by G. , Whitney
Penelope glared in her direction, looking as annoyed as I felt about her intrusion.
“Here,” I said, pulling the envelope from my pocket. “Here’s a better story for you. It’s an exclusive.”
She took it from my hands and walked away as quickly as she’d appeared.
I returned my attention to Penelope—getting aroused at her puffy pink lips all over again.
“Are you going back to his place tonight?” I asked.
“Probably.” She stepped closer, lowered her voice. “We’re not having sex.”
“I know.”
“How?”
“You would’ve told me.”
Before I could ask her anything else, Simon moved between us and slipped his arm around her waist. He kissed her cheek and whispered, “Sorry for leaving you alone.”
“Good evening, Hayden.” He smiled at me. “Nice to see you again.”
“Likewise.” I extended my hand. “I’ve been hearing good things.”
“Most of them are true.” He smiled. “We have reservations at The Murray across town after this. I’d invite you to join us, but I’ve heard that they’re sticklers when it comes to sticking to the reservation number.”
“I’m sure they’ll make an exception for the owner.”
“Oh. Well, in that case … ” He pressed a kiss against Penelope’s cheek. “Want to join us after the play?”
“Looking forward to it.”
I made it to The Murray and requested the table right next to the windows. I wasn’t sure why I agreed to this; I never wanted to be around any of her boyfriends.
Probably just to see her lips again.
As I was ordering glasses of water for the three of us, a roar sounded on my left. A bright red Ferrari swerved a U-turn in the middle of the street, swinging its way into a spot.
Simon stepped out of the car and walked over to Penelope’s side.
The patrons at the window “Oohed” and “Ahhed” as he helped her out. Photogs snapped pictures; people whispered and wondered about who they were.
Penelope’s eyes met mine, and they made their way over.
You are really fucking gorgeous. I stared at her as she walked.
I stood up to pull out the seat next to me, but Simon pulled out the other one. The one across from me.
He took the one between us.
“Was the second half of the play as good as the first?” I asked.
“It was all phenomenal,” Pen said. “Ten-star show.”
“Nice to know. I’ll have to get tickets someday.”
“Penelope was telling me that you own the IMAX Theater in Times Square,” Simon said it as more of a question. “You also dabble in real estate and restaurant chains?”
“Yeah,” I said. “My advisor suggested that I do that years ago.”
“I wish I could branch out like that.” He smiled. “My investors want me to focus on the fund and nothing else, but maybe one day they’ll let me.”
Thankfully, the waiter appeared before I could respond to that. She set down menus and a basket of breadsticks, rattling off the chef’s special for the night.
“Will this be one check or three, Mr. Hunter?” she asked.
“One,” Simon and I said in unison.
“You should let me pay for it,” he said, placing a roll onto Penelope’s plate. “I mean, I was planning to treat Penelope to dinner anyway.”
“Fair enough.” I looked at the waitress. “One check.”
“I’ll return shortly to take down your orders.” She walked away.
“I’d like the oysters,” Penelope said, standing to her feet. “I’ll be back.” She shot me two winks and a smile, our shared “Check him out for me” signal before stepping away from the table.
We both stared at her until she disappeared around the corner.
“So,” Simon said, clearing his throat. “Penelope was telling me that you have an obsession with watches. I couldn’t help but notice the Yachtmaster on your wrist. Is that one of your favorites?”
“Yes.” I picked up my water. “Are you into watches as well?”
“Very much so.” He held out his wrist. His watch was the same as mine with a few adjustments.
“Very nice.” I was impressed. “How long did it take the designers to craft that?”
“Longer than I expected, but their new designer is a friend of mine,” he said. “She lets me have access to all of the newest ones before release.”
I raised my eyebrow. None of the watch designers I knew would let any customer request adjustments before the accessory was released. No matter how wealthy he or she was.
“Don’t tell anyone.” He must’ve read my mind. “She’s not supposed to do that and the design house would let her go if it got out.”
“I wouldn’t dare,” I said. “She’s willing to risk her status, just because you’re friends?”
“Because her husband is my friend and I’m the reason they’re married,” he said. “It’s strictly platonic. Are you and Penelope like that?”
“Married?”
“Platonic.”
“She’s dating you, isn’t she?”
He picked up his glass and took a slow sip.
“Nice Ferrari,” I said, needing to change the subject.
“Thank you. I saw your car collection in GQ this month. I was shocked that you didn’t reveal any custom ones.”
“I like being subtle.”
“Right.” He laughed. “Well, I never want to share the same thing as another man. I like to always go custom and keep my things in far reach from others.”
I tapped my fingers against the table, wishing that Penelope would hurry the hell up and come back before this turned into a full-scale pissing match.
