Win Big

by Kelly Jamieson

  “I like you when you’re not perfect…when you’re messy and aching and wet. I like messing you up and having dirty, messy, fun sex with you.”

  She wraps her arms around my neck and kisses me again, a deep kiss full of emotion. My heart expands hard against my sternum at the vulnerability she just revealed to me. I want to protect her. Take care of her. And…fuck her.

  Chapter 15

  Everly

  I’m sitting in my office Monday morning with Murray.

  Pictures of Wyatt and me are all over TV and social media. Sitting courtside at a Cougars game will do that. And Wyatt’s antics helped; him dancing with the mascot provides entertaining clips. The sports commentators on the big networks are getting a kick out him cheering on the Cougars, and other blogs are posting a picture of him kissing me. That one’s being retweeted and shared on Facebook and Instagram over and over.

  I don’t know why I didn’t think of this, but of course I’m inundated with texts from Lacey, Taylor, and…my mom.

  Ack. Dad didn’t tell Mom what was going on?

  Then my stomach cramps as I realize there’s a definite possibility he forgot to.

  “This is perfect,” Murray says. “We don’t even have to make any statement to counter the rumors that started after the picture from the sex shop.”

  I rub my forehead. “Great.”

  “Just a couple more outings,” he adds.

  Great.

  “This weekend will be a good time,” he says. “At the presser to announce Wyatt as our ambassador—you should be there too. That would get some media attention.”

  “Right. Sure.” Blergh.

  Murray leaves and I drop my head back against my chair.

  Wyatt stayed at my place the rest of the day yesterday. We fooled around a bunch, slept a little, ordered pizza, and fooled around more before he went home.

  He was right—his endurance is impressive.

  It’s also impressive—no, that’s not the right word for it…exciting? Maybe flattering?—that he wants me that much. Like he can’t get enough of me. Touching. Kissing. Fucking.

  Oh God. I’m getting that low-down, achy feeling again. Like I can’t get enough of him.

  Just a couple more outings.

  I better figure something out for our next date. I guess we could hit some other trendy restaurant where the celebs go to be seen. Ugh. This idea doesn’t appeal to me, but hey, that’s what I signed up for! I open my browser and start clicking, my chin resting on one hand.

  I bookmark a couple of sites and I’ll check with Wyatt about when he wants to go. It’s still All Star week, so he’s off until practice before their next game a week from today. Other than the press conference on Friday.

  Tonight, I better set up dinner with Taylor and Lacey. But first, I have to call my mom.

  “Hey, Mom! I saw your texts.” Plural.

  “Evvie! What’s going on? You said there was nothing with you and Wyatt Bell.”

  “There isn’t.” Okay, I’m totally lying now. We had sex, pretty damn amazing sex, so there’s…something. “I’m sorry I didn’t tell you…I thought Dad would.”

  “Tell me what?” Confusion shades her voice.

  “Well, this is top secret, but I know I don’t have to tell you that. Last week Wyatt and I were out one night, and someone took a picture—”

  “A picture of you and him?”

  “No, just him. It was a little, um…”

  “Compromising?”

  “No, not exactly. It just started some rumors—”

  “Tell me where the picture is. I’ll figure it out.”

  I grin and give her the name of the entertainment blog. “So we thought if he and I were seen together a few times, it would dispel the rumors. Not that it’s a big deal, and Wyatt doesn’t care himself, but he’s going to be our ambassador for Hockey for All this year, so we don’t want negative attention for that.”

  “Of course not,” she murmurs dryly. I think dryly. “Oh, I see the picture.” She makes a little noise as if repressing a laugh. “I’m not even going to ask what you were doing.”

  “Yeah, it was really nothing. Wyatt has a weird sense of humor. So Dad was part of this plan, although he wasn’t thrilled about it.”

  “He didn’t say anything.”

  I know we’re both thinking the same thing. I pull in a long breath. “Well, maybe he just wanted to keep it on the down low.”

  “He knows I’d never reveal confidential information about the team.”

