My Father's Best Friend

by Ali Parker

  "Yeah, no problem." I finished drying off and tried to keep the smile off of my face. I was more than happy to have the evening free up and Matt to myself. A repeat of the night before would have been bliss, but I wasn't getting my hopes up. He was subtly starting to pull back, and I had no intentions of not letting him go. If I was worth his time and effort, he'd realize that on his own.

  Besides, he knew how I felt about us, or at least I assumed he did.

  ***

  "You sore already?" I moved up behind Matt as he stood at the stove, working on dinner later that night.

  "Yeah. Damn, that was a serious workout, Erica. How often do you girls do that?"

  I reached up and pressed my fingers into his shoulders, massaging him as he groaned in delight.

  "Every Sunday night. I love it. I feel like I got a detox and a workout."

  "No wonder you look so damn good. That was far more intense than I thought it would be." He reached up and gripped my hands but kept his back to me. "I'm gonna pass out if you keep that up."

  "Then I can do it later for you."

  "Sounds good. Go take a load off. Dinner is almost done." He released me and went back to cooking as I walked into the living room. I hadn't checked my e-mails for the last few days, which wasn't me at all. It was funny how quickly my desire to be needed by the office dissipated when I had something else to focus on.

  I sat down at the small desk on the far end of my living room and pulled up my laptop, working through several e-mails that I should have already answered. A phone rang in the distance, and I heard Matt answer it before walking out to the patio.

  I worked for a few minutes more before getting up and walking into the kitchen to make sure he didn't accidentally leave anything cooking. The fish from earlier was sitting on the side of the stove with a piece of foil over it, and the veggies from my fridge were sautéed and steaming. Everything looked perfect.

  "I'm impressed." I smiled and walked back to the living room to work through a few more things before Matt came back in. I knew without a doubt that him leaving the next day would be incredibly hard, but it was what it was. There was nothing I could do about it, other than tell him how much I wanted him to stay. It was too needy and not at all the woman I wanted to be. I'd expressed myself multiple times over the last few days, and he was an idiot if he didn't realize the depths of my feelings from my continuous flirtations over the last two years.

  The door opened beside me, pulling me from my thoughts.

  "Everything okay?" I turned in my chair to face him.

  "Oh yeah. Jonathan said that he made a mistake on the agreement and needs to meet up with me first thing in the morning to get a new copy signed."

  "Did you ask him to send it over so we could review it?"

  "No, but I can. You want me to?"

  "Yeah. I really do." I turned and scribbled down my fax number. "Have him fax it to this number and we can look it over tonight. I just want to make sure you're taken care of."

  "I appreciate that." He took the number from me and disappeared back outside.

  I wrapped up one more e-mail and got up to fix our plates. I poured drinks and set the table by the time he got back inside.

  "Man, that dude loves to talk." He smiled and glanced down at the table. "I was going to do all of this."

  "It's all good. I don't mind. You cooked dinner."

  "Well, I promised you I would. I'm sorry we skipped lunch, but you see, this beautiful woman was posing half naked for me and... Mmmmm, damn she was fine." He smiled and pulled out my chair.

  "Should I be jealous?" I teased and pulled my napkin down into my lap.

  "Naw... you'd like her a lot." He sat down and let out a soft sigh. "I'm going to take a week to think through everything and then I'll make some decisions about moving up here and maybe coming to work for you."

  "Sounds great." I tried to hide my disappointment. I wanted to hear him say that he would be thinking through us more than his career or moving to Seattle, but he needed to keep things in order. I got it. It just stung a little.

  "I'm going to work on my drawing a little more after dinner, but I don't think you'll have to pose for me again. I have loads of pictures and you're pretty much etched in my memory." He tapped the side of his head as his eyes moved across my face slowly.

  "Good, well, I'm here if you need me." I took a bite of the fish and let out a sound of appreciation. "This is so good."

  "Thanks. We should take a cooking class together when I get up here."

  "When or if?" I couldn't help but tease him.

  "When. Sorry. I'm getting ahead of myself." His cheeks burned pink.

  "I like it." I reached out and gripped his hand lightly. "When you're thinking about what you want to do with your life, make sure that if working at your father's company is the answer, it's the answer you come up with yourself. Don't let me or him or Damon sway your decision. You are going to make a killing on your paintings, and I'll be beside you either way to help make sure Jonathan sticks to his part of the agreement."

  "That means a lot to me." He turned his hand over and took mine in his before lifting it to his lips and kissing my knuckles softly. "I'll be thinking about us too. I should have included that."

  "No, it's good. I figured it was part of the deal." I pulled my hand from his and stabbed a carrot on my plate. "Now, tell me your favorite part of hot yoga."

  "Watching you sweat?" He laughed and I joined him.

  I wanted to read a million things into his promise to consider us, but I forced myself not to. If things didn't work out between us, then I was ready to move on with my life and start looking again. Matt was my perfect match, but that didn't mean he would come to the same conclusion.

  The question I couldn't seem to swallow was why he hadn't already determined that. I had.

