by Molly Harper, Stephanie Haefner, Liora Blake, Gabra Zackman, Andrea Laurence, Colette Auclair
“You certainly can.”
She knew that voice.
“What are you girls doing over there?”
Only her mother still called her and Bryn “girls.” “Hi, Mom. How are you?”
“I was fine until the mail came today.”
“I didn’t know Bryn mailed you an invitation.”
“I understand that sex has changed a lot and people get their kicks in different ways, but I just don’t understand why you’re going to these lengths. And why you’re throwing such a fancy party for it.”
“We needed something big that could save the shop. It’s a risk, but we’re hoping it pays off.”
“Well . . . okay. I do wish you the best, and hope it goes well. You deserve to be successful.”
“Thank you. But if you really feel that way, why don’t you defend me to Dad?”
“I’m in a tough position. You have to understand that. And I’ve tried. But he just doesn’t understand. You know your father is old-fashioned. And your refusal to help the family feels like betrayal to him.”
“Well, I feel betrayed, too. A father’s job is to support his adult daughter’s decisions.”
Her mother sighed. “I know. He’s so stressed these days. Well, actually, he’s been that way for years. I just want our family to be happy and peaceful.”
Mia wanted that, too, but she refused to cave and do it her father’s way.
“I hope you understand that I cannot attend your party. It just wouldn’t be right.”
Surprise, surprise. “I know.”
For all the support and well wishes her mother had spouted, she sure wasn’t following through. Guess her mother was old-fashioned too, with all that “love, honor, and obey” crap.
“I think I’ll just shred the invitation so he doesn’t see it. He’s been working late hours and he’s so tired. The last thing he needs when he comes home is to see that. He really is getting too old to be doing this.”
Was she going to try and put Mia on a guilt trip now?
“I wish he could retire so we can travel and do all the things we dreamed about doing when we were this age.”
Yup, guilt trip in full effect.
“Maybe things will be different in a couple years.”
Mia was ready for the conversation to end. “Um, I gotta go, Mom. A customer just came in. Bye.”
She hated lying, but her mother hadn’t given her much choice. That seemed to be how all conversations with family went lately. And Mia was getting pretty sick of it.
CHAPTER Seventeen
Oliver worked through lunch for the second day in a row. The days of taking off early and extended lunches had caught up to him. He’d probably need to work through lunch every day for the rest of the year. And staying late wasn’t an option. No way would he give up his accounting work at Classy ’n’ Sassy. He’d keep going to his day job at 7 a.m. until Mia and Bryn no longer needed him in the evening. And if he had it his way, that would never happen.
“Mr. Christensen,” his secretary squawked through the intercom. “Ms. Ryland is here to see you.”
He ran a hand through his hair. He didn’t have time for her bull. “Send her in.”
The door opened and closed, but he kept his gaze on his computer.
“Hey, baby.”
When he finally looked up, she was there, trench coat open, black lace underneath, her stomach so flat and tight it was if she’d just pounded out a thousand crunches. And he felt not a single twinge of attraction. “What are you doing?”
She moved toward him and stepped around the desk. “I wanted to surprise you.”
Oliver tapped away, eyes on his screen.
“Hey,” Alexiana said and pressed the button on his monitor, turning it black. “I’m talking to you.”
“What is your problem? I’m trying to work here, something you know nothing about.”
“Oh, I know how to work all right. Let me work this right here.” She cupped his completely flaccid penis.
“I don’t have time for this, even if I wanted to take advantage.” He reached to turn his monitor back on but she pushed his wheeled chair away from the desk. “What the hell?”
She climbed on him, her lips on his neck. “Come on, Ollie. Fuck me.”
What the hell was going on? The woman had barely touched him in months, aside from one night of drunken sex that led to his nightmare of a life. Oh. Wait. Maybe he was right about her lying. He’d scared her with his promise to cancel the wedding and now she was desperate to hold on to him. A real pregnancy would do that.
