Frenemies With Benefits (Geek To Chic Book 2)

by Brinks, Nikki

  “She has timing down pat.” Roni mussed. “Now since she escaped before we could answer we all have to go to dinner. Woman knows how to get her way that’s for sure. Wait, when did you meet Mama Porter, Izzy?”

  “I…ah…met her in the lobby of the building a few days ago. She and ale were coming in as I was leaving.” Izzy quickly lied. She hated how observant her friend could be sometimes.

  “They were probably coming back from a pedicure.” Roni responded.

  Both Izzy and Jemma stopped walking, staring at Roni completely dumbfounded. “Pedicure? As in Alex gets pedicures?” Jemma questioned Roni with huge eyes.

  “Oh this is too good.” Izzy rejoiced, rubbing her hands together.

  “Shit, I wasn’t supposed to say anything about that. Oops.” Roni shrugged.

  Shaking their heads they wandered out of the building and headed for the 16th Street mall to grab a bite to eat.

  Chapter Twelve

  “Tell me again why we are driving together to your mom’s house for dinner? Isn’t that a little suspicious.” Izzy argued.

  “Have you met my mother? She would have a fit if I let you drive by yourself when we live in the same building. She would smack me on the back of the head and tell me she raised me better than that. Hell, I bet that Phin, Gavin and Rocco all tried to convince the other two girls to let them drive them to dinner just so they could escape the back of the head smack.” Alex retorted in all seriousness, absently rubbing the spot on his head she knew his mother hit often.

  “Fine, but keep your hands to yourself and don’t sit next to me at the dinner table.” Izzy huffed.

  “Do you think the world is going to end if someone finds out about us? You certainly act like you think that will happen.” Alex muttered, clearly irritated.

  Sitting quietly for a moment, she simply stared at him for a moment. The man was clearly irritated with her and she could understand why. “That was part of our agreement. I don't think the world will end if someone finds out about us right now, I think they will read more into what we are. When we end this in a matter of weeks, they will feel they have to take sides and then we will be right back where we started us not being able to be in the same room. Only now the rest of the group will feel awkward too.”

  “You’re afraid that there will be a team Izzy and team Alex thing going on after we part ways?” Alex smirked at her. “We’ll have to make them shirts.”

  Throwing her arms up in frustration and sitting up a little straighter she huffed a little. “Yes, that is what always happens when a couple breaks up, no matter how amicable the breakup is. People choose sides, we have this agreement in part to work out our issues to make everyone else more comfortable not the opposite.”

  “So we are in fact a couple?”

  “What?”

  “You said when a ‘couple breaks up’, that would imply that you think of us an official couple.” He was all but giddy next to her.

  “Ugh you are so infuriating. You pick up on three words out of all the others I said. And no we are not a couple, I just didn’t have a better word to describe us.”

  “I’m think you don’t want to admit that we are in fact a couple.” He smirked again.

  “No we are two people that are sleeping together, nothing more. Besides having sex, we don’t do anything that a normal dating couple does.” She explained, her patience with the topic beginning to wane.

  “We do couple type things.” Alex pointed out, as he turned onto his mother’s street.

  “Like what things do we do together, outside of the bedrooms?” Izzy felt completely on the defensive.

  “We go out together for drinks.”

  “With all of our friends present and we purposely ignore each other.” Izzy countered.

  “We have dinner together almost every night.”

  “Take out, before we have sex.” Izzy reminded him.

  “You’ve met my mother and are going to a family dinner at my parent’s house.”

  “First of all, I met her because you forgot she was coming over and I happened to still be in your apartment after a night of debauchery, not because you took the time to introduce us in an appropriate manner. And as for this family dinner, as you called it, your mother invited everyone we know. Therefore, it doesn’t count as an official family dinner.” Izzy retorted, confident that she had made her point.

  “Trust me, my mom thinks of all my friends as her children, therefore to her this is a family dinner.” Alex responded as he parked his Porsche in the driveway of his parent’s home.

  “It’s not like you have taken me for a pedicure or anything special like that, so that makes us not a couple.” Izzy loved that she had that information. The look on his face was priceless.

  “Who told you about my pedicures? My mom right? Ugh that woman can’t keep a secret.”

  “Nope Roni. So, unless you want the world to know about your pedicure fetish, I suggest you keep quiet about us.” Oh blackmail is a wonderful thing.

  “I’m going to kill Derek. You know he goes sometimes too.” Alex whined.

  “Doesn’t matter, if you tell I tell.” Izzy smirked.

  The second her stopped the car she was out of it, not waiting for a response or for him to open her door. She made her way to the front door while he was still trying to lock his car. Mama Porter opened the door. “Izzy.” She pulled her into a big motherly hug, then held her at arm’s length, taking a good look at her. “How is my baby girl tonight? Oh, I know that scowl, what did my dear son do now?”

  Izzy had no choice but to smile, the woman knew her son all too well. “Alex doesn’t have to do any specific to get under my skin. Sometime he only needs to breath.”

  The older woman laughed, and leaned in to whisper into Izzy’ ear. “I felt the same way about his father. Infuriating man. Always arguing with me over nothing, simply to get a minor point across.” She leaned back and smiled as though remembering all the arguments with fondness.