  Chapter 19

  Matt

  I knew she wanted to talk about us, but I just couldn't. I wasn't ready to talk about anything regarding my future. I needed some time to myself to really think through things. I couldn't let a passionate weekend change the trajectory of my future without me having a say in it.

  She worked on her computer and I flipped through the pictures of her on my phone, sharpening the image of her in my head until I finally had down exactly what I wanted to see on the canvas. The fax came in from Jonathan and she reviewed the agreement while I went out on the patio to start working on the sketch. We would be perfect for each other, but something was holding me back.

  I worked on the sketch until early the next morning and walked back into the condo sore as hell, but thrilled with what I'd put together so far. It was going to be my most stunning piece yet.

  After putting it in my portfolio and drinking a large glass of milk, I stood in the hall and let indecision pull me from walking into the darkness of her bedroom and making love to her again. It felt unfair to both of us.

  I chose to watch some TV on the couch for a few minutes which turned into the rest of the night.

  ***

  I woke up the next morning stiff and aching all over. Damn hot yoga class. Damon was going to give me shit for months over letting a pretty girl talk me into going to a yoga class and trying to keep up with the guru at the front of the room. I deserved the horrible feeling that my legs were going to fall off. If for nothing else, for not sleeping in the bed with Erica the night before.

  The note I found in the kitchen was scribbled like she was in a hurry. The lack of expression in her words left me with the conclusion that she was upset with me.

  Matt,

  Glad you got to come down for the weekend. I put a few notes on the agreement for you and Jonathan. Let me know if you have questions. I'll see you next time you're up my way or if you need me call anytime.

  Erica.

  "Shit," I mumbled and cleaned up the living room and kitchen before packing my stuff up and locking the door behind me. I put the key under the mat and paused as sadness filled my chest. Why were things ending on
this note? We have a killer weekend in more ways than one and now we were back to being a little more than acquaintances? No. That didn't work. We were meant to be friends if nothing else.

  I'd have to figure out how to reach out to her once I got through the meeting with Jonathan. Maybe I could stop back by the office and take her to lunch or something. I owed her more than she had gotten from me, which was nothing.

  The drive to meet up with Jonathan was slow and painful. Traffic was horrible, and I couldn't stop thinking about how Erica must have been feeling. Maybe I was over thinking it, but it wouldn’t leave me be. I pulled out my phone and called her number, but chickened out when the call went to voicemail. She was busy no doubt. Of course she was.

  "She's the fucking director of advertising at a multi-billion dollar firm. Hello? Idiot." I pulled into the coffee shop and grabbed the agreement from the seat beside me. I wanted her with me to talk with Jonathan, but she had things to do, and I should have made the determination before letting her walk out of the house earlier that morning. I could have left her a note, or climbed into bed with her, or set a fucking alarm.

  Anger burned through my stomach as I walked in and nodded toward the lanky art dealer who waved me over. He held the opportunity for a new future for me, one that I could imagine happily living... with Erica.

  "Where is your agent?" Jonathan glanced around as if Erica was hiding behind a group of people in the shop.

  I chuckled. "She's working her nine to five today."

  "Poor thing." He motioned for me to sit. "They'll come over to take your order shortly. Have a seat and tell me what you think about the adjustments."

  I sat down and flipped through the file, grateful as hell that Erica had taken the time to mark the changes for me. I'd totally forgotten to review the document before heading over to meet with Jonathan. Not that I had any intention of reviewing it, but it was a nice afterthought.

  "I wanted to ask a few things." I glanced up as he nodded.

  "Absolutely. Ask away." He leaned back in his chair and picked up his coffee mug, nursing the hot liquid inside the cup as he watched me.

  I moved through Erica's questions and jotted down answers as Jonathan further explained the wording on some parts of the agreement.

  "Anything else?" He smiled and lifted his hand as if offering me something.

  "No. Well, yeah. I'd like to have a handful of tickets to the showing for my family and friends, free of charge."

  "How about I give you four tickets. Will that work?"

  "Yeah, that's great." I glanced down and thumbed through the agreement as sadness welled up inside of me. "How long have you known your wife?"

  He chuckled. "That's an odd transition, but sure, why not. She and I met at an art showing in New York fifteen years ago. I'd just graduated from the art institute and she was a model for some of the paintings another artist had showcased. Funny enough, I fell in love with her before ever meeting her thanks to those paintings."

  I smiled. "Do you own any of them now?"

  "All of them." He wagged his eyebrows. "There's no way I would let some poor unfortunate chump fall in love with her as I did. I'd have to kill the poor fool when he went in search of her."

  "I like that. Almost like her beauty belongs to you and you alone."

  "It's a gift." He nodded. "One that you and I share. Your woman is breathtaking. Have you ever thought of capturing her on canvas?"

  "No. She's too stunning to share." I packed up the agreement and stood up. "Thanks for meeting with me. I'll be in touch in a few weeks or so."

  "Sounds great. I'd like to shoot for mid-November on the showing if possible." Jonathan stood and extended his hand toward me.

  I shook it and nodded. "I think that's doable. Thanks again."

  "Anytime."

