by Alex Grayson
She scowls. “You have no idea.”
I chuckle then lean in to peck her lips. “As I told you before, there’s nothing to worry about.”
“It’s not you I worry about.”
“Even if she does have a crush, Heidi knows I’m with you; she wouldn’t try anything. She wants me to be happy.”
Her eyes roll before meeting mine again. “Yeah, only if that happiness comes from being with her.”
“You’re really fucking cute when you’re jealous. You know that, right?”
“Whatever,” she snorts.
My phone buzzes again, reminding me I never replied to Heidi’s message. Alaina watches my screen as I reply.
Me: I’m busy at the moment. You’ll need to find someone else to do it. I’m sorry.
“Happy?” I look up at her.
“Very.” Her sour look is replaced with a smile.
I shake my head at her ridiculousness and smile in return.
Irritation burns in my gut when my phone buzzes again. We both look down at the screen.
Heidi: I’ll do that. It’s just, I’m on the side of the road on Lincoln Street, and I’ve already had a couple people come up to my window.
“Son of a bitch,” I mutter and look up at Alaina. “I can’t leave her there. Even if she called triple A, it would be at least an hour before they got there. You know that section of town is filled with drug dealers and pimps.”
“Yeah,” she says, getting up from my lap. “She doesn’t have anyone else to call?”
“No one I’d trust to get to her in time.”
She blows out a breath and crosses her arms over her chest. It’s a defensive move. “Okay.”
“You know I wouldn’t leave if I didn’t have to. But she’s my kid sister’s best friend. A woman in that part of town is trouble waiting to happen. You can’t tell me you wouldn’t feel guilty if something happened to her.”
Her shoulders slump and she drops her arms to her sides, shifting on her feet.
“I would.” She nods. “I know it’s selfish of me, but I hate having our night ruined.” She wants to say more, I can see it in her eyes, but at the last-minute she snaps her mouth closed.
I wrap an arm around her and tug her to my chest. Her hands lay flat on my pecs as she stares up at me. I can see the disappointment on her face, but I know she won’t say anything else. Alaina may not trust Heidi, but she won’t allow the girl to get hurt either.
“How about you take a nice long bubble bath and crack open that bottle of wine in the fridge. I’ll be back before you know it and we can finish it off together.”
Her smile returns and the tightness in my chest dissipates. Her smile is one of my favorite things about her.
“Okay, but I want one of your generous massages when you get back home.”
When you get back home.
Like her place is my place, too. I really like the sound of that.
“I’ll be sure to make it extra… sensual.”
Her eyes glaze over and it reminds me of the look she gets when I first slide inside of her. Blood rushes to my dick, and I silently curse Heidi for, once again, pulling me away from Alaina. Her and I are going to have a talk while I change her tire. This shit has got to stop.
My phone buzzes again, and I reluctantly let Alaina go after a brief kiss. “Keep the bed warm for me.”
“I will.”
I grab my shirt from the back of the couch and slip it on, then toe on a pair of tennis shoes. As I walk to the door, I reply to Heidi’s message, letting her know I’m on my way.
In the doorway, I look back at Alaina and she gives me a wide grin and blows me a kiss.
Chapter Fifteen
ALAINA
Smiling as I look down at the last text message Enzo sent me, I open my apartment door to leave. I jerk to a stop right before I slam into my father’s chest, who has his hand raised, poised to knock.
“Dad? What are you doing here?” I ask, confusion putting a frown on my face.
“Do I really need an excuse to come see my daughter?” He smiles and the laugh lines around his eyes stand out more. “Can’t your old man simply stop by?”
“You know you’re always welcome, but you normally call first.”
“I was close by. Figured I’d stop in and see how you were doing.”
He steps through the doorway, and I close the door behind him. “I’ve been good. Had the stomach bug not long ago, but I’m better now.”
“Stomach bug, eh?” I follow behind him as he walks to the kitchen and plops down on a stool. “Laurie had it a few days ago.”