  I don’t know what to say. “Did you talk to him again about going to the doctor?”

  “Yes. I blamed you. I said you’re worried too.”

  “Great. And…?”

  “Now he’s being passive aggressive. He says he’ll go, but he hasn’t done anything about making an appointment.”

  “You make it. Go with him.”

  “Ugh. I hate treating him like a child.”

  I bite my lip. I guess being so much younger than him, she probably knew something like this could happen in their marriage. But that doesn’t make it any easier. What happens when the person who’s your partner becomes someone you have to treat like a child? I rub the sharp ache in my chest. “Do you want me to do it?”

  “No.” Her voice is soft but firm. “That’s not your job as his daughter. I’m here. I’ll deal with it.”

  “Okay. But I’m here to help. With anything.”

  “I know. I love you. Um…as for Wyatt…you two looked like you were having a lot of fun.”

  “Wyatt’s an expert at fun. I’m just along for the ride.”

  “You could use more fun in your life. You’re a young woman, not an old lady.”

  “I have lots of fun!”

  “Uh-huh. You work long hours. You don’t date much. You go to the odd yoga class and spend your spare time knitting. You might as well take up bingo.”

  I choke on a laugh. “Mom! I have friends. I’m planning to see them tonight in fact.”

  “I’m just saying. Fun isn’t a bad thing.”

  “Fun can get you in trouble.”

  “Oh, Evvie.” The sadness in her voice undoes me.

  “It’s okay, Mom. My life is great. Anyway, now you know what’s going on. I better get back to work.”

  “Okay, sweetie. Talk to you soon. Love you.”

  I send a message to Taylor and Lacey suggesting dinner, to which they eagerly agree. We make a plan to meet at Food for Thought Bar and Grill for Appie Hour (yes, that’s spelled correctly; they have five-dollar appetizers from four till seven on Mondays).

  In the meantime, I have this charity watchdog group snooping around. Not literally, but they’ve emailed me a few times with requests for information and they’re making me nervous as hell.

  * * *

  —

  “What is happening?” Lacey demands once we’re all seated at the wooden table in Food for Thought. Her eyes bug out. “What were you doing with Wyatt at the basketball game?”

  I’ve already decided I’ll tell her and Taylor the truth, because they’re my best friends and I trust them, but…“I have to swear you to secrecy.”

  They exchange wide-eyed looks, then nod solemnly.

  The waiter arrives to take our drink order, drawing out the suspense. I can see Lacey’s impatience and I have to grin.

  We order different kinds of beer from the many they have on tap so we can try one another’s.

  Once that’s done, I relate the story to them. They listen, mesmerized, then kill themselves laughing.

  “Jeez, you’re so funny,” Taylor says, wiping her eyes.

  “Did you see the picture of him in that neoprene singlet?”

  “Nope.” But Lacey’s already got her phone out and it takes her no time to find it. Her
eyes pop as she stares at it.

  Taylor leans over for a gander as well. “Holy shit!” She throws her head back to laugh again. “I have to say, he looks amazing in that.”

  “I thought so too. Oh my God, it was so crazy.”

  “Okay, so I’m not sure I totally buy this whole PR thing,” Lacey says. “But the more important point, which you skimmed over, is why were you out with him before that?”

  “A moment of weakness.” I smile as the waiter arrives with cold, frosty beer glasses. We pause again to order food.

  “Go on,” Taylor says.

  “Okay, I’m attracted to him. He asked me out, and I knew it was a really bad idea, but I just…wanted to. Then I had second thoughts and I tried to get out of it, only he wasn’t having it.”

  “It sounds like you had fun, though.”

  I sigh. “Yes. It was crazy. But fun. And hey, you know what? He doesn’t have a son.”

  They both frown.

  “Oh, right,” Lacey says. “You saw him with a little boy.”

  “It’s a friend’s kid.”

  “Ah. You believe him?”

  I jerk back. “Yes.” I divide a look between them. “Wyatt’s a smart-ass and a partier, but he’s not a liar.”

