by Malone, Nana
She felt like cooking. That was a good sign. “You sure the smell won’t bother your stomach?”
“Food smells aren’t making me feel sick to my stomach now. It’s a miracle. I actually love to be in the kitchen again, and I’m eating like a pig. It’s been months since I felt this good.”
Months. Try years. Two to be exact. Two years since the cancer had gone into remission and his mother had felt like cooking and eating.
He closed his eyes and sent up a prayer of gratitude to the universe. “That’s great. What time do you want us there tonight?”
“We’ll eat at seven, but come early if you can. I can’t wait to lay eyes on this gal. What’s her name? How did you meet her?”
“I’ll fill you in tonight, okay? I’ve got to run. I’ve got a lesson in five.”
“Love you, honey.”
“Love you too, Mom.”
Hanging up, Liam grabbed his bag and headed for the locker room. Henry’s future was looking even better than Liam had hoped, and now, his mom might be rallying. Even if she was only feeling better for a day, he’d take it. He hadn’t felt this happy in a long time. Not since…
Since before the injury and the death of his Olympic dream.
After changing into his swim trunks, he texted Becca. I have a surprise for you tonight.
A few seconds later, she replied, You know how I love your surprises.
Pick you up at six?
I’ll be ready.
So would he. He was ready to start the next chapter in his life.
* * *
“Okay, the whole grinning like an idiot thing is starting to work my nerves.” Van tossed a mini Snickers at Becca’s back.
Becca giggled as she picked it up. “Sorry. I know it’s sickening. And I’m trying. It just feels so good.”
Van’s eyes shot up. “Feels good, huh? Tell me more.” Her friend waggled her eyebrows.
Becca blushed. “No! I meant I feel happy. Like really happy. Happier than I’ve been since moving here.” She ducked her head. “And he’s really good in bed.”
Van whooped. “I knew it. From his pictures, he looks like the kind of guy that would be good in bed.”
“And what kind of guy is that?”
“You know, confident with a casual intensity. And you know guys that have excellent focus will take their time in bed. I’m jealous. Pea-green with envy. You just can’t see my Kermit complexion because of all this beautiful brown skin.”
Becca laughed. “You’re impossible, but I love you for it.”
Van shrugged. “It’s funny, I’ve been told that before.”
“I bet you have.”
Her friend’s smile softened. “So what’s the plan now for you two happy love birds? Ride off into the sunset, or what?”
She shrugged. “I’m just enjoying myself for now. Besides—” she lowered her voice in case anyone walking by was listening “—I just broke up with Holden. I want to sort of enjoy myself for a little while with Liam before we do the label thing.”
Van raised an eyebrow. “In other words, you have no idea and are too chicken-shit to ask.”
Busted. “Exactly. I’m waiting for him to bring it up, but you know, he’s kind of casual about everything but swimming. I don’t want to scare him off. At the same time, I’m sleeping over at his place every night, and we’ve been swimming still, and it feels like I’ve known him forever and I can be myself with him. Like really myself. Like he won’t judge me if he sees the obscene amount of unused workout equipment I have in my spare room.”
Van laughed. “Okay, calm down. Go back to the having the fun feeling. Enjoy that. And you could use a dose of seeing where this goes kind of fun.”
Becca grinned. “And, oh my God, you have to meet him.”
Van shook her head. “You know me. I’m going to make my face if he says or does something I don’t think is good enough for you, so let’s wait that one out for a bit. You enjoy your little gropey swim sessions, and hot new sex, and getting to know you wonder for a little longer, then I’ll meet him when the rosy hue wears off.”
Becca just shook her head. “I promise you—” The desk phone rang, and she picked it up. “This is Becca.”
“Becca can you please join me in my office? I have some questions about the project.”
Her stomach dropped. Fred didn’t sound happy. But maybe she was reading too much into it. She’d had a good presentation the other day. Everyone was happy with the current progress. There was no reason he should be unhappy. Unless somehow he’d found out about her and Holden.