  I turned and walked out of the coffee shop feeling settled about one thing. The picture of Erica glancing over her shoulder might be the best painting I would ever create, but no one would ever get the chance to see it. Her beauty belonged to only two people. One that was deserving of it, and one that wasn't.

  I only wished I could be a man that could measure up to a woman like her.

  *

  "So? How was it?" Bethany worked on a ham sandwich in the kitchen at my father's house as I leaned against the counter beside her and watched.

  "It was great. Erica was a load of fun, and Seattle is insanely beautiful."

  "And?"

  "And I signed the contract with Jonathan after Erica looked it over. We'll be doing the showing in November, I think. I get a few extra tickets to it, and I'd love for you to be there with me."

  "You know I will." She picked up the two halves of the sandwich and offered me one of them. "What about you and her, Matt? You're being so fucking cryptic."

  "I know." I took a big bite and shrugged before turning and walking to the backyard. The flight home had been miserable because I couldn't stop working through a million ways to see her again. Like that night.

  "So stop acting like Damon and give me my brother back, please." She moved up behind me and walked out to join me on the patio. It was still a little warm for what most people would consider fall weather, but for Texas, we were doing good not sweating to death at Halloween, so I was happy.

  "Speaking of Damon. He misses you." I glanced over at her as I dropped down on one of the many patio seats and finished my sandwich.

  "I miss him too, Matt. Stop diverting. You're horrible at it." She sat down beside me and turned to face me as she nibbled at her lunch. "Tell me what happened?"

  "We went to a concert, out to dinner several times, to the fish market and to a hot yoga class."

  Her eyes widened. "Wow. That's a lot to pack into a weekend."

  "Tell me about it." I licked my fingers and reached over to snag the rest of her sandwich. "The early bird gets the worm." I shoved it into my mouth as she got up and tried to muscle it away from me. She dropped back down onto her seat as we shared a laugh.

  "You suck." She turned and extended her legs out on the chair. "Like big time. You won't tell me what happened with Erica and now you eat my lunch? Ugh."

  "Why aren't you up at the office?" I turned my head a little so I could see her better.

  "I was just taking a lunch break, and honestly, having to tell Philip no for going out to lunch one more time without a good excuse is going to drive me crazy."

  "Philip is another one of the interns at M&B?"

  "Yeah. He's the one Damon is insanely jealous of."

  "Right, and he would be great to use to help get Damon's attention. Remember I told you this already? My brother's jealousy is a great driver for him."

  "Hush. I already did that once and the whole damn world almost exploded. I'll be ready to move on soon, but I'm not there yet."

  "I hope you're never there." I closed my eyes and rested against the seat and images of Erica's half-naked body filled my vision. "Erica and I had a good time. She's everything I want in a woman, and once I get my shit together, I'll move things forward with her."

  "And if she's not willing to wait until you get your stuff together? Whatever the hell that means."

  "Then I guess we weren't meant to be." I licked my lips and tried not to think too much more about it. I still needed to call her, but I'd get to it later that day. Bothering her at work would leave me looking weak and needy. No thanks.

  "Come on, Matt. That's ridiculous. You know how good you guys would be together. What's this really about? Are you scared that she'll cheat on you?" The change in Bethany's voice caused me to open my eyes and turn back toward her.

  "No. Never. I'm not my brother."

  "Then what? She's a beautiful woman with her life all put together and all she's missing is passion. That's where you come in."

  "That's a lot to put on a guy that hasn't done shit with himself, don't you think?"

  "I see what's happening." She snorted and got up, walking back toward the house aggressively. Why the fuck was she upset
with me? I hadn't even done anything.

  "Wait." I jumped up and followed her inside. "What's happening? I don't understand."

  She stopped just short of going in the house and turned around, planting her hand against my chest. "You're using the fact that you haven't moved to Seattle, or settled into a full-time job as an excuse not to commit to her."

  "I am not." I took a step back. I so was.

  "Yeah, you are. I'll tell you this now, and you can share it with your brother. Good women don't wait forever, and we don't want any of the things you think we want. Your security and achievements can take a fucking hike."

  "Beth. Why are you so pissed? I didn't-"

  "We want love. Just strong arms around us at night, the whisper that we're beautiful and cared about, and someone to walk through this fucked up nightmare of a life with. Is that so much to ask for?" She shouted the last bit and turned to walk back into the house, letting the screen door slam in my face.

  "Damn," I mumbled and turned to walk back out on the patio. She was bent over sideways because of the shit with her and Damon, and I got her message loud and clear, but it wasn't as easy as she was making it out to be.

  Maybe that was part of the problem between her and my brother.

  Shit, maybe that was the problem with most relationships... and if so, why would mine and Erica's be any different?

  Chapter 20

  One Week Later

  Erica

  "Boss?" Lewis stuck his head in my office and gave me a tight smile. "Were you wanting to-"

  "No. Tell everyone to e-mail me their reports and close my door please." I didn't even look up from my computer.

  A week. A whole fucking week had gone by and nothing. Not a single word from Matt Bryant. I'd spoken with Kent and Damon a million times on our new advisory project, but nothing from the one man I wanted to hear something from. Anything from.