“I read that you like scrappy investment firms in Esquire,” he said. “If you’re ever interested in investing some of your money in a hedge fund with small returns but great long-term strategies, let me know. I manage three billion, which is a little more than what your company is worth, but I take on smaller clients, too.” He pulled out his business card, and I let it hang in the air for a few seconds.
Is he insinuating that he makes more money than me?
“Thank you for the offer,” I said, taking it. “I’ll be sure to check it out later this week, Simeon.”
“It’s Simon.”
“That’s what I said.”
Silence.
“Sorry I took so long.” Penelope returned to the table. “Have I missed anything exciting?”
“No,” Simon and I said in unison.
I cleared my throat and stood up from the table. “I realized that I have something to do for Lawrence tonight,” I said. It was nice meeting you, Simon. I’ll see you tomorrow morning for brunch at Wagner’s, Penelope.”
“You might see me, too.” Simon smiled. “She mentioned wanting to show me that place, and tomorrow sounds more than perfect.”
I walked away before I could say anything else.
Fourteen
Present Day
Penelope
I knocked on the front door of Wagner’s in the morning, hoping that Hayden’s security detail were the only people inside and that I’d get a few minutes alone to myself.
I fucking needed it …
The moment I saw him at the theater last night, the butterflies I’d felt for Simon lost a fight to something far more powerful in my chest when I saw Hayden.
The sight of him in a custom-black, three-piece suit had always lethal to me when I was prepared for it. But when it caught me off guard?
There were no words to adequately describe it.
He’d ruined the rest of the play for me.
During the second act, I wasn’t witnessing the story on stage; I was envisioning Hayden pulling me into that corner all over again. Pressing his lips against mine and gripping my waist, claiming me in front of everyone and not giving a damn about any photogs that caught shots of us.
He’s your broth
er’s best friend, your best friend, and the ultimate playboy. Snap out of it, Penelope.
Those words were the only ones that seemed to lure some sense into my brain.
Letting out a breath, I knocked on the door again.
“Sorry about that Miss Penelope.” Hayden’s lead guard opened the door. “Happy Saturday.”
“Happy Saturday.” I took off my sunglasses and noticed Hayden sitting in the back, looking sexy as ever in jeans and a black T-shirt.
He’d already ordered my favorites—beignets and strawberries, and he was sipping a cup of coffee.
“Hey.” His eyes met mine as I approached.
“Hey.”
“Where’s Simon?”
“He had a last minute meeting.”
As I took my seat, his security guard set a bouquet of roses and a note between us.
“For you, Miss Penelope,” he said. “From a Mister Gaines.” He pulled a receipt from his pocket and handed it to Hayden. “Also, he uh, prepaid for the two of you to have brunch today.”
“How very kind of him,” Hayden said, and we sat in silence for a few seconds after the guard walked away.
“How was the rest of your night with Simeon?” he asked.
“It’s Simon.” I picked up a fork. “It was good. How was the rest of yours?”
“Good … You didn’t call me when you made it home.”
“I didn’t think you were still awake. We went on a joyride in his Ferrari, and he didn’t drop me off until three.”
“Since when do I not answer late night calls from you?”
“Right.” I swallowed. “Look. About last night—”
“What about it?”
“I don’t think I ever told you that I wanted to see Wicked,” I said. “I kept thinking about it over dinner, and I feel like I should’ve. Would you have sat through it with me?”
He gave me a look that answered that rhetorical question.
“I think we should spend some time together. I feel we haven’t hung out that much lately.”
“We haven’t.” He tapped his fingers against the table. “My apology tour and gala planning has picked up, though. That’s probably why.”
“Oh, yeah.” I’d almost forgotten about the gala. “Well, Simon is taking me down to Miami this week to hang out at Sunny Isles Beach, so how about the day after we get back?”
“I took you to Sunny Isles last year.”
“He’ll never know.” I smiled. “I play dumb like you said whenever he suggests something I’ve already done with you before. It’ll be my first with him, right?”
“Right.” He downed his coffee.
“He hasn’t asked me to be exclusive yet,” I said. “We’re just dating.”
“I know.”
“It was a question.”
“I didn’t hear the inflection.”
“Oh.” I cleared my throat. “Is it a problem that he hasn’t asked me to be exclusive yet?”
“No.” He shook his head. “I know you two have a history, but it’s only been a few weeks. You should give it a few more. You should also remember to hold up your half of our deal.”
“I have.” I pulled a few letters from my bag. “Thirteen, for all the members of a street symphony that you insulted for playing love songs you didn’t like. You asked for Taylor Swift’s ‘Clean’ and they played ‘Blank Space.’ In all fairness, I probably would’ve lost my shit, too.”
A smile spread across his face, and the strange tension between us slowly dissolved.
“That’s not what happened,” he said. “But thank you.”
“I’m not sure I want to know anything else about what you were doing during our Cold War.” I picked up a beignet. “You were always pretty petty, but each set of apologies is getting crazier and crazier.”
