My smile held for a few more seconds while I listened to Bailey share a story of when she first met Skye. I was glad to hear they’d always had an easygoing relationship and that Hardin had a higher regard for her than he let on.
“Okay, I need to get back inside. I’ve been sitting outside on this little stoop I discovered. It’s nice when I just need to regain my composure. I think we’re going to do a press conference first thing in the morning. Skye is working with the PR team now.” She paused and let out a big yawn before quickly excusing herself. “Gosh, excuse me. I’m exhausted. I’ll probably sign the papers here in a little while. The doctors don’t hold out a lot of hope once they turn the machines off.” Her voice trailed off. Really, what more can you say after something like that?
“Are you sure you don’t want me to come down there? I could probably be there in less than an hour.” I couldn’t imagine facing something like she was alone.
“And you really wouldn’t mind?” Her voice was small again, the vulnerable Bailey showing.
“No. Not at all. I’d much rather be there than pacing a path in my carpet here.” I started shuffling through my closet for something to wear while we talked. I still had a towel wrapped around my waist from the shower.
“Will you contact Skye to get you up to the floor? Security is very tight, but she can handle the details for you.” All-business Bailey was back, and it took me a second to catch up with my own answer.
“Okay. I’m so glad you said yes.”
“But Oliver, please understand. I’m his wife. This is not going to be all holding hands and canoodling in the corner.”
“Did you really feel like you needed to tell me that, Bailey?” The fact that she even said it out loud pissed me off. I was trying to be understanding under the circumstances, but I wasn’t insensitive or an idiot. I was very well aware of how easily people could judge the moral soundness of the situation between us.
“No. I guess not. I’m just trying to stay in control of the things I can control, I guess.” Her tone was much less sermonizing now.
“Well, take me off that list. It’s not necessary, nor will it ever be.” Barely tempered anger clawed at my throat.
She ended the call quickly. “I’ll see you soon.”
“Bye.” Damn, I wished she hadn’t said that. I was so pissed when I hung up my phone, I wanted to throw it on the ground and stomp on it instead of dial Skye and make a whole bunch of effort to appear to be something I wasn’t. I fully understood the need to keep up appearances for the media, but being chastised like a child needled my empathetic mood.
Quickly finishing in the bathroom, I gathered a few things, threw them in my backpack, and called for a ride. Several cars were in the area, so the wait was short. Skye called as I was getting in the back seat of Bill’s Blue Lexus.
“Hey.”
“Hi. I guess I’m going to be meeting you in the lobby of Cedars?”
“Yeah,” I said somberly.
“Why do you sound like I’m saying the lobby of the city’s gas chamber?”
“I don’t know. Wait! Our city has a gas chamber? Seriously?” Even Bill glanced in his rearview mirror when I asked that.
“No, we don’t. I think San Quentin is the only one. And I’m not sure they’ve used it in a really long time. Mid two thousands, maybe? But you’re totally distracting me with nonsense, and you know it. What’s going on outside of this bizarre six degrees of William Hardin game we have going on?”
“I know, right? How did I not figure this out sooner? I never even asked her what office her husband was in. I didn’t really care, to be honest.”
“So are you into her?” Skye asked, truly interested in the affairs of my heart. Just as I would be hers.
“I think I am.” I could feel the grin spreading across my face. “Yeah, I totally am. She’s so different than other women I’ve dated.”
“Dated, Oll? Really? Can you even use that word with a straight face?”
“What?”
“When’s the last time you saw the same woman more than once? Intentionally?”
Oh, she had to go and throw that curveball in there. While Skye had a point, it wasn’t really my fault. When I was modeling, I traveled so much. It just wasn’t a lifestyle suited for settling down.
At least that’s what I told myself.
Apparently I had taken too long to answer by my roommate’s estimation. “Mmmm-hmmm, that’s what I thought,” she said. “Don’t go jumping the gun here, Oliver. I really don’t want to see you get hurt. I’m not sure Mrs. H is really the gal you think she is.”
“How could you even know what I think she is and is not? Why would you even say something like that?” The anger that had been sparked by Bailey’s earlier comment was quickly reignited by Skye.
“I don’t know. I hear that dreamy white picket fence tone in your voice, and it’s making the hair on my arms stand up. I just want you to keep your wits about you. Especially right now. She’s going to be vulnerable as shit now, and I don’t want you to get all caught up in it.”
“Not everyone is commitment-phobic like you are, Skye.” Only best friends could get away with speaking to each other the way we did.
“That’s not a word. And how can you even be saying the C-word already? If you got involved with Bailey through your current side hustle—which shall not be mentioned… I mean, really, do you hear yourself? She paid you to have sex with her, Oliver. Not fall in love with her,” she volleyed back.
“How we met doesn’t particularly concern you. And, while I’m pointing out the obvious: taking advice from you—the one who has oh so much experience in the romance category—makes perfect sense. I’m about three blocks away, so I’ll see you in a few minutes.” I disconnected the call before she could argue further or make any more assumptions about my feelings for Bailey. God, these women were infuriating me!