“It’s seems to be going around lately.” I toss my thumb over my shoulder toward the fridge. “Can I get you something to drink?”
“I’m good, Lana. I’m not planning to stay long. Just wanted to stop and see my girl.”
My heart warms. Dad and I have always had a pretty close relationship. When mom died, it was rough on us for a while. But we had each other to lean on, and we both took advantage. Going away to college was one of the hardest things I’ve ever done. I hated leaving him behind, but he threatened to kick my ass if I didn’t go. When he met Laurie and I saw the way she looked at my dad, some of the guilt for leaving lifted. I knew she would take care of him. I was ecstatic when they announced they were moving here.
The sudden need to feel his strong arms wrapped around me has me going to him. As if knowing what I want, he opens his arms, and I step into them. I breathe in his familiar scent and squeeze tight, my love for him growing when he reciprocates by tightening his hold on me.
“You okay?” he asks once we pull apart.
Giving him a smile and a nod, I throw his words back at him. “Can’t a girl give her dad a hug just because?”
He chuckles. “Anytime.” Leaning his elbow on the bar, he regards me. “How’s work been?”
“Good.”
“And how’s Juliet and Nikki? I still feel like dung for missing Juliet’s wedding.”
“They’re both good. And stop it. Juliet understands why you and Laurie couldn’t make it. It would have been ridiculous to waste all that money you spent on the cruise. Besides,” I wink, “I think the present you gave them more than made up for it.”
Dad and Laurie had made reservations for a fourteen-day cruise a year ago, before Juliet and James set their wedding date. They came back the day after the wedding. To make up for not being there, Dad went overboard with the gift he got them. A two-week stay in the Caribbean with all of the bells and whistles. Included was a matte black Amex card with no limit to ensure they didn’t have to spend a dime of their own money. And to tip it over the edge of ridiculousness, he paid another fortune to ensure the reservation was open-ended, so Juliet and James could choose the dates themselves.
“Just be thankful it wasn’t Nikki’s wedding you missed. That woman could bankrupt even the wealthiest of men.”
Dad laughs, his eyes shining. “She’ll be getting something just as elaborate when it’s her day.”
“Lord help your wallet,” I jest, but to be honest, Dad could afford to spend that type of money thousands of times over. I’ve always been frugal with money, even though I don’t need to be. If he or Laurie wants something, he gets it. One of the things about him I love is he may be ungodly rich, but he doesn’t let it rule or define him.
Another thing I love about him is that he loves my friends, and although they love him for the great man he is and not his money, he still likes to lavish them at times.
Dad’s hand touching mine has me glancing at him.
“When am I going to get to give you your own extravagant wedding gift? Along with paying for the wedding itself, of course,” he adds with a wink.
I twist my lips to the side. “When I find the right man to fit the role of a perfect husband.”
Black hair and eyes flash through my mind, but I quickly force it away. It’s way too soon to be thinking about Enzo in that role.
Isn’t it?
“I’m afraid you’re going to be waiting a long time for that to happen. You should know by now that no man is perfect. Especially for my little girl.”
I grin and pat his hand still on top of my other one. “He may not be perfect to everyone else, but I have no doubt he’ll be perfect for me.”
“Well, this old man ain’t getting any younger, so if you could hurry up with that search, that’d be great.”
I giggle then lean over and kiss his cheek. “I’ll get right on that.”
We spend the next few minutes talking about nothing important. It’s nice sitting here with him. I’ve only seen him once since he came back from his cruise.
He looks down at his watch.
“I suppose I should get going. I’m meeting Laurie for lunch.”
He gets up and I walk him to the door, grabbing my purse and keys from the counter.
“I’ll walk you out. I’m actually headed out to meet a friend for lunch too.”
He gives me an assessing look. “A male friend?”
“Nope. A female friend.”
I keep out the part that the female friend is the sister of the guy I’m dating. I’m not quite ready to tell Dad about Enzo yet.
