“Yes, Mom, we have been over this again and again. I was an asshole.” His frustration coming through clear as day.
“Well you must be making progress in the forgiveness department.” Alice raised a questioning eyebrow at her son.
The woman wanted to know that Alex was somewhat serious about Izzy and not just using her. Alex would love to tell his mother that they were going to beat Derek and Roni down the aisle, but he wouldn’t lie to her. Looking her in the eye this time, Alex said, “I’m trying. If not for me than for Derek and Roni. I suspect before we know it they will married with a kid on the way. I don’t want them to have to worry about the maid of honor and best man killing each other during the ceremony.”
“I think there is more between the two of you then you think. I will let the issue go, for now.”
Stirring his drink with the small straw, he spoke nervous to tell his mother she couldn’t talk about them to anyone. “I need you not tell anyone you saw her at my place this morning. She and I don’t want our business public knowledge at the moment.” He hated having to ask the biggest gossip in Denver to hold her tongue.
Alice looked as though he had given her a puppy and then taken the damn thing away. Which in a sense, he kind of had. The biggest gossip to hit his group of friends, friends she all knew, and she couldn’t tell a soul. Almost as though it pained her to do so, she acquiesced, “I won’t tell. But I think you’re both idiots if you think your friend won’t figure it out for themselves.”
Rolling his eyes, “Yes, I know. We will have to be careful.” Before his mother could convince him to let her tell someone, he changed the subject. “Have Derek and Roni been over for dinner since they got back?” He would put the focus on her adopted son instead. Poor bastard.
“Not for dinner, they stopped in for a cup of tea and then had to run off. That boy better bring her to a proper family dinner soon or I will hunt him down. I need to get to know the woman that has stolen one of my boys’ heart.”
They chatted more about Derek and Roni. Alice already had the wedding of the century planned for the two it would seem. Caroline and Netty were the next topic. Like any proud Grandma, Alice had a ton of pictures of the spunky baby on her phone. Showing him every last one, even though he saw Netty more than she did. One picture did stun him a little. “Wait, go back one.”
On the screen of his mom’s iPhone was a picture of what looked like a stunningly happy family, only the family wasn’t a family. The picture was of Caroline staring up at Collin, who was holding baby Netty and kissing her cheek. “When was that taken?”
His mother looked at the photo. “A week or so ago, I guess. Your dad and I stopped by Caroline’s on our way home from the farmer’s market one Saturday. That sweet Collin boy was their fixing something or another in that crappy house she lives in. I snapped that in the backyard.”
Interesting, so he wasn’t the only one having a little something going on the side. However, if Caroline ended up shedding even a single tear because of his friend, he would beat the shit out of him.
“Oh, Alex. Calm down, they are just friends. No need to get that over protective look.” Alice shook her head at him and looked down at the picture. “Although, they would make a very sweet couple.”
Alice had that match making look to her right now. Perfect, now she would be too busy getting Caroline and Collin together to go gossip or worry about his life. Suddenly more relaxed, he finished his margarita. Their food arrived and they dove in. “What time is our pedicure appointment?”
“We have an hour. Are you sure you don’t want to go spend the day with Izzy?” She smiled all too brightly.
Choosing it was best to ignore her pointed question he continued to eat. Hoping he could make it through the pedicure without her wanting too many details on his delicate relationship.
Chapter Ten
Placing a few bottles of wine on the coffee table along with glasses, Izzy heard the doorbell rang. She practically skipped over to the door. “Hey girls!” She almost sang when she opened the door. Hugging each of the girls as they entered.
After hugging Gracey, she held Izzy at arm's length. Gracey eyed her inquisitively. Looking her over from head to toe. A minute into the awkward moment with her friend, Izzy started to pull away. Gracey’s hands tightened on Izzy’s arms, her eyes grew enormous and her jaw dropped. “You had sex!” Gracey excitedly screamed in front of everyone.