There were definitely things about Bailey Hardin that gave me pause. Her being vulnerable or needing someone to lean on weren’t on that list. The way she shifted her emotions on and off was numero uno. Right underneath came the control issues. I wasn’t a big fan of being told what to do or how to do it. Those two personality traits summoned mental images of my father, and consequently, my spine stiffened.
Lastly, if getting involved with a woman who was used to living different versions of her life depending on the audience she was living in front of meant I had to do the same thing, I wasn’t sure I would be able to set all the things that mattered to me aside and do that.
Being authentic and dependable in a relationship was paramount to me. Trust, integrity, and honesty would have to be foundation words our relationship was built upon. Changing who you were in order to fit into certain people’s ideals just seemed, well, fake. And if I wanted phony bullshit, I could just keep sleeping around with the kind of girls I had been seeing my whole life up to this point. I was ready for something different, and I was really hoping Bailey was that something.
Skye met me in the lobby as promised, and we shared a quiet ride to the sixth floor. The hallway was still when we stepped off into the dimly lit space. At the far end, the glow from an open door spilled out into the corridor, a few people milling about in the shadows. The odd scent combination of stale coffee and pine floor cleaner filled the air and turned my stomach within a few minutes of standing in the hallway. Hospitals have a creepy way of invading all your senses at once, confusing your system and setting your nerves on edge.
“He’s in that room,” Skye said quietly. “Bailey’s in there now. The doctors are waiting for her to leave, and then they will turn off the machines. She said she wanted to say goodbye first and then walk away. She didn’t want to be in there and make a ‘tragic scene,’ as she called it.” She made air quotes around the last few words and rolled her eyes, apparently not agreeing with the choice.
“Who are we to judge at a time like this?” I said, matching my volume to hers to not attract attention.
“
Oh, spare me the righteousness, Oliver. If I had come home and told you this same story and you hadn’t had your dick in her, you would’ve been on my side one hundred percent.” The acid in her voice was incongruent with the moment.
“You’re probably right. And look how unfair that would’ve been of me. Have you even stopped for a second and put yourself in her shoes?” I answered quietly.
She just stared at me before dropping her folded arms from across her chest and walking on farther down the hall toward Hardin’s room. I figured I’d be better waiting where I was for the moment.
About twenty minutes passed before Bailey came out of the room and toward me in the hallway. I waited for some sort of cue from her, and she made it very easy by reaching for me with outstretched arms, so I gladly wrapped her in my embrace and held her while she sobbed against my chest. All eyes were on us, some openly staring, others sneaking glances when they thought I wasn’t looking. Some thought they were being clever and were hiding their privacy invasion, but I had their number too. Nothing to see here, people. Just one friend comforting another.
When the doctor came out of the room about five minutes later, industriously followed by two nurses, each splitting off in a different direction, he quietly came to where I stood with Bailey. She straightened up, completely severing any physical contact we might have still had, and tidied her track suit jacket. I hadn’t noticed before, but she was still wearing the same clothes she had had on at my place two nights before. She managed to still look polished and composed without having a shower or likely a wink of sleep since. With Bailey Hardin, it was her bearing rather than what she was wearing that gave her the air of importance.
“We turned everything off. It was only a minute or so before he passed. I just wanted to tell you.” He reached for Bailey’s hands and held them in his own, seeming sincerely sorry for the loss of her husband’s life. “You have my, and the entire staff’s, deepest condolences, Mrs. Hardin. Please allow our grief counselor to sit with you and help in any way she can.” He turned to introduce the freckle-faced woman who joined the small grouping, “This is Shelby. She can help make arrangements, prepare a service, contact out-of-town relatives, anything you need. Please utilize her services.” He dipped his head in my general direction and then walked away.
I touched Bailey’s arm to get her attention before Shelby launched into her spiel, which, judging by the size of the notebook in her arm, was going to be a long one. “Can I get you some coffee or tea? Water? Have you eaten?”
“You know what, I’d love some tea. Maybe chai if the café is still open downstairs in the lobby? I think Skye knows where it is, if you ask her.” She smiled halfheartedly.
“I’ll see what I can do.” I squeezed her hand and turned in a circle to look for my best friend. She was down the hall a bit, just outside of Hardin’s door. Honestly, why weren’t they closing that thing and giving the man a little privacy in his passing?
“I’m going to go get Bailey some tea. Do you want anything?” I leaned in closer and mumbled, “Shouldn’t you close that door out of respect for the guy? Who knows who could just walk by here?”
“Good call. We’re supposed to have the floor to ourselves, but you never know. This isn’t a floor they normally put admissions on. That reminds me…” She reached into her messenger bag and pulled out a badge for me to pin on. “That will allow you to come and go from this area. If anyone asks for credentials, just say you’re a family friend.”
“Family friend.” We recited the words together, and I rolled my eyes.
“In addition, I’d love an Americano with tons of milk if they’re still open in the lobby. I didn’t check their hours, but I feel like shit with the hangover and little sleep.”
“So how long have you been here?” My guess was the whole story about being at Laura’s was bullshit.
