Up for Heir

by Ruth Cardello

  “Oh, so it’s not who you had lunch with. I thought perhaps you’d been out on a date.”

  Taking a page out of the older woman’s book, Hailey said, “For lunch? What a pathetic date that would be.”

  Delinda tapped her fingers on the arm of her chair. “I suppose it depends on the company.”

  Does she know? Or is she fishing for confirmation? Would she want me with Spencer?

  “It was just lunch with a friend.”

  “A male friend?”

  Hailey tipped her head to the side. “Delinda, you know it’s none of your business.”

  Delinda sighed. “I’m bored. I don’t crochet. Hollywood hasn’t made a good movie in fifty years. I’m practically housebound . . .”

  Oh, please. She lays it on thick. “Where would you like to go? I’ll take you somewhere.”

  “I don’t need to go anywhere, but I never had a daughter, so I missed out on talking about dating and lunches out. Humor me. What was your lunch like?”

  “He took me out for pizza.”

  “Pizza?” Delinda exclaimed as if it were a heinous crime. “Oh, dear, no wonder you weren’t impressed.”

  She has to know. Otherwise, why would she be this curious?

  Granted, she is curious about every other part of my life that has nothing to do with Spencer.

  I could tell her whom I was with.

  She just said she likes me too much to fire me.

  But should I test it? Now? When things are just beginning to settle?

  “Are you planning to see him again?”

  Hailey pictured Spencer’s smile, his beautiful eyes, and the feel of his strong arms around her. “I think so. Yes.”

  “I know the perfect designer. I’ll have him bring samples tomorrow. I wonder if he is still in London. He vacations in Tuscany if I remember correctly. I’ll call Alessandro. He’ll know.”

  “I don’t need new clothing.”

  “You do if he’s feeding you pizza.”

  Hailey burst out laughing. “Delinda, you’re so bad.”

  With a skyward roll of her eyes, Delinda said, “I’m sorry I don’t know a nice way to say that you won’t get your man if you continue to dress older than I do.”

  This is her being nice. Hailey laughed until her eyes began to water. “Stop.”

  “I’m trying. Is there a polite way to tell you that your hair is due for a trim and a treatment, and those fingernails . . . ? I’ve seen better on Michael’s feet.”

  Hailey laughed harder still, until her sides began to hurt. “Oh my God, Delinda. No. No, there isn’t a nice way to say any of it.”

  “Enough silliness. Let’s have a spa day tomorrow. I’ll have a foot rub.” She waved her hand in a wide circle. “And you can have everything else done.”

  Gaining control of herself, Hailey dabbed the corners of her eyes. She took a calming breath and agreed if for no other reason than curiosity about what having “everything else done” entailed. “I think I’ve figured it out,” Hailey said suddenly.

  “What?”

  “Watch and learn.” Hailey sat straighter in her chair and clasped her hands on her lap in a mimic of how Delinda often sat. “Hailey, dear, let’s pamper ourselves tomorrow.” She wasn’t one to pat herself on the back, but she was nailing her Delinda impression. “We’ll get our nails done, our hair done. I even know a designer. You’d look stunning in anything from his line. What do you say? Will you indulge an old woman? A very, very old woman?”

  Delinda nodded a few times slowly, but she was smiling. “I’m not sure you’ve mastered polite, either.”

  “We’re all a work in progress,” Hailey said, feeling more lighthearted than she had in a long time.

  Hailey’s phone beeped again, not because a new message had come in, but as a reminder that she had one waiting. “Do you mind if I step outside for a moment?”

  “Not at all. I have a few phone calls to make for our day tomorrow. Should I plan for Skye to join us? There’s no reason she couldn’t do her lessons and get her nails done.”

  She’s asking? Now there is progress. “I’ll speak to Mrs. Holihen. She might be able to fit the lessons around what we have planned.”

  “Considering what I pay her . . . if she balks at all—”

  “Delinda—”

  “It’s just to make sure we get exactly what we want.”

  “You’re incorrigible.”

  “That’s how I came into the world, and it’s likely the way I’ll depart it. Now go, answer your friend. Don’t say yes to seeing him tomorrow, though. Make him wait until the weekend.”