“The only thing you need to know about our Cold War is that you started it.”
“No, you started it.” I pointed my finger at him. “But I forgive you.”
He laughed and sipped his coffee. “Your brother is coming into town. Want to bring Simon along for lunch?”
“Never.” I rolled my eyes. “The earliest I’d introduce him to Travis is at the fight in Vegas, where he’ll be too distracted to grill the hell out of him. That’s why I’m glad I have you. You’re far more understanding about guys than Travis will ever be.”
“I see,” he said. “That’s what best friends do for each other, right?”
I wasn’t sure why, but it sounded like there was a bit of grit in his voice when he said, ‘best friends,’ and I felt like he didn’t really mean that.
A part of me—one I couldn’t deny or explain, didn’t want him to mean it.
“Dinner tomorrow night at Central Park?” I said, shaking away the thought.
“How about the next night? Lawrence is making me do a mock deposition and I don’t know how long he’ll make me stay.”
“Perfect,” I said. “Central Park. Tuesday night.”
Fifteen
Present Day
Hayden
Tuesday night
“You really need to get better at disguises,” a familiar deep voice said from behind. “Like, I knew it was you from miles away.”
I turned around to see Travis in shades and a hoodie. “No, I just need to fire Sarah for always letting you slip by.”
He laughed and sat next to me on the bench. “When you finally fire her, let me know so I can make her an offer to work for me.”
“You can’t afford her,” I said. “Why are you in town so early?”
“All the hype in Vegas is getting to me.” He pulled off the shades and sighed. “All this buildup and training for the fight is a bit overwhelming, you know? I feel like I can retire after this one, though.”
I didn’t bother responding to that. Every one of his fights was the one where he could “retire after this,” and there was no way he was giving it up without a good reason. Or death.
“I want to personally give you something,” he said. “Where’s Crown?”
With Simon. “Running late as always.”
“I should’ve known.” He pulled a few glittering lanyards with sparkling badges from his pocket. His face was on one side, and “The Punisher, Forever Undefeated” was on the other. “These are for you, Crown, and her roommate that shall not be named.”
“Tatiana hated you in the past, too?”
“Rightfully so.” He smiled. “You each can bring a plus-one if you like, but you have to get their names on the list a week before or they can’t come.”
“Noted.”
“I’ve heard about your apology tour.” He crossed his arms. “Will I receive one from you anytime soon?”
“You can have it right now,” I said. “I’m sorry you ever think that I’m apologizing for shit to you.”
We both laughed.
We sat on the bench talking for hours, as if things were how they once were, and before I knew it, it was almost midnight.
“Shit.” He looked at his watch. “I need to get back to my hotel. Are you allowed to go out or are you still on punishment with Lawrence?”
“It’s not punishment. Its image-rehab.”
“Right.” He stood to his feet. “Come over for lunch when you have some free time this week. I’m here through Saturday. Should I assume that Penelope isn’t coming at this point?”
“Probably.” I stood up, too.
“I should’ve asked if she had a serious boyfriend before coming into town,” he said, laughing. “I guess I can hang up seeing her before Vegas.”
I didn’t laugh with him. I walked alongside him as we made our way past my security and into separate cars.
As my driver pulled off, I took out my phone and saw that Penelope had texted me hours ago. Right before Travis arrived at the bench.
Penelope: Can I have a raincheck for tonight? Simon surprised me again.
Penelope: I’ll make this up to you, I promise.
Penelope: Hayden?
&n
bsp; * * *
I let out a sigh and texted her back.
* * *
Me: Of course. I spent most of the night talking to your brother anyway.
Penelope: I need to ask you about something later. Can I call you in an hour?
Me: Sure.
Fifteen (B)
Present Day
Hayden
My phone sounded with Penelope’s signature ringtone early in the morning. I rolled over and noticed the time. Five fifteen.
What the hell?
Sighing, I grabbed it and swiped the screen.
“Yes, Penelope?” I answered.
“Were you sleeping?”
“Clearly.” I groaned. “What’s going on?”
“I’ll be quick,” she said. “Hold on. Let me move.”
The faint sound of elevator music and laughter came over the line.
“Have you ever had truffles?” She asked. “I think they’re a bit overrated.”
“I know that this is not what you called to talk about.”
“I called to tell you that I feel like I’m living in the pages of a romance,” she said. “Simon is perfect. He surprised me and Tatiana with this invite to a private truffle tasting. In the center of mine, he wrote a note saying that he’s really glad we found each other again.”
“You need advice on this?”
“He wants to take me to the Bahamas for a week,” she said. “We’d have separate suites since he’s there for business, but is it too early?”
I said nothing.
I wasn’t used to her dating someone with extreme financial means, someone who had access to so much and was willing to use it so soon.
“When exactly is he trying to take you away from me?”
“What?”
