair’s breadth away from hers. “You’re going to be late,” I warned.
I swallowed her giggle as I sealed my mouth with hers. Soon enough, the sound of her amusement was replaced with that of her undeniable pleasure. She soaked another condom, beckoning me to fill it before I shooed her into the shower—decidedly more awake than any cup of coffee could have made her.
Teddy was rinsing her hair when I stepped into the opposite side of the shower and turned on the water. Well aware that we were both on a schedule, I kept my distance and made an effort to keep my eyes on myself. She was out before I picked up my razor for a shave. Even still, by the time I was finished, I found her wrapped in only a towel in front of the mirror, weaving her damp hair into a loose side-braid.
I made my way to my closet and stayed there long enough to don a pair of underwear before I headed for the kitchen. I went about preparing my French press and hunted down one of my seldom-used travel tumblers. After I secured the lid on the freshly prepared dark roast, I lo
oked over just in time to see Teddy reach the top of the staircase. She was dressed in a mauve pink sweatshirt, a pair of black leggings, and gray slip-on shoes. A touch of makeup hid any hint of her exhaustion, and her eyes lit up at the dose of caffeine I held in my hand.
Skipping a little, she quickly closed the distance between us and asked, “Is that for me?”
“Yes,” I answered simply, sliding it her way.
“Best boyfriend ever.” She reached for the tumbler with one hand and rested her other on my shoulder. Pressed up on her tiptoes, she puckered her lips in a silent request. I didn’t deny her. Too soon, she was backing away from me. “I’ve got to go, but I’ll see you tomorrow. And I’ll text you when I get there. Not that—I mean, not that you need me to—I just…” Her feet stopped as she stumbled over her words.
“Go,” I insisted with a wave. “Text me when you get there.”
This brought a smile to her face, and she rushed back toward me in search of another kiss.
“Bye,” she whispered against my lips.
I reached around her and smacked my hand against her ass. She squeaked, making chuckle. “Get out of here, before I’m late, too.”
She grinned at me before she obeyed and took off toward the stairs in a hurry. I tarried in the kitchen, long enough to make myself another mug of coffee. Beverage in hand, I started back to my room to finish getting dressed. Just as I got to the foot of the stairs, I heard the god-awful screeching which accompanied the start of Teddy’s car engine. I frowned, feeling just as suspicious in that moment as I was the first time I heard it—Wednesday morning.
I wasn’t a mechanic; neither would I feign to be knowledgeable about the innerworkings of any car’s engine. I was interested in the specs—not the engineering. I didn’t know what kind of attention her old Honda needed, but there was no doubt in my mind attention was due.
As I continued to my bedroom, I made a mental note to discuss it with her the next chance I got. I then put it out of my mind as I dressed for a brisk morning on the golf course. I opted for a pair of navy, athletic golf pants and a gray, long-sleeved, turn-down collared shirt. After a generous swig of coffee, I headed to the bathroom to spend a minute on my hair. It wasn’t long before I was back in my closet to gather the last of my things. I slipped my feet into a pair of casual sneakers and fitted my sports utility watch on my wrist. My phone began to ring as I was reaching for my golf cleats.