  Izzy stepped to the side and Mama Porter greeted her son with a kiss on the cheek, a smile and a quick smack on the back of the head.

  ~*~*~*~

  “We’re here. Sorry we are a little late, we brought a surprise.” Jemma announced from the doorway. They had all gathered in the large living room to catch up a bit, or to fill his mother in on all the gossip in the group was a better way to describe it, before sitting down to dinner.

  As one, they all turned their heads to the sound of Jemma’s voice. She walked in first followed by Phin, who was pushing a wheelchair containing a frail Mrs. Perkins.

  “Mary!” His mother exclaimed, jumping to her feet to greet the frail woman.

  “Alice, it is so nice to see you.” Mary Perkin’s smiled in return.

  “I am so glad you came. What a wonderful surprise. How are you feeling?” Alice asked as she took the chair next to Mary’s wheelchair.

  “I am doing ok. I hate having to carry this stupid oxygen everywhere. I hate being in this chair as well, but at least I have a nice looking chauffer in Phin.” The two women laughed a little and launched into a discussion only those who were mothers seemed to be invited too.

  Phin and Jemma joined the rest of them for a drink before dinner. “Your mom looks like she is doing well. How did you spring her from the hospital?” Derek asked, concern laced through his words.

  Jemma looked at her feet for a bit, then over to her mother, before turning sad eyes on Derek. “She isn’t doing as well as she says. I am worried that the leukemia is winning at this point. She seems so small and frail.” Letting out a desperate sigh, Jemma continued. “I wanted her to come to dinner at least one time, so she can see everyone before…before anything happens.”

  Phin was by her side in an instant, rubbing her back in a comforting manner. Alex looked at Gavin and saw his eyes fixated on Phin’s hand on Jemma. It finally snapped into place for Alex, why Phin and Gavin had been at odds lately. They both had a crush on sweet little Jemma.

  “We
’ll get through this, she still has some fight left in her. And I know she is not ready to leave you.” Phin’s words were so sweet and kind, without any sarcasm or humor. It was hard for Alex, and by the faces of everyone else, that Phin had been the one to say anything like that.

  Jemma looked up at Phin, smiling her thanks. A smile that seemed to be more than a thank you for the kind words, but rather a smile a woman falling in love gave the object of her affections. Gavin must have seen the look as well, he moved out of the protective circle they had formed around Jemma, muttering something about having to use the bathroom.

  A few months ago Alex would never have noticed the smile or the way Phin was still touching her back. Even if he had noticed he would never have been able to place the actions into their proper category of affection. Being with Izzy, had clearly changed the very way he viewed the world. Or maybe it was because of his feelings for Izzy that be believed suddenly everyone was in love with someone. After all Phin and Jemma acted more like brother and sister than any couple he had ever met. They played off of each other and never took the other seriously.

  Lifting his beer to his lips, he casually looked over at Izzy. The small demon pixie had him wrapped around her tiny finger and she didn’t even know it. He would do anything for her. He wondered briefly if anyone had seen the subtle glances, or small smiles between Izzy and him? Maybe they hadn’t been playing it as close to the vest as they had thought. His gaze slid from Izzy to Derek, who had clearly been watching him. The man had only nodded his head and walked away as George Porter walked into the room.

  His father greeted everyone; with hugs and handshake for the guys and hugs and kisses on the cheek for the girls. When he made his way over to Alex, he knew by they look on his father’s face that his mother had told dear old dad all about her encounter with Izzy the morning after they first slept together. “How is my boy?” His father asked as he pulled him into a hug. “Let’s go talk in my office for a moment, shall we?” His father’s tone brokered no argument.

  “Dinner will be ready in ten minutes everyone.” His mother announced.

  “Let me help in the kitchen Mama Porter.” Izzy volunteered. As he followed his father to his office, Izzy followed his mother to the kitchen. Something about how the evening was playing out made Alex realize how much he wanted Izzy to be a real part of his family.

  “Shut the door Alex, let’s talk.” George Porter looked neither happy nor mad. Giving away nothing about what the conversation to come would hold. Sitting on one of the chairs, George waited for Alex take a seat in the couch opposite. “You know your mother told me about your tryst with Izzy.”

  Did my father just say tryst? “I figured she would. How long did she make it before she told you, five minutes after walking through the door that day?” Alex joked.

  His dad smiled. “I’ll have you know she made it until dinner, a new record for her. Although I thought the poor woman was going to explode.” George laughed, then sobered. “I am going to be frank with you son, you are what is the word your mother used, oh yes, man whore.”

  Good thing Alex had left his beer in the living room because had been drinking it, he was sure it would have come out his nose. My dad called me a man whore. His only response was a shameful nod. “Glad you are not going to argue the point. Now, Izzy is a good girl. She is not like the other women you trapes around with. From what your mother has told me she is not the type of girl you have a meaningless affair with.”

  Alex had to interrupt his father’s speech at that moment. “Are you giving me the ‘what are your intentions’, speech? I think that is supposed to be from her dad not mine.”