  “I have Skye on the weekend.”

  “I’m sure Mrs. Holihen will come by if I ask her to, or I could watch her myself.”

  “I’ll ask Mrs. Holihen. If I decide to go anywhere.”

  “Whatever you wish. Go on, now. I’m tired. Being nice is exhausting.”

  Spencer was back in his office, looking down at his phone like a high school boy waiting for an answer from his crush. He’d made it a lifelong practice to not chase women. There were enough vying for his attention that worrying about which woman he’d end the night with was unnecessary.

  Hailey is different.

  He’d spent a pathetic amount of time crafting his text to her. It had to be warm without making it seem like he wasn’t willing to honor his promise to go slowly.

  He’d written: Today was nice.

  When no response came back, he regretted not saying more.

  It’s Spencer.

  As soon as he sent it, he groaned. She knows it’s me. I blew my two-line limit on stupid shit. Three unanswered texts spells desperate. All I can do now is fucking wait.

  He sat at his desk and placed his phone in front of him. She’s at work. She might not even know she has a message.

  “What are you doing?” Jordan asked, taking a seat in front of his desk.

  Spencer would have put his phone away, but he didn’t want to miss her response if she wrote back. “Nothing much. Does this mean you’re back?”

  “Yeah. I tried to get some stuff done at home, but I ended up watching every season of Dr. Who and a disturbing number of reality shows. I was knee-deep in half-empty pizza boxes, and I started to wonder why there were no beer cans. Why would someone like me not wallow in alcohol when he’s unhappy? Then I remembered that ass kicking you gave me our junior year when I got drunk instead of working on the coding you’d asked me for, and I started to miss you. You’re an asshole, but you’re still my best friend.”

  Spencer pretended to dab away tears. “That’s the nicest thing anyone has ever said to me.”

  “Whatever. You don’t look hungover today, which robs me of the opportunity of kicking your ass back toward sobriety.”

  He hadn’t thought much about it, but Jordan was right—he hadn’t looked at another woman or had a drink since he’d met up with Hailey again. He wanted better than the life he’d fallen into.

  “So you really liked my album simulator?” Jordan asked.

  “I told you, it’s fucking genius. There’s nothing on the market that can compete. The way it isolates and creates specific 3-D holograms from merged video is mind-blowing. It’s a game changer.”

  “Thank you. And the volleyball-babe simulator?”

  “No.”

  Jordan laughed. “It was worth a shot. You’re probably right about it being a slippery slope to porn. Not that I wouldn’t buy the program if someone else made it, but it’s not what I want to be remembered for.”

  “See, sometimes I’m right.” Spencer glanced down at his phone.

  “Waiting on a call?”

  “No.”

  “Fucking liar.”

  It was Spencer’s turn to laugh. “I had lunch with Hailey today.”

  “And?”

  “And it was good to see her. Really good.”

  “Tell her I said hello.”

  “I will. When she answers me.”

  Jordan sat forward and gr
abbed Spencer’s phone. “That’s what you’re doing? Sitting here waiting for her to answer a text?”

  Spencer was on his feet and around the table in a heartbeat. “Give me the fucking phone.”

  Jordan read aloud: “Today was nice. It’s Spencer.” He laughed. “Wow, I thought you had more game than that.”

  Spencer grabbed his phone back and pocketed it. “She’s going through a rough time right now. We’re starting off as friends.”

  “Ouch.”

  “It’s not like that.”

  “I’ve been friends with plenty of women, so I’d argue that it’s exactly like that.”

  “Fuck you.”

  “Everything okay?” Brett asked as he strolled in.

  “Where’s Lisa? I thought I had a secretary who would at least slow the revolving door down.”

  “He’s in a mood,” Jordan said as he walked over to shake Brett’s hand.

  “That’s nothing new,” Brett said cheerfully.

  Jordan returned to his seat and put his feet up on the corner of Spencer’s desk. “A woman he likes just kicked him to the friend zone.”

  Brett grimaced in sympathy. “That’s rough.”