But he wasn’t stupid enough to let it happen.
“No. Get off of me.”
“There will definitely be some getting off, but I will be staying on your lap for it.”
“Okay, that’s enough.” He stood and she slid to the floor, catching herself before tumbling in her ridiculously high shoes. “I’m not having sex with you. And I sure as hell am not marrying you. I’m canceling the wedding. Today.”
Not one glimmer of fear. “You won’t do it.”
“No?” He picked up the phone.
“Not with how weak your mother’s been. All it might take is a little bit of upsetting news to push her over the edge. You don’t want to be responsible for your mother’s death, do you?”
“Enough of the bullshit. You think you’re so smart, throwing my mother in my face. I know you’re bluffing. And I’m done letting you manipulate me. I’m gonna tell her everything. In fact, I almost told her the other day at lunch.”
Alexiana let a moment of shock cross her features, but then regained her unimpressed disposition. “I don’t believe you.”
“Oh, you better believe me. The wedding will be canceled. But I can’t do it until after I talk to my mother.” He set the receiver down. He’d break it to her gently, before the world knew, so she could be better prepared for the fallout. “You’ve gained yourself a few days of reprieve and I suggest you take that time to accept we are over. This wedding is not happening.”
Damn that felt good! He was one step closer to freedom.
But Alexiana’s eyes narrowed, lips turned upward in a devious smile. She buttoned her jacket. “Whatever you say, Ollie.”
The nickname grated on his eardrums worse than any other time she’d used it. Hopefully, in a few days Alexiana Ryland would be a long-forgotten nightmare from his past, and he’d never hear that nickname again.
ALMOST CLOSING time. Mia was in the shop alone, tidying up and rehanging unwanted garments. The worst part was the endless number of bras women took into the dressing room and then didn’t buy. She probably rehung at least a hundred each day, and Mia swore if the shop ever found itself in good standing again, she was going to hire some high school kid to do it instead.
The chime sounded and Mia looked at her watch. Of course a customer would come in at 8:56. She left her post in the dressing room to tend to the customer, finding Logan in the shop.
“Hey. I thought you were a customer. You can use the back door, you know.”
“Oh. Hope it’s okay I stopped in. I have some bad news.”
Uh-oh. Please don’t tell me you’re not coming to the launch party. Oh, God! Please don’t tell me you’re leaving us all together! Mia swallowed the giant cotton ball in her throat. “What’s up?”
His face scrunched, clearly pained at what he had to say. “They passed on my reality show.”
Oh, thank God that’s all it was. “I’m sorry. I know how badly you wanted to do it.”
“It was supposed to be my big break. And it woulda helped you guys so much.”
“Yeah, probably, but it’s okay. We’ll figure something out.”
“But I do have a reporter who wants to do a story on me. It’s not TV or anything. But a magazine article might still be cool. They want to come to the launch party and take pictures and stuff. Interview me, and maybe you and Bryn, too. Are you cool with that?”
“Sounds great. What magazine?”
“It
’s local, but I guess they have subscribers all over the country. It’s called Iris.”
Never heard of it. “Cool.”
“Well, I better go. See ya on Saturday.”
Poor Logan. He looked so sad. It was tough to see such a cute guy look pathetic. Come Saturday, there would be women all over him, making him forget all about his reality show.
Mia left the rest of the bras for Bryn and Penny in the morning and flipped the light switches.
“Hey, it’s me,” she said into her cell phone as she walked out the back door of the shop, then locked it. “Logan stopped in tonight. The reality show is a no go.”
“That sucks,” Bryn said. “It would have been good exposure for us. But you can’t be surprised. You didn’t expect it to work out anyway.”
“Yeah, I know, but I’m actually kinda disappointed.” Mia got into her car. “I had a few more calls today from customers about the party. Seemed positive.”
“God, I hope so.”
“You’re not still worried, are you?”
“No. Well, a little. Aren’t you? We’ve put all our eggs in one G-string basket. If this tanks, we’re going down.”