  Once again, they slowly nod in unison.

  “What? You think he is?”

  “No, no,” Lacey says quickly. “I like Wyatt.”

  “He’s extremely bangable,” Taylor adds. “And I mean that in an objective way. Not that I personally want to bang him.”

  “Oh. Yeah…he is.” I say it with such heartfelt emotion, they both straighten and fix their gazes on me intently. I realize what I just gave away.

  “You banged him?” Lacey gasps. “Already?”

  “What do you mean already? We’ve been having foreplay for months.”

  Taylor bursts out laughing. “That is so true.”

  “I didn’t mean to sound judgey,” Lacey says apologetically. “There’s not a waiting period before you can bone someone.”

  I laugh. “Okay, thanks.”

  “Um, that could make things messy, though, if you’re only doing this for the PR.” Taylor’s eyebrows slant down.

  “I know.” I sip my beer. “I thought of that. Apparently my determination to never screw up isn’t that robust. My vagina betrayed me.”

  “Fickle bitch,” Lacey says, and we all laugh.

  “I’ll deal with it, whatever happens.” I shrug. I hope.

  “Was it worth it?” Taylor eyes me over her glass.

  “Oh, hell yeah.”

  They both reach across the table to high-five me.

  We gorge ourselves on too many appies—truffled parmesan fries, wings, mozza sticks, and roasted Brussels sprouts.

  “What’s happening with Byron?” I ask Taylor.

  Byron is her dog. When her parents split up last year, they didn’t know what to do with him, which was heartbreaking for Taylor, because she loves that dog. She had to move to an apartment that didn’t allow pets. JP, her boyfriend now but at the time he wasn’t, offered to take Byron. Hey, they may have to make Byron the best man at their wedding to thank him for bringing them together. Assuming they get married. Anyway, Taylor’s dad recently bought a new house and is supposed to take Byron.

  “Oh! Good news.” Taylor beams. “I talked to Dad and he was fine with letting Byron stay at JP’s.”

  “Oh, that’s great! You’ll see him a lot more there.” She has to help look after him because JP travels a lot, obviously, with the Golden Eagles.

  “Yes! Although Dad was hesitant. He didn’t get a very good impression of JP, since the first time he met him was when Byron ate chocolate and he was so sick. He thought JP wasn’t doing a very good job looking after him.”

  “Ugh.” I grimace. “JP felt terrible about what happened.”

  “I know. And Dad’s getting to know him better and he can see that JP really loves Byron.”

  “So you’re probably spending even more time at JP’s place now.”

  “Yep.” She smiles, contentment and love softening her features.

  Love. How sweet.

  Okay, okay, it is.

  “How’s your dad doing?” I ask.

  “Fine, I guess.”

  “Not seeing anyone?”

  “Not that I know of. Honestly, I think he’s still in love with my mom.” Taylor swipes at condensation on the outside of her beer glass, her lips drooping.

  “Aw. That’s sad.”

  “It is.” Taylor sighs. “And it makes it really hard to be happy for my mom. I don’t want to take sides, but…I feel so bad for him.”

  Lacey, sitting beside Taylor, bumps her shoulder into Taylor’s in sympathy.

  “I was feeling bad for my mom today,” I tell them.

  “Why?” They regard me curiously.

  I told Wyatt about my fears for my dad before I told my best friends. That’s really weird. But having talked about it once, it feels easier now. So I tell them the things I’ve noticed, my worries, and the fact that my mom shares them.

  “It’s weird when you’re at an age where you worry about your parents, isn’t it?” Taylor says sympathetically. “Our whole lives, they looked after us.”

  “I looked after my mom when she was dying,” Lacey says. “It’s really hard. But we have each other. I’m here for you guys, whatever you need.”

  My throat aches. “Thank you. And same goes for me. Hey, Lace, have you been able to talk to Aline?”

  “No, I haven’t. But we’re seeing Matthew and Aline this weekend. I’ll see what I can do.”

  “Okay, good.”

  “What about you? Have you talked to your mom about the money?”