Fred had made it clear when she’d started working for him that he was thrilled to have an even closer connection to Elite Sports and their managers. He was a mid-level manager for Dive, and a chance to pretend like he could really influence company decisions was important to him. But then again, it was her personal life so he couldn’t really have an opinion about it. “Sure. I’ll be right there.”
Van scrunched up her beautiful face. “I could hear his annoyance even from here.”
Becca’s heart sank. “So that wasn’t just me, huh?”
“I’m sure it’s fine. With any luck, he’s pissed at one of the Tribots and needs you to clean up one of their messes.”
“Here’s to hoping.” Becca grabbed her laptop and headed for Fred’s office. Along the way, she saw several of the Tribots lingering by the copier. One of them glanced pointedly at her ring finger, and Becca ignored the urge to flip her off. As Van had said, it was none of their damn business.
Though the rumors had been quick to start flying. Several of them pinning her as the dumpee. Whatever. None of that mattered now. She’d made a mistake in being with Holden for so long. And she’d rectified it. She didn’t give a damn what these vapid girls thought.
She knocked on the closed door of the office.
Fred called out a terse, “Come in.”
She was right—something had annoyed him. But what she hadn’t expected was to find Tiffany Motts, the Director of Sales and Marketing, in there with him. Becca smiled at her weakly. They weren’t friends, but Tiffany had been one of the few people who didn’t actively give her shit for not being in the Tri lifestyle.
“Becca, sit down.”
She sat and opened her laptop. “Sure. What’s going on?”
Tiffany turned to her. “Is it true you contacted Addison Torres’s office?”
Heat snaked up Becca’s neck and flushed her cheeks. “Uhm, yeah, a couple of weeks ago. I was trying to move things along a little. I got the impression that it wasn’t a priority for Taylor and Madison to lock up the sponsorship, so I took the initiative to start the conversation.”
Tiffany pursed her lips. “And you didn’t consult me before doing so?”
Becca frowned. What the hell was happening here? “I set up two meetings with you to talk about it. One you cancelled. The other, you didn’t show up to.”
Flustered, Tiffany blinked like an epileptic bat. “Regardless, you don’t call an endorser without say so from me. You risk damaging longstanding relationships that have taken years to build.”
“I don’t understand. I didn’t even get to speak to her. I spoke briefly to her assistant, who gave me the run around. All I did was ask her to have Addison call me. That was it. I don’t understand what I did wrong.”
Tiffany glared at her as if that was the problem in the first place. Before the over-dyed blonde could lay into her, Fred intervened. “Becca, that was Tiffany’s relationship to foster. By stepping in, you put out the message that we’re not all on the same page over here. We had two contacts working that angle, including Brett Jennings. Now the assistant gets a call from you and has no idea of your affiliation. It makes us look disorganized.”
Becca blinked. “I’m sorry. That wasn’t my intention. I just couldn’t get any traction with the others, and I felt like I couldn’t get any support from Tiffany, so I did what I thought was best for Dive.” Isn’t that who they were supposed to be serv
ing and not their own egos?
Fred shook his head. “Well, it wasn’t best for Dive. We’ve just had word from Addison’s camp that they won’t be moving forward with an endorsement deal with us. She stated bad timing and conflicting priorities, but we heard through the company grapevine that you annoyed her.”
Oh shit, oh shit, oh shit. The company grapevine? Like as in Holden making up lies?
Forget Holden. If Southland didn’t have Addison, they’d need to change out several key aspects of the campaign. There would need to be changes made to the website design and to the marketing copy. They’d all acted as if it was a foregone conclusion. Now what?
Maybe she shouldn’t have looked a gift horse in the mouth with Liam. He must know lots of swimmers besides Addison. Maybe he’d have one he could recommend?
She silenced the little voice inside that reminded her not to rely on him too much. This was a dire circumstance, and she needed to pull out all the stops.
“I sincerely apologize, but honestly, I didn’t say anything that would have caused her to back out of a deal with us.”
Tiffany crossed her arms and glared. “We have no way of knowing, do we? You’ve cost us months of work.”