“Not gonna happen. I won’t let it.”
“Mia, there’s not much you can do.”
If the business went under, Mia’s life as she knew it would be over. Well, maybe that was dramatic. She’d no longer have an excuse not to work for her father. She’d have to move, or fake her own death. Death might be better. “It will be fine. I promise.”
“You can’t promise that.” Bryn was starting to sound a bit hysterical. “I wish you would stop being so damn optimistic.”
“Being negative isn’t going to help.”
“It would help me know I’m not alone in feeling completely helpless and scared out of my mind.” The waterworks had definitely started. “I can’t lose my house.”
Mia would work for her dad if she had to, just so she could give Bryn every cent and keep her home. “You will not lose it. That I can promise you.”
“WHERE ARE you going?” a voice bellowed behind Oliver, three feet from the open elevator door.
He turned, coming face to face with the big boss. “Mr. Goldman. How are you?”
“Answer my question.”
“Uh, leaving for the day, sir.”
“Smith and Robinson are staying late to work on the MacIntosh account. Don’t you think you should join them?”
Shit. “I can’t tonight.” Oliver wanted to duck for cover, waiting for the wrath of his boss to slam down.
“That’s fine. You’ve been in early every day. I assume you’ll be in tomorrow morning as well?”
“No, sir, I cannot.” Could he dodge two bullets?
“Don’t tell me you have insignificant plans for your Saturday.”
Oliver couldn’t exactly tell him about his second job and the launch party where he’d be 90 percent naked, so he went with what was easiest. A lie. “Wedding planning. I’ve already missed the menu tasting. If I miss the meeting with the priest, she’ll have my head.”
Mr. Goldman nodded. “I remember when Mandy was planning her wedding. That lousy son-in-law of mine found an excuse for every damn wedding task. Should have been a clue right there.” He looked at his watch. “I expect you to be in early on Monday and prepared to stay late.”
“Yes, sir. Thank you.”
He strolled away and Oliver hit the elevator button. Crisis averted. He arrived at the shop by six and it buzzed with adrenaline. The women ran to and fro organizing displays, tidying shelves, dusting every crevice, in between taking care of customers.
“I think I’ll just hide in my office.”
“It’s probably best if you stay out of our way,” Bryn said with a giggle.
Oliver took his seat at the desk and got to work, but it didn’t take much to pull him from the screen. Every so often, Mia’s laughter would float into his ears, completely distracting him. He got up and closed the door. As much as he loved hearing her, he had to get this work done.
A knock pulled him from his numbers trance. Mia peeked her head in. “Almost done?”
He looked to the clock. Wow. Quarter to nine. “Yeah.”
“We’re closing up the shop and the pizza should be here any minute. You wanna hang out for a bit and have some dinner?”
“You’re not going home?”
Mia looked tired, hair disheveled, but still gorgeous. His fingers tingled, aching to touch her.
“God no. We still have cleaning to do and decorating, plus setting up the toy displays.”
“I can help.”
“Oh, that’s okay. But please, come eat some pizza.” She smiled and walked away, taking the brightness of the tiny office with her.
He finished what he was working on as the scent of greasy cheese and pepperoni drifted into his nostrils. His stomach growled. Maybe he’d have a slice or two.
Oliver walked into the shop and Mia, Bryn, and Penny sat on the floor, wineglasses in hand, nibbling their pizza.
“Plates are next to the box. Grab some and come sit with us,” Bryn invited.
He did and bit into his dinner. Delicious. He looked around the shop. Everything was shiny, ready for the party. Then he spotted the new display area, set up just for his toys. They’d wanted to keep them a surprise, for the most part, so the main display wouldn’t be revealed until the party. The two samples sat erect on the glass shelf. Oliver had yet to actually see the products. He stood and walked over.
He picked up the dildo he knew was his. There was no denying it. The thing was an exact replica. It was like holding his actual dick in his hand, every last vein.