  “She didn’t kick me anywhere. I told you, she has a lot on her plate, so we’re taking it slowly.”

  “Is she married?” Brett asked.

  “No,” Spencer said impatiently.

  “He’s not even sure she’ll answer his text. That’s as slow as it gets.”

  “You know who misses you, Jordan? Your office. You should go see it,” Spencer spit out.

  “Is this a party someone forgot to invite me to?” Nicolette asked as she entered the room. “I didn’t see Lisa at her desk, so I figured it was okay to come right in.” She nodded at her brother. “Brett.” She smiled when she saw Jordan. “Hi, Jordan.”

  Jordan dropped his feet to the floor as he stood, looking flustered. “Nicolette.”

  “I hope I’m not interrupting anything,” Nicolette said, gauging their expressions.

  “No, everyone was just leaving,” Spencer said.

  “I wasn’t going anywhere,” Jordan said.

  “I just got here,” Brett supplied.

  Spencer slapped his forehead before going over to hug Nicolette in greeting. “Or they were staying. I’ve lost control of my office.”

  “I’m so sorry,” Lisa said breathlessly from the doorway. “I stepped away for a moment to use the ladies’ room.”

  “It’s fine,” Spencer growled.

  Jordan nodded at Lisa. “Hey, Lisa, what do you tell a guy when you don’t want to date him, but you know he likes you?”

  Lisa went three shades of red. “That I just want to be his friend?”

  Spencer threw up his hands. “You need to leave. All of you. Now. Some of us actually work.”

  “By ‘work’ he means he wants to sit at his desk and stare at his phone until she answers his text.”

  “She?” Nicolette asked. “Are you dating someone, Spencer?”

  This might drive me back to drinking. “Thank you, Lisa. We’ll talk later.” Lisa closed the door behind her as she left. “I’m not dating anyone. Jordan is being an ass. Which I probably deserve, but let’s move on. Brett, did you need something?”

  “Just dropping by to see how you’re doing.”

  “Wouldn’t want to miss an opportunity to play the doting big brother,” Nicolette said under her breath, but everyone heard her. Her cheeks turned pink when she realized how far her voice had carried.

  Brett’s face tensed, but he said nothing. He looked genuinely hurt by her comment.

  Jordan looked away.

  For the first time, Spencer felt sorry for Brett. “It’s not that we don’t appreciate it, Brett; we’re just not used to it.”

  After a long moment, Brett said, “Well, get used to it, because we’re family, and I’m not going anywhere.”

  “Why would you? You got everything you wanted,” Nicolette said. “Guilt-free.”

  Jordan said, “I can come back later.”

  Spencer put up an arm to block him. “Oh no. You wanted to stay.”

  The ding of an incoming message echoed in the awkward silence. Spencer fumbled for his phone.

  “Is it Hailey?” Jordan asked.

  Brett stepped closer. “Hailey?”

  “Do I know her?” Nicolette leaned in.

  I had fun, too. Spencer was about to reply when he told himself that doing so would make it seem like he’d been waiting for her response. He stood there, frozen.

  Jordan answered, “Hailey from college.” When Nicolette didn’t immediately recognize the name, Jordan put his hand over his heart and feigned agony. “Hailey.”

  “Now I remember her. The one who used to hang out with you guys in the garage all the time.” Nicolette peered over to see what Hailey had written.

  Spencer turned away and walked back to his desk.

  Jordan shrugged. “I read the first message. She probably answered, ‘Hi, it’s Hailey.’ So far their dialogue isn’t exactly earth-shattering.”

  “We should go,” Brett said, waving them toward the door.

  “Are you kidding?” Nicolette sat down in front of Spencer’s desk. “Do you know how many of my dates Spencer interrogated? I distinctly remember him giving Todd Manx a lecture on why birth control wouldn’t be necessary because if I missed curfew he would remove his genitalia. I’m not going anywhere.”

  “That’s hard-core,” Jordan said, sitting on the arm of Nicolette’s chair.

  “I was serious,” Spencer said. And just because the last thing he needed was to see his best friend get his heart broken by his little sister, he added, “You don’t mess with a man’s sister.”