“What are you talking about?” Izzy attempted to laugh her over observant friend’s comment off. Freeing herself from Gracey’s arms. She walked past the other slack jawed girls into the living room. Casually plopping down on the couch. Trying not to look anyone in the eye, she stated, “I’m not dating anyone right now.” Not exactly a lie but not exactly the truth either.
“That’s a non-answer!” Gracey happily protested.
Thankfully Roni stepped in to defend Izzy. “Come on Gracey, you know Izzy has a strict rule about no sex before the six month mark. So no dating mean no sex for her.” Crashing down on the couch next to Izzy, Roni poured them both a glass of wine.
“Well, something is definitely up with her. She is far too happy. Oh shit, you killed Alex and invited us over tonight to help you hide the body.” Gracey tried to pull off serious with her hands on her hips. She failed when she laughed at the end.
“Sadly the man is still alive and well.” Although he did tell her after their third round of sex last night that she was going to be the death of him. She smiled to herself at the memories of last night.
A finger was suddenly right in front of her face. “You’re right, something’s up look at the wicked smile on her face.” Jemma declared.
Blanking her face quickly, Izzy shook her head. “Can’t I just be happy to see my girls? Speaking of which, aren’t we missing one?” Izzy was hoping this would distract them enough.
“C will be along in a few, she had to drop Netty off.” Roni informed them all, handing out the now full glasses of wine.
Settling into the living, wine in hand and Chinese food on the way, the girls were ready for a night of relaxation. “Are the Porters watching her tonight?” Jemma asked.
“Nope, they have a charity function to attend tonight.” Roni answered, clearly drawing out the conversation.
“So who is watching Netty?” Izzy asked.
“Collin! All by himself!” Roni answered, with the excitement level of a child on Christmas morning. “Netty won’t stay with anyone else but Collin or Mama and Papa Porter. Not even Derek and me. Although who can blame the kid on that one after his one and only time babysitting the poor child.” They all laughed at the story of Derek’s attempt at babysitting. It ended in both baby and Uncle being covered in shit until Roni rescued them.
“I thought Collin was going to boys’ night at Alex’s?” Gracey probed.
Crap on a cracker! Izzy had totally forgotten that the boys were all up at Alex’s place, having a boy’s night in! Doing a mental check of his place, she quickly thought through each room mentally checking if she forgot anything. She almost laughed at her paranoia. Even if there was some sign of her in his apartment the guys would never think it was her. They would assume that the girly evidence would belong to one of his many conquests. A sobering thought for Izzy.
In a month’s time Alex would go right back to his whorish ways and she would return to her lonely bed. She had one month to once and for all end her obsession with Alex. An obsession that caused her to dump every man she dated before they made the six month mark. Another sad fact.
Snapping out of her depressing thoughts, she started listening to the conversation around her again. “They must hang out a lot for Netty to attach herself to Collin like that.” Jemma commented. “Since I am Derek’s assistant, I have access to all the executives’ calendars. I was booking a meeting a few days ago, and noticed that Collin has an hour in the afternoon blocked out every day. Come to find out it is so he can be available in case C can’t pick Netty up from daycare. He lov
es that little girl.”
“That’s sweet. How has everything gone since the merger?” Izzy asked.
Jemma and Roni shared a look and both sighed. When both Gracey and Izzy raised an eyebrow at them, Roni huffed out an answer. “Well the boys all get along great. Plus, having Collin, come onboard has forced Derek to relax many of his policies and given him someone to share the work with. However, now the scrutiny on the company from business reporters and competitors is unbelievable. Which is why Derek and I are leaving for France in a few weeks, to secure a contract. They want face to face time, lots of time, with the CEO.”
“France? That will be incredible!” Izzy was excited for her friend.
“It will if I can get Derek to leave his work for even five minutes to enjoy the city.” Roni smiled. “I have a plan though.”
“I bet that plan includes either, you being naked or in some barely there lingerie.” Gracey joked. All the girls giggled.