Becca blinked in surprise. “This is a setback, yes, but we can recover. I have some contacts that—”
“That won’t be necessary, Becca. You’re no longer on the project.”
Say what? “I don’t understand. The website is almost done, and the marketing campaign is ready to go. I need to see this out, and I can find another swimmer.”
“That won’t be possible because you’re no longer a part of the team here at Dive.”
Becca’s heart hammered, and she gasped for breath. No. No no no no no. They couldn’t be firing her. Over something like this. “I’ve worked my butt off on this.”
Her boss sat back. “Let’s be honest. It’s been a bad fit from the beginning. We gave it a good try, but you’re not the right kind of fit for our team.”
She struggled to not hyperventilate. “You’re the one who gave me this job.”
“Your connections helped you get the opportunity, but it’s become apparent you don’t have the right kind of experience.”
Read: Tiffany was pissed she’d gone over her head and wanted her gone. “My connections?”
“Yes, to Holden. He pushed for you to have this opportunity, but let’s be frank...you’re not ready for it, and the company is a bad fit.”
Tiffany smirked. “Not to mention the fact you can’t swim. How can you lead a marketing campaign for designer watersports clothing when you have no idea what it’s like to get in the water?”
Pain sliced through Becca. “What?” Had Holden sunk that low to tattle about her lack of swim prowess? He and Van were the only ones who knew she couldn’t swim.
“Madison saw you getting a beginner swim lesson at the pool in Del Mar last week. How can you hope to lead a project of this magnitude if you don’t even understand what we’re trying to convey?”
Becca’s stomach rolled as she worked to hold back the rising bile. Now what the hell was she going to do?
Chapter Fifteen
Liam picked up Becca at six. She was wearing a sexy, pale green number over a pair of black jeans that showed off her curves. Her skin was covered from her neck to her feet, and heat still shot to his dick the minute he laid eyes on her. In a swimsuit or in plain clothes, she was a knockout.
She looked beautiful, but something was off. He noticed it in the smile she flashed that didn’t quite reach her eyes. Most nights when he picked her up, she fairly skipped to his bike. Tonight, her walk was slow and deliberate, almost as if she dreaded getting on.
“Everything okay?” he said, laying a kiss on her cheek before he fit his extra helmet on her head.
“Um-hmm. Just fine. Where are we going?”
Her voice was always full of anticipation when he told her he had a surprise for her. Tonight, she was distracted, her voice a little shaky. “If you’re not up for this, Becca, just say so. No harm, no foul. We can stay here and order in.”
His mother would kill him if they didn’t show for dinner, but the strain in Becca’s body, in her voice, was undeniable.
She swung a leg over the seat and tightened the helmet strap under her chin. “I’m fine. Let’s go. Maybe we can come back here later. If you want.”
Of course he wanted. Her. Anytime, anyplace.
Twenty minutes later, he pulled into the circular drive at chez Caldwell. His mother met them at the door, dressed in her favorite Julia Child apron and holding a spoon covered in sauce. “Liam! You made it.”
She hugged him, and then turned to Becca. “And who is this stunning creature?”
Becca looked shell-shocked, but she recovered quickly. “Becca. Becca Daniels.” She shot him a withering look as she held out a hand to his mom. “Liam didn’t tell me he was bringing me to meet his mother.”
Anita Caldwell waved off the handshake and pulled Becca into a bear hug. “I’m so glad you could join us! Come into the kitchen. Liam, pour the wine while I finish the salad.”
His mom took off for the kitchen, her heels echoing on the entryway’s tiled floors. Liam grabbed Becca’s hand and they followed.
“This is the surprise?” she whispered.
She didn’t seem too happy. “Sorry. I wanted my mom to meet you. It’s a long story, but she means a lot to me, and so do you. I was hoping the two of you would hit it off because you’re both so important to me.”
Her face softened, and she put her other hand on his arm. “Of course. I’m glad you brought me. We’re just moving so...fast.”
“I promise you’re in for a treat. My mother’s lasagna is the best on the west coast.”