  “Yes.” I wrinkle my nose. “She wasn’t informative. I’m sure she knows exactly what’s going on, though. She just basically told me to keep my nose out of it.”

  “Ugh.” Lacey purses her lips. “I have a feeling she knows everything.”

  “Why do you say that?”

  “Just my intuition. Théo is even coming around to that idea.”

  “Really?” My mouth falls open. “I thought he hates my mom.”

  “No!” Then she stretches her lips into a grimace. “Well, not hate, but there were bad feelings. That’s no secret. But I’m an outsider and I guess I’m seeing things differently, and kind of opening his eyes.”

  “JP says he’s always liked Chelsea,” Taylor adds.

  I smile. “Well, I think my mom is awesome.”

  “I agree,” Lacey says firmly. “Whatever happened to that money, I’m sure she wasn’t involved.”

  “Then how does she know what’s going on?”

  “Well, I could come up with several different stories that I could make up. One of them might be true.”

  I laugh. “I’ve imagined a lot of different scenarios too.” Usually lying in my bed at night when I can’t sleep.

  “Okay, back to Wyatt,” Lacey says with determined cheerfulness. “Are you going tell us about the sex?”

  “No. Who’s going to yoga Saturday morning?”

  “Oooh, me, me!” Taylor says. “I want to. Come on, Lacey. You’re so stubborn about this.”

  “I will fall in the water.”

  We go to a stand-up paddleboard yoga class in Marina del Rey. It’s really cool. Being on the water adds an extra soothing component to the yoga poses. Lacey refuses to try it, though.

  “Fine.” I sigh. “I think you’d like it, though.”

  “Lace, tell us about doing Rielle Simpson’s makeup,” Taylor urges her. Rielle is an up-and-coming young African American actress.

  “I really want to hear about sex with Wyatt,” Lacey pouts.

  I laugh. “Absolutely not. Because if you two tell me about sex with my
nephews, I’ll be grossed out forever.”

  * * *

  —

  When I get home, I toss my coat in the closet, kick off my heels, and grab my phone. I throw myself down onto my couch and prop my bare feet on the coffee table, and scroll through my social media.

  But first…there’s a text from Wyatt.

  A silly smile tugs at my lips as I open the message app. God. I can’t believe how happy a text from him makes me feel. This is ridiculous.

  I have an idea for our next date.

  Huh. I push out my bottom lip and reply. Yeah? What is it?

  He answers right away. Hiking!

  I frown. I don’t think so.

  What? Why not? It’ll be fun. We can do a trail in the hills.

  First of all, nobody will see us. That defeats the purpose of the date.

  It takes him a few minutes to reply. Oh yeah.

  I was thinking about a fancy dinner.

  I know.

  I mean, I like having dinner with u.

  I smile.

  Fine. When?

  Saturday?

  Hell no! Not waiting that long to see u.

  My chest heats. I don’t know what to say to that.

  We could go for a hike anyway. Just for fun.

  I have to work.

  U can take an afternoon off. Ur the boss.

  I grin. I don’t do things like that—take an afternoon off just to have fun. Take advantage of the fact I’m the director of the Foundation. But he’s tempting me…again. I tap in my reply: Okay.

  Pick u up at ur place at 1 tomorrow.

  Tomorrow? Eep! I inhale and slowly let the air out of my lungs. Okay.

  Sure, it’ll be fun. But you never know who might see us hiking in the hills.

  Chapter 16

  Wyatt

  “Where are we going?”

  “Hollywood, baby.” I grin as I drive. I made sure she had on appropriate clothing—no four-inch heels or a tight skirt. I approve of her snug cropped black leggings, performance layers, and Nike shoes. Her hair is in a ponytail and big sunglasses perch on her nose.

  I park on Wonder View Drive and we get out to begin our hike. It’s a perfect day for it—sunny but cool. I’ve got a backpack with water and snacks in it and we set off along the paved road. The views of the downtown skyline and the Hollywood Reservoir are spectacular.