“What do you think?” Bryn asked and giggled.
He turned to face the women, his cheeks a little warmer than they had been two seconds before. “Uh, it’s a little bizarre. I mean, it looks great, it’s just weird to be holding a rubber model of myself.”
“Does it freak you out to know what women will be doing with that?” Mia asked.
“I don’t know. Haven’t thought about it.”
Bryn sipped her wine before confessing, “I took you home the other night, and I was very impressed.”
His cheeks seared and there was no way they couldn’t notice. “Now I’m a bit freaked out.”
A loud burst of laughter from all the women.
“Get used to it,” Bryn said. “So far, the response to the line has been great, and there will be a whole lot more compliments.”
“Wow. I think this whole thing is finally hitting me.” He set the toy back onto the shelf. “There will be women fawning all over me tomorrow. The only time I’m ever shirtless is in my own bathroom and the beach.”
More giggles.
“Get ready to be a wanted man,” Penny said. “And FYI, most of the ladies so far have liked your picture better.”
“That thousand-dollar bet with Logan is in the bag,” Bryn added.
He just shook his head and retook his seat. “I don’t care about that. He’s a tool and I just like getting his blood boiling.”
Silence as they finished off their pizza and wine. Oliver watched Mia. Could she possibly know how sexy she was sitting there, legs outstretched, leaning back on her hands? She arched her back and stretched, a familiar twitch in his groin as her shirt pulled tight against her breasts.
Oh, man. He turned away and stared at Logan’s face on the poster. One sure way to kill a hard-on.
Bryn stood and picked up some of the garbage. He gathered the rest and began to rise.
“Wow, a man who helps clean up. That’s rare.” She gave Mia a quick look, but turned right back to him. “Give it here. You sit and relax.”
He did, hesitantly, then watched Penny stand.
“I, um, have to go make a phone call.”
The room was quiet, just Oliver and Mia. “You nervous about tomorrow?” he asked.
“Nervous, excited. Some moments I want to jump and scream, others I feel like I might vomit.”
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“Sounds natural.” The tingling in his hands started again. Especially for her hair. The way it flowed down her back in curvy waves. “What time should I be here tomorrow?”
“Probably by ten. The party starts at eleven, and you need to be here early for hair and makeup.”
He nodded. “And what time will it end?”
“Invite says two, but we’d love it if it went late. The shop normally closes at four on Saturdays. I’m kinda hoping we can still close on time. I’m already exhausted and we’re more than twelve hours from party time.”
“So we’ll be out of here by dinner?”
“Yep. You got plans?”
“Hopefully. You wanna have dinner with me, to celebrate?”
The corners of her mouth turned up, but she stifled them. “Should I extend this invitation to Bryn and Penny, too?”
“Um . . . I was hoping it could be just us.”
She nodded and pursed her lips. Another attempt at hiding a smile? “Okay.”
Maybe this would finally be the end of office quickies and friendly meals. He was taking her out and treating her the way she should be treated. A woman he couldn’t stop thinking about. A woman he’d already envisioned in his future on more than one occasion. A woman he was falling in love with?
AFTER OLIVER left, Mia cleaned up her trash and headed to her office for the bag of streamers and other various decorations.
“So, you and Oliver were quite cozy there for a few minutes.” Bryn was in Mia’s doorway, holding two glasses of wine. She handed one over.
“Yeah, and you and Penny weren’t too subtle about arranging that cozy moment.” She hid her smile by putting her wineglass to her mouth. “I finally gave in.”
“You’re gonna take home one of the dildos?”
“No! I agreed to dinner. With Oliver.”
Raised eyebrows, huge smile. “No need for the replica when you’ll have the real thing.”
“That’s not the plan.”
Bryn rolled her eyes. “What made you change your mind?”
“You. All your drunken talk the other night about life being short and your confession about Johnny not being as perfect as I thought. Oliver and I do have that chemistry thing going on, and I figure I can’t find out what’s wrong with him if we don’t go out.”