Becca sniffed the air. “It smells fabulous.” She glanced around at the art and furniture as they passed the front room and made their way to the back of the house where the kitchen was located. “Look at this place! It’s like a museum of modern-day richness.”
He laughed. Growing up with the funky art his mother loved and the straight, clean lines his father favored had been an interesting clash. Much like his parents’ marriage.
Queen of the kitchen, his mother ordered Liam around as she checked on the lasagna and finished washing the greens for the salad. He opened a classic merlot and poured for each of them. Becca answered the questions Anita slipped in around her orders for Liam to pull a tray of appetizers out of the fridge and mix up the lemon poppy seed dressing.
Becca was laughing in no time at one of his mother’s stories, and Liam relaxed.
Then Becca asked after his father. “Will he be joining us?”
Liam and his mother exchanged a look. “Not tonight,” she said.
They sat in the dining room and ate. Liam refilled their wine glasses as his mother did what all mothers loved to do—embarrassed him by telling stories about his childhood.
Whatever had been bothering Becca before seemed to diminish. Or maybe it was the fact she was so engrossed in getting all the juicy details about Liam’s quest to swim across Lake Murray when he was six, and how he ran away from home when his father told him he wasn’t big enough.
While his mother reveled in the storytelling, eventually she grew less animated. She served dessert, and while she was plating the fancy cake she’d made earlier that day, she had Liam make coffee. Becca had begged off to the powder room, so it was just Liam and his mom.
“Your girl is beautiful, Liam.”
He smiled to himself as he filled the coffee maker with water. “She’s sweet and smart, and well...she’s pretty awesome.”
His mother laughed. “You always had such a way with words.” She wiped her hands on a dish towel. “She does seem lovely inside and out. I hope you’ll bring her again.”
He kissed his mother’s cheek. “I will.”
After dessert, he knew his mother was exhausted. “Becca and I will clean up, Mom. You go rest.”
“I will not have a guest in
my house cleaning up the dirty dishes, Liam. You two kids go do your thing. The dishes will wait until tomorrow.”
Becca chimed in. “Really, Mrs. Caldwell, it’s no problem. I don’t mind cleaning up.”
But his mother wouldn’t hear of it. She shooed them toward the front door, hugging them both and insisting they go be young and adventurous. Liam hung back for a moment, giving her a kiss on the cheek. “Dinner was delicious. I’ll call you tomorrow.”
“You’ll come by tomorrow for lunch and help me eat those leftovers.”
He grinned at her. “Yes, Mom. See you then.”
The ride back to Becca’s was quicker since traffic was light. Night had fallen, and Liam took a side route, driving them by the water. Becca held on tight to him, laying her head on his back. He wanted it to last.
Eventually, they arrived at her place. He helped her off the bike, and she removed her helmet and handed it to him. Even under the streetlamp, he could tell she was upset again. “You sure about me staying here tonight?” he asked.
She nodded and led him to the front door. “I have something to tell you.”
His gut sank. She was breaking up with him. Taking her home to Mom had been too much too soon. “Okay.”
But instead of laying the news on him, she keyed open the door and took him up to her apartment.
* * *
Becca’s stomach twisted. For a few hours, she’d been able to forget. For a few hours, she’d been able to have some fun and enjoy herself. She’d been able to just be with Liam and his mom. She could totally see where he got his kindness and compassion.
But now she had to face reality. She had no job. And with no job came the inevitable no money. Which meant she had to make plans pronto, and that might include leaving San Diego to go home if she didn’t come up with something quickly.
Liam let her drag him into her apartment, but he paused just inside the door. “Becca, want to fill me in? Because if you’re going to break up with me, I’d rather you did it outside.”
She blinked. Break up with him? Was he insane? “No. Nothing like that.” She paused, unsure of what to say exactly. “Uhm, I got fired today. And I’ve got some savings, but not much. I’m going to sort of be scrambling for a time, and I might have to take the first job I can get my hands on. Problem is San Diego isn’t necessarily the best market for what I do.”