The Chinese food arrived, while sitting around the coffee table eating, the girls gossiped about the boys. Derek was attempting to leave behind his workaholic ways. Collin was making deals happen. Phin was man whoring his way through the woman of the Denver area. Roc was still a mystery man, never saying more than five words at a stretch. Gavin was working too hard to find the real identity of a hacker who they hired. And Alex….
“He’s been a mess lately. Unorganized and unfocused. It is a good thing he hired me, I do make him look good.” Roni boosted, taking a huge bite of her noodles.
“That’s unlike Alex. He has never been as serious as Derek, but he has always been as focused.” Jemma noted. Shaking her chopsticks at the other women she went on, “But you’re right, for the past few weeks he has been beyond distracted.”
“Distracted, how?” Izzy asked. She didn’t want to appear to be overly interested in his life, but she was very curious.
“Mrs. Frostberry, thinks his distraction has to do with the merger. Derek and he are not used to having other executives to rely on. Suddenly they have four other highly capable executives. She thinks he doesn’t want to share his responsibilities with Phin. His male ego is injured.” Jemma gossiped, rolling her eyes at the stupidity of men’s egos.
Of course it had to do with his work and not her. She had been distracted since he came back into her life. She had been a ball of nervous energy since that first night in the bar. She had to admit having him around was good for her running. She had dropped thirty seconds on each of her miles because her body had excess energy to burn. Energy fueled by hatred of man who broke her heart. And lust for the same man. Was it possible to hate and lust after someone at the same time?
Caroline burst into her apartment. “Sorry I am so late girls. Netty and I had dinner with Collin. She made a huge mess of his kitchen, so I stayed and cleaned up. What gossip did I miss?”
~*~*~*~
The guys were spread across Alex’s living room with an Xbox control in their hands and a beer nearby. Male bonding was at its finest – or lowest depending on how you looked at it – tonight. They were ruthlessly killing each other’s avatars off on the game and even more ruthlessly shit talking in real life.
For the fourth time since the guys had arrived, Alex grabbed his phone to check his texts. He knew Izzy and the girls were having girl’s night in at her place. He was still hoping to get a late night visit set up for later.
“What the fuck man? Is a girl sending you naked pictures of herself or something?” Phin joked.
Alex’s head snapped up from his phone, “What?”
“Your phone dude, you have been checking it every five fucking minutes. Who’s the girl?” This time Gavin spoke up.
“The girl?” Alex asked, his voice cracking a little. How was he going to answer this line of questioning? Did he make up a girl?
“No guy is that attached to his phone unless he is hoping to hear from girl. I assume we are going to get kicked out soon so your booty call can come over.” Phin replied with a smirk.
“She’s not a booty call!” Alex growled out. Shit! That came off way to defensive.
Every man in his apartment dropped his controlled, turning their full attention to Alex. “Has the mighty playboy fallen in looovvveee?” Phin joked, dragging out the last word in a sing song voice.
Before Alex’s brain could engage enough to fire back a reply, Derek stepped in. “Alex, our Alex, in love? You’ve met the guy right?” Derek jerked his thumb in Alex’s direction. “This is the man that has not gone out with the same girl more than twice since I have known him. No monogamy is not in his make up.”
The guys all laughed at the joke. Alex pulled off a sincere laugh, even though he wanted to scream at his best friend how wrong he was.
“However, I can’t wait to watch each and every one of you assholes chase after a girl you fall for.” Derek pointed his beer bottle at each one of them.
“Of course you were the first; you never enjoyed playing the field like the rest of us.” Alex quipped. Thankfully the hamster powering his brain was running in his wheel again.
“That may be true, but it doesn’t change the fact that now I get to sit back and laugh my ass off as each of you super players fall.”
“And why do you think we are all going to follow your path to happily ever after land? I, for one, am happy living in bed hopping land.” Phin grinned.
Setting his beer on the coffee, Derek leaned forward, resting his forearms on his thighs. “I will make a bet with you guys right now that within a few years each of you has found a woman you can’t live without. A woman who will actually put up with each of your unique bullshit.”
Alex remained silent. Knowing he would be paying his friend out the minute Izzy agreed to actually let him tell the world they were together.