I laugh at the dejected look on his face.
Before we can walk to our cars, I give him one more hug. “It was good seeing you again, Dad. Give Laurie my love.”
“You betcha. And call me in a few days. Laurie wants you over for dinner one night next week.”
“Will do. Love you!”
“Love you back, Lana.”
With a wave, we both get in our cars and drive away.
Getting out of my car, I beep my locks and toss my keys into my purse as I walk toward the old mom and pop diner on the corner. When I spoke with Enzo’s sister yesterday, she asked what type of food I like. I’ve never been a picky person, so I told her to surprise me. Her choice did surprise me. I’d expected something fancy, but what she picked is the total opposite. Mary Bea’s Diner doesn’t look like much on the outside, but their food is the shit.
Grabbing the handle to the heavy door, I give it a good yank and it opens. A blast of cold air hits my face when I walk inside. My stomach’s already growling at the delicious smells coming from the kitchen. If you ever want a good home cooked meal, Mary Bea’s is the place to go.
After my eyes adjust to the lighting, I look around for Allison and spot her in a booth. My eyes drift to the person beside her, and I barely suppress a growl.
What the hell is Heidi doing here? Every time I turn around, the woman is there in some fashion.
Pasting on a smile, I head toward them. Allison gets up and envelops me in a hug. She pulls back and looks me up and down.
“I absolutely love that dress!” she gushes. “You need to tell me where you got it from!”
“I found it at Bailey’s.”
“The fancy resale shop on Twentieth Street? I love that place. I’ve gotten several steals from there.”
My eyes slide to Heidi, who’s wearing a tight-lipped expression. It smooths out when Allison turns to her.
“I hope you don’t mind I invited Heidi along. When she found out I was having lunch with you, I could tell she wanted to come. She’s kind of like a little sister to Enzo and would like to get to know you.”
I just bet she does, Nova snarks. I can practically see the wheels turning in her head looking for ways to cause problems for Enzo and me. Ordinarily, I’d feel like a bitch for instantly hating another person. In reality, Heidi’s given me no reason to feel any ill will toward her, other than the nasty looks she’s given me. But there’s something about her that sets me on edge.
“Of course not,” I force the words out. “The more, the merrier.”
We take our seats and the waitress immediately approaches for our drink orders. After she leaves, Allison turns to me, her eyes lit with curiosity.
“So, tell me, how exactly did you meet my brother.”
I laugh. “Right to the point, huh?”
She shrugs, but grins.
“He hasn’t told you?”
Her eyes roll heavenward before settling back on me. “No. You know men. They neglect all the details. He only said your best friend and James were getting married.”
A smirk tips my lips up, because she’s certainly right. Men are horrible storytellers when it comes to relationships. But then again, I’m not so sure I want to disclose how Enzo and I met. How do you tell the sister of the guy you’re seeing you met as a one-night stand? I highly doubt she wants those details.
“We met at one of the downtown bars several weeks ago,” I say vaguely.
“And?” Her eyes dance, begging for more. “Don’t stop now. Was it love at first sight?”
Her words give me pause. It may not have been love at first sight in the beginning, but it’s definitely developed into something more than the intense lust at first sight I initially felt. I’m not sure I’d label it love, but it’s definitely headed that way. At least for me.
That thought scares the crap out of me. It would be so easy to fall in love with Enzo. Which means it would be so easy for him to break my heart.
Luckily, the waitress picks that moment to bring our drinks, stalling my answer. Since the three of us have eaten here before, we all know what we want without looking at the menu. As soon as the waitress walks off again with our lunch orders, I change the subject.
“So, I know you’re a nurse at the hospital, but I don’t know what department.”
She peels the paper from her straw and sticks it in her glass. “The level one well-baby nursery.”
Why am I not surprised by her answer? Allison has a sweet and caring vibe that just oozes off her.
“I bet that’s an exciting job. Seeing all the new babies come in.”