“Shit…what day is it now?” She frantically scrolled through her phone as though she might have missed an important appointment.
“Sunday evening,” I mumbled.
“Damn…and I went out with Laura and the girls Friday, so since Saturday morning?” She gave a quick whiff past her armpit. “Still good. Nowhere to shower either. I think we’ll be moving base camp soon anyway.”
“Why didn’t you just tell me the truth? You didn’t have to lie and say you were at Laura’s the whole time when I texted you. I was genuinely worried.” The mixture of hurt and anger twisted in my gut. Couldn’t anybody in this political world just be who they said they were? And hello? This was the city manager, not the fucking POTUS.
“Don’t look so butt hurt, Oll. You know how this game is played. Some things are on a need-to-know basis. And until the queen bee over there gave the word, all lips were sealed.” She motioned toward Bailey with her chin.
“And by the queen bee, you mean because she’s the next of kin?”
“Please.” She scoffed like I was the village idiot.
“What? You have to catch me up. You forget, I don’t actually know how this game is played. I’m not usually one for games at all.”
“That woman has been calling the shots in his career since they were in college. She’s the one who got him the city manager job. She and the mayor go waaaaayyy back. And as you know, the mayor appoints the city manager. From here, she was gunning for state senate and then probably governor. If I play my cards right, she will whisper in her friend’s ear about me stepping in to finish the term, and if Swanson is reelected in November, I may just be able to hold the job through his next term too.” It was a toss-up which was more disturbing—the hunger in her voice or the gleam in her eye.
“Jesus Christ, Skye.” I honestly felt sick to my stomach listening to her plot.
“What?” She recoiled a half step, affronted that I wasn’t fully on board.
“Well, I can’t be sure, but I don’t think the body is even cold yet. Were you up last night planning this shit out by the light of his vital signs monitor?” My words came out in a series of hisses.
“That’s funny, Oliver.” Her deadly serious tone was in complete opposition with her words.
“I’m not joking.” My tone matched hers.
“No, literally funny because your hot little number over there is the one who laid it all out to me—by the light of her dying husband’s vital signs monitor. I’d really love that coffee, though, if you’re still fetching one for her.”
I stood there gaping at her back as her hair swung into position from the abrupt turn she made as she walked away.
Holy shit.
What was I getting myself into? These two women were cobras in a basket, and the only man who had the charmer’s pungi lay lifeless on the opposite side of the door I was kind enough to insist be closed in preservation of his dignity.
Chapter Ten
Janine and I met in the complex gym bright and early Monday morning. I had barely slept after I got home from the hospital, but I needed to expend some of the nervous energy pinging around inside me.
We had the place to ourselves, so it was a great time to talk about Book Boyfriend Inc. We came up with a plan while we worked out, dividing tasks so we could finish what needed to be taken care of to get up and running quicker. The sooner BBI was a legitimate business, the better. I had to take care of certain things as the owner, and since I didn’t have a car, she offered to loan me hers.
“I’d feel a lot better if you just drove me. I’d hate if something were to happen to your car. Your husband would lose his shit if he found out some guy was cruising around in your seven series.” I watched her halfhearted attempt at a yoga pose I’d seen Skye do a thousand times while I worked my traps on one of the machines.
She panted while straightening to stand. “My husband doesn’t need to know, for starters, and if I’m carting your tight butt around all day, I won’t be here getting things done on my own list, will I?”
I twisted at the waist, trying to get a better view of my own backside, just to tease her.
; “Trust me on this one, Oliver. It’s tight.” She shook her head and rolled up her yoga mat. “So, we’ll meet back at your place by two? That should give you enough time to get done at city hall and me more than enough time to deal with the printer and the fictitious-name filing requirements. I’m going to look into web designers too if I get done early. We really need an internet presence.”
“Yeah, I don’t know about that. Sounds expensive.” Draining the last of my water, I admitted the inevitable. “I may need to work in a couple dates this week. I’ve been paying more attention to my personal life, and the requests are backing up.”
Janine was the only person outside those involved who knew the entire story regarding Bailey and Skye. I had to have someone to confide in, and now that Skye was changing her temperament as fast as the tide changed down at the pier, I wasn’t feeling like she was an unbiased party anymore.
“How is Bailey going to feel about you”—she paused, probably searching for a tactful term—“dating other women?”
“She’s known about Book Boyfriend this whole time. She’s never once said don’t do it anymore. I need to pay my bills, Janine. And have you heard me take a call from Harrison lately?”
“What if the client wants to sleep with you? Are you prepared to turn them down?”
We walked slowly across the complex, following the winding sidewalk still wet from the overnight sprinklers.
“I hadn’t really thought of that. I guess I’ll have to address it from the initial arrangements.”
“Don’t you think that will eliminate some prospective clients? I think you need to start farming out, Oliver. You said you had a few friends you thought about hiring. If we are taking this operation bigger, you won’t be able to go on all the dates yourself anyway. No time like the present, right?” She stopped walking and turned to face me directly. “But this brings up another thing I wanted to talk to you about. Do you know what an angel investor is?”
Misadventures with a Book Boyfriend Page 10