  “Well her father isn’t here to give it, so I am taking it upon myself to make sure you do not hurt this girl.” George huffed, although his cheeks were a little pink showing he was a little embarrassed by the topic.

  “Dad, I promise, my intentions couldn’t be more honorable. Remember that story you told me about how you knew mom was for you the first time you kissed her?” His dad nodded with a smile on his face. Alex leaned forward towards his dad, lowering his voice, to be sure he was not heard. “I never believed you, about the love at first kiss BS, until I met her.”

  George sucked in a deep breath, nodding again. “Well then, you better find a way to make her understand that. Let’s go eat before those boys eat everything.”

  The two men stood and walked out the door and into the dining room. Izzy gave him a small smile as he entered the room. Yep he needed to make her know, that he planned on keeping her for well beyond the month.

  Chapter Thirteen

  Friday night at last! Work had been a disaster this week for Alex. With the France deal about to fall through he had spent more time on the phone than he had spent actually doing his work. Derek had agreed with the high profile client that he needed to personally come out and work on site for them for a month. He would be taking Roni with him. She would be there to run inference between Derek the asshole CEO and the client. She would be the face the client knew best by the end of the month.

  Derek had also wanted Alex to attend the first few meeting. He had given Derek a bullshit excuse of needing to be at the office since Roni would also be gone. Derek didn’t blink at the excuse. He nodded his agreement and wandered back to his office. In reality Alex didn’t want to be away from Izzy. Even if the trip was weeks away. He wanted their relationship to be well, a relationship before he traveled without her.

  Briefly, the idea of asking her to accompany him to France had flittered through his mind. He envisioned them site seeing between his meetings and making love in the hotel suite at night. Of course that was before his mind snapped back to reality. He couldn't take her to France, not without setting off a shit storm of questions from their friends. Plus their stupid deal required him to keep his mouth shut about the two of them. Nixing all hope of dragging her off to France.

  Alex was not going to waste one minute he could spend with her traveling for business. The month would be over before he was ready. Shaking off the bleak thought, Alex returned to work. He read his quarterly reports, typed a few emails, read over the France contracts. Nothing was keeping his thoughts from the woman he longed for. Rubbing his eyes, he leaned back in his chair. Cover his face with his forearm.

  As if someone knew he was trying to relax for a minute, his office door flew open and strong footsteps headed for his desk. Alex pulled his arm away from one eye just enough to see Phin sit down in his guest chair. “Please come in, no need to knock.” Alex’s voice was less than welcoming.

  “Thanks man.” Phin leaned his lean body back in the small guest chair and put his feet on Alex’s desk. Phin was by far the most laid back of all of them. No matter what was said or done to the guy, it rolled of the man’s back like water off a duck’s feathers.

  “Since you have made yourself comfortable, what the fuck do you want?” Alex asked, clearly annoyed. Was he taking his frustration with Izzy out on Phin? Hell, yes! And he didn’t give a damn.

  “Fuck, who has your panties in a twist?” Phin questioned with a laugh. “I only came in to tell let you I decided, as self appointed social director of our group, we are all going to the bar tonight. So untwist your panties and be ready to head out in an hour.”

  Just as he was about to tell Phin to go fuck himself, Jemma walked in. She was cute in her own way. Short and curvy. Before her mom got sick she was rather uptight and demure. Never spoke her mind, hair always in a tight bun. Now her hair was down, and she always told Derek what a shit head he was being. About time that happened. Derek needed to be kept in line when his asshole side came out to play. “Hi, boys. Am I interrupting an important business meeting?” She asked, eyeing Phin’s feet on his desk.

  “Phin was just telling me we were all heading to the bar for a drink in an hour.”

  “Your desk was my next stop, my lovely.” Phin winked at her.

  “Always the flirt, Phin.” Luckily Jemma never took Phin’s constant flirting to
heart. He was a man whore to the extreme and didn’t need any more female attention thrown his way. “Are the other girls going?” Jemma demanded, pushing her thick glasses back in place.

  “I haven’t made it that far. Maybe you can help me by rounding up the ladies and I will work on the men folk?” Phin inquired, standing as he did. The man towered over the small assistant. Alex noticed how close Phin was standing to Jemma. It appeared he didn’t like having even one female not fall at his feet and was doing his best to garner her attention. Alex shook his head. Clearly what he saw at dinner that night at his parent’s house was emotion over Jemma’s mom being sick and not feeling between her and Phin.

  Jemma stepped back, rolling her eyes at Phin. “Sure, I will ask Roni when I pass her on my way out and I will send a text to the other girls. See you in an hour.” She began to leave his office, before she stopped and turned back. “I almost forgot, I need the quarterly reports for Derek. Are you done reviewing them?”

  “He was just in here why didn’t he ask?”

  She shrugged and rolled her eyes again. “Because you know the man can never think that far ahead when it comes to anything beyond code.”

  All three laughed at the accurate description. "I'll send them to both of you, after Phin and I have looked them over."

  With a nod of acknowledgement, the two left his office together. Phin teasing her about if she was actually going to work up the courage to talk to the bartender she had a thing for. Alex was tapping his foot with nervous energy. He waited ten minutes until he sent Izzy a text.

  Alex: You going tonight?