She smiles brightly. “It’s amazing. I adore my job, but it’s killer on my biological clock.” She giggles. “I have major baby fever.”
I laugh with her. “I can imagine.”
“Now if I can only find the right man for the job.” She sighs wistfully.
“The perfect man will come along.”
“Heidi’s already found her perfect man.” She smirks as she slides her eyes to her best friend. “But she’s being mean and not telling me who it is.”
Heidi’s gaze flickers to me briefly before going back to Allison. “I’ve already told you. I don’t want to jinx it.”
“But what if he’s some jerk? I can’t let my best friend be with an asshole. I need to meet him and determine if he’s good enough for you.”
She pats Allison’s hand. “I’ll tell you soon enough. And I promise you’re going to love him.”
I eye the woman suspiciously. What the hell is she playing at? She can’t possibly be thinking of Enzo. Not that I’m so confident that I don’t believe he would choose me over Heidi, but from her and Allison’s conversation, she seems sure her and the mystery man will work out. Maybe I was wrong about her and she’s not after Enzo. Maybe she’s just a natural bitch and something about me set her off. Or maybe she’s protective of Enzo like Allison hinted at when I first arrived.
What if I’ve judged the woman too harshly? I’m not typically so critical of people, so my feelings toward her are unlike me.
The waitress comes back with our orders and for the next several minutes we’re quiet. I cut off a bite of my gravy smothered country fried steak and pop it in my mouth. I moan and barely resist the urge to roll my eyes in delight. Country fried steak is one of my favorite meals here at Mary Bea’s, but it tastes exceptionally good today.
I glance up at Allison’s giggle. My lips tug up at the corners at her amused look.
“Sorry. Either I’m really hungry, or this steak is really freaking good.”
“It’s the steak. Mary Bea makes the best.” She twirls some spaghetti with her fork and deposits it in her mouth. “But her spaghetti is to die for.” To prove her point, her eyes do roll back. “I’m a food junkie, but no one beats Mary
Bea’s. Her grandson is actually dating one of Heidi’s cousins. I told her I’m totally inviting myself to her family’s house for Thanksgiving.”
I decide to play nice and attempt a joke. “I might have to tag along with you. I can’t imagine what holidays are like at her house.” I release a dreamy sigh. “All that delicious food for the taking.”
Heidi smiles, but it’s about as fake as a stripper’s tits. “It would be our pleasure to host you.”
My ass, it would be a pleasure. The woman looks like she’s seconds away from tossing her Diet Coke in my face.
“Why did you choose to go into editing?”
I pull my eyes away from Heidi at Allison’s question. I cut off another bite and pop it in my mouth before I answer.
“I’m really good at finding grammatical mistakes. In high school, my English teacher always had me read over any written assignments because I was so good at it. I find it challenging, but also rewarding because I’m part of the process of creating a perfect literary work of art.”
She nods, picking up her drink and sucking her straw. “I was never a big reader when I was younger, and I despised my English class. Numbers were more my thing. But I was in the waiting room at my doctor’s office one day, and they were running behind. They had a small shelf with a few books on it. To pass the time, I grabbed one and started reading. After I left my appointment, I went straight to the library and checked out the same book that was in the office. I devoured it in two days. Now I can’t stop reading.”
“It’s a great hobby to have. Unfortunately, I don’t get a lot of time to read leisurely anymore.” I look to Heidi and try again. “Do you read, Heidi?”
She shrugs, taking a delicate bite of her Caesar salad. “Occasionally. When the mood strikes. I prefer psychological thrillers.”
“Okay, back to my brother,” Allison interjects. “Tell me, how serious are you about him?”
Her question catches me off guard, and I choke on my bite of mashed potatoes. I take a sip of my water and clear my throat. “Excuse me?”
“Sorry.” She laughs. “I didn’t mean it the way it apparently sounded. I really like you, and I hope it works out between you and him. I was just wondering how serious your feelings were, because I know Enzo is very serious about you.”