“I’ll take that action. There is no way I am going to settle down in the next few years. If ever. No girl, has ever held my interest for more than a week. Ever! What are the stakes?” Phin leaned back into the couch as he spoke, his left ankle crossed over his right knee. A show of his lack of concern over the bet.
“I’m in too. I am not at the player level of these two assholes but no woman can put up with me once I start talking. My OCD is a little much for them.” Gavin laughed. “You’ve been very quiet during this entire conversation, Rocco. You in?”
Rocco was never one for words. In fact, Alex wasn’t sure if he had heard the man speak more than ten words at a given time. Rocco sat quietly, taking in the conversation. “I don’t date.” He asserted.
“That’s not an answer. None of us really ‘date’. We hook up. We have fuck buddies not girlfriends.” Phin declared. Gavin nodded in agreement as he took another pull of his beer.
“Fine, I’m in.” Rocco agreed, picking his controller back up. Apparently he was done with the conversation.
“That leaves you lover boy.” Phin said turning to Alex.
Alex knew he couldn’t get out of this bet. He actually hoped he would be paying his friend off. “Sure, I’m in. We haven’t heard the stakes yet.”
Derek leaned back, his hand rubbing his five o’clock shadow as he thought. “Well since this bet is more about being right than money, let’s say when you fall, you take me to Sullivan’s for a steak dinner. If, by some miracle, you have remained single and free for two years, I’ll pay.” Derek waited for all the guys to shake their heads in agreement before he continued. “I will make a side bet with you guys, that I can name the girl each of you will end up with right now.”
Boisterous laughter filled the room. “Getting a little cocky don’t you think?” Gavin joked.
“Nope, I will write each of your names on an envelope and put the name of the girl who will make you lose your ever loving mind in it. I will give them to our lawyers at the firm for safe keeping. When you take the plunge, into a committed relationship, you get the envelope. This one will cost you; if I’m right you pay ten grand to my favorite charity as well as publically acknowledge my awesomeness.”
/> Again laughter engulfed the room, filled in with every guy agreeing to the terms. “Monday you have to get Collin in on this too.” Gavin professed.
A low rumble of laughter gained the guys attention. “You might want to see this, Alex.” Rocco laughed.
Following Rocco’s line of sight to the TV, Alex saw a notice for a new friend request on his Xbox. He stood to get a closer look at the screen and burst out laughing. “I am guessing that’s Izzy.” On the TV was a friend request from a person calling themselves, Fuckyoualex. Only one person would name their avatar something that vulgar directed solely at Alex.
“Wow, she really hates you dude. Or she is the funniest woman ever.” Gavin remarked between laughs.
Alex grabbed the controller and accepted the request. A minute later a message from Fuckyoualex popped up. Halo boys?
The guys all nodded and laughed. They were ready to take on the girls in an epic Halo battle.
~*~*~*~
The girls laughed, as they blew up the guy’s tank…again. It was so much fun to take out their aggressions on video versions of the guys. Roni kept sniping Derek, just for the fun of it every time he would come back to life. She was laughing so hard when his avatar exploded she fell off the couch.
Good thing Derek was driving her home, Izzy had a feeling her friend wouldn’t be able to even walk to the car after the amount of wine she had consumed.
“Oh they suck! They signed off the big babies!” Jemma pouted. “I was just getting good.” She threw down her controller in exchange for her drink. Izzy was thinking Derek would be driving her home as well.
“Bastards couldn’t take being beaten by a bunch of girls.” C whined.
Grabbing the empty Chinese food containers from the coffee able, Izzy made her way to the kitchen. One her way back with bottle waters to help sober up her friends, someone knocked on her door. Peeking out the peephole, she saw the reason the guys had quit the game. She opened the door to a wall of men. “This is girl’s night. You have to hand over your man cards to come in. Oh wait, you already did that when we kicked your ass on the game.” Izzy smiled brightly at the guys and walked back into her living room knowing they would follow.
Frenemies With Benefits (Geek To Chic Book 2) Page 8