  Nicolette rolled her eyes.

  Jordan swallowed hard and stood up.

  Brett stayed where he was, halfway to the door. Spencer didn’t like seeing his normally confident brother looking unsure of himself. I could throw him a bone. I am trying to be less of a dick. “Brett, what do you think I should say back? She said, ‘I had fun, too.’”

  “Ask her to dinner,” Brett suggested as he walked over to stand with them.

  “That’s unimaginative,” Nicolette said.

  “Ask her to go in the simulator with you,” Jordan suggested.

  “That’s creepy,” Nicolette countered.

  “Have you already been on a date?” Brett asked.

  “I took her to Mangiarelli’s for lunch today.”

  Jordan chuckled. “Now that you have money, you sure know how to throw it around. Did you order a whole pizza or just a slice?”

  “None of you are helpful,” Spencer said with a sigh.

  S: Meet me tonight.

  H: I can’t tonight.

  S: Tomorrow then.

  H: I have plans already.

  “She doesn’t want to see me.”

  “Ask her why,” Jordan said.

  Nicolette slapped his thigh. “He can’t ask her why she doesn’t want to see him. What is she saying?”

  Feeling about as ridiculous as a man could when he was sitting at his desk reading text messages to his family, Spencer asked exactly that. “I don’t get it. We had a real connection. I felt it.”

  “I feel the same way every time I look at a centerfold.” Jordan sighed. “Then I remind myself they’re just one-dimensional, anyway.”

  Nicolette slapped his leg again. “You’re such a dork.”

  Brett took another step closer. “Wait.”

  “For what?” Spencer asked.

  “Just wait,” Brett said.

  The longer they all just stared at each other, the more Spencer wished he hadn’t told them anything. Just when he was getting ready to wrap up all the fun, another message came in.

  H: I could get a babysitter for Saturday.

  “She could get a babysitter for Saturday,” Spencer announced triumphantly.

  “She has a child?” Brett asked.

  “She has custody of her niece.�
��

  Brett went to stand beside his desk. “Tell her you’ll pick her up at noon. Close the deal.”

  Spencer did, but then frowned when he saw her response. “She says she wants to meet me somewhere.”

  “That’s not a good sign,” Jordan said.

  “It’s because of her boss. She was telling me about the situation. The woman is a control freak with no boundaries. I hate the idea of Hailey working for someone like that. She wouldn’t even tell me her employer’s name. Jordan, can you find out where she works? You know, hack into something and just check if she’s safe there.”

  Nicolette waved a hand in the air. “You think that would be respecting boundaries? I can’t believe you would ask Jordan to do something like that. I mean, that’s stalking.”

  “Yeah,” Jordan said. “I’m offended that you’d even think I’d get involved in something like that.”

  Really, Jordan? Like you haven’t done a complete social background investigation of every woman you’ve ever dated.

  Brett said, “You could always help her find a new job.”

  “I could.” He let the idea sink in and repeated more emphatically, “I could. I have a friend who owns a chain of department stores, and he owes me a favor. I’m sure he’d hire her.”

  “I’d look into it,” Brett said firmly.

  “After you ask her if she wants you to,” Nicolette corrected.

  Jordan pointed toward the phone. “For now, you might want to just answer her.”

  Brett said, “I have a two-hundred-fifty-two-foot yacht sitting in Boston Harbor.”

  Jordan added, “I have a motorcycle. Sure, it’s not two hundred feet, but it instantly gets her wrapped around you and holding on.”

  Shaking her head, Nicolette said, “Seriously?” She waited, but none of the men in the room had a response to that. She threw up her hands in surrender. “Of the two, I’d choose the motorcycle. It’s less pretentious. Take her for a picnic in Plymouth or on the Cape. Friends go for walks on the beach. And the beach can be romantic.”

  Oh no, don’t get Jordan started.

  “You like the beach?” Jordan asked.

  Spencer sent him a look that shut him down. “The beach sounds good.” He texted the question to Hailey and waited. “She said yes,” he announced. “Looks like I’ll be borrowing your motorcycle, Jordan.”