The Playboy Next Door

by Christina Tetreault

  “Tony, it’s so good to see you again.” Her mom hugged Tony before she turned and hugged Striker as well.

  While her mom engaged Tony in conversation, Cat shot a look over at Zack. So far, he remained silent, and from all appearances, it looked as though he didn’t intend to leave any time soon.

  “Why doesn’t everyone have a seat? I need to grab a few more things from the kitchen,” her mom said as she started toward the door.

  Leaving the three men all together might not be the best of ideas, however, she had some questions for Mom that couldn’t be asked on the porch. “I’ll help you.”

  The entire kitchen smelled like fall. She didn’t know how else to describe it. The scent of cinnamon and nutmeg mixed with apples and pumpkin made Cat’s stomach rumble.

  “Do you mind grabbing the salad and the tea from the refrigerator?” Mom asked as she took a pumpkin pie from the oven and placed it on the counter next to what looked like an apple pie.

  Cat didn’t move from her spot near the table. “Mom, you never said Zack and Striker were going to be here tonight. Didn’t Pop tell you Tony and Striker aren’t getting along?”

  “Of course. That’s why I invited your brother too. They’re friends and your brother needs to come to terms with the fact you’re with Tony. I thought this was a good way for him to do that.”

  Cat rolled her eyes. “Okay, fine whatever. But what is Zack doing here?” Why couldn’t Mom mind her own business? One dinner wasn’t going to fix the problem between Tony and Striker.

  “He stopped by to talk to your father, and I sort of asked him to stay,” her mom explained, sounding a little embarrassed. “I’m still so used to him being around, that I didn’t think. Once I asked him, I couldn’t tell him to leave.”

  Well, at least that had been an accident.

  “Don’t worry, everything will be fine. You’ll see.” Her mom picked up the platter of cheese and crackers and once again opened the door onto the porch.

  Please let her be right. Cat grabbed the salad as well as the pitcher of iced tea from the refrigerator and carried everything back to the screened porch.

  Smoke from the grill drifted inside. Pop didn’t know the difference between a saucepan and a skillet in the kitchen, but give the man a grill and wow. If nothing else, at least she’d get a delicious meal tonight. Assuming they made it that far.

  For the last ten minutes, Striker and Zack had talked about football while they both sent Tony dirty looks. So far, Tony had ignored them both and kept up a steady conversation with Mom. While Tony might be able to ignore Zack and Striker’s behavior, she couldn’t, but other than calling both men on it, there remained little she could do about it. Hopefully, when Pop joined them Zack and Striker would get their heads out of their butts and act like adults rather than immature eight-year-olds.

  “Zack told me you’re up for a promotion,” Striker said, ending his discussion of which NFL team had the best defense that year.

  Cat looked at Zack before she could stop herself.

  “Sorry, I figured he already knew about it.”

  If her brother hadn’t been acting like such a jerk, he would’ve known about it. “It’s just an interview and there are several candidates.”

  “You’ll do great. And when you get the job, I’ll be the first to visit you in California,” Striker said with extra enthusiasm.

  Next to her, Tony paused in mid-sentence, and she felt his gaze on her.

  “That’s a big if, Striker, so don’t start planning any vacations yet.”

  “Where are you heading?” Pop asked as he walked inside the screened porch, carrying two platters of food.

  “California when Cat gets that promotion,” Striker answered, smiling in her direction.

  Looking away from her brother, she stabbed a piece of chicken and added it to her plate. Just as she suspected, the chicken Pop grilled was to die for. Going by the compliments everyone gave Pop, she assumed the same was true about the steaks. With the compliments out of the way though, the men including, Tony this time, went back to discussing football and, specifically, the match up for that Sunday’s games. While Cat would’ve rather discussed something else, it did at least mean that no one was arguing, and she hadn’t seen Striker give Tony a dirty look since Pop joined them. Unfortunately, she had caught Zack staring at her numerous times, but at least he’d kept whatever thoughts he had to himself.

  If they managed to get through the rest of dinner that way, she’d consider the evening a success.

  Cat poured herself more iced tea and then reached for her mom’s glass. “Do you want more?”

  “Please,” she answered, patting Cat’s hand. Then she leaned closer. “You’re worrying about nothing. Everything is going fine.”

  She nodded. She’d stop worrying once they were back in Tony’s car headed for his house.

  “Cat, did you notice the holiday party is being held at The Harbor House this year?” Zack asked, speaking directly to her for the first time in a while.

  “I was surprised when I read that in the email.” She’d opened the email and then dismissed it. The party was still a few weeks away.

  “We should go together. We always do. It’ll be fun.”

  Everyone at the table stopped eating.

  “I’m––”

  “She’s already asked me to go,” Tony said. “Looks like you’ll need to find someone else.”

  She heard the anger in Tony’s voice. Reaching over, she squeezed his hand, which drew the attention of both Zack and Striker.

  “And before you ask, she’ll be joining me for Thanksgiving.”

  Cat didn’t correct Tony. She’d thought Zack had gotten the message that she wasn’t interested, but judging by his behavior today, he hadn’t. Maybe Tony’s interference tonight would do the trick.

  Zack cleared his throat before giving her a look she couldn’t decipher and starting up a new conversation with her father.

  He’d had enough. Since the moment they’d arrived, he’d either been getting dirty looks from Striker and Zack or he’d caught Zack staring at Cat as if he were prepared to jump her right there at the table. If that hadn’t been bad enough, the guy had known more about what was going on in her life than he did. Tony didn’t care if they did work together. He shouldn’t have learned that Cat might be moving across the country from her ex-boyfriend. She should’ve told him when she’d mentioned the interview. The same was true for the holiday party. He still couldn’t believe Zack had asked Cat to go with him. The guy knew they were together. Everyone in town knew at this point. Even if he hadn’t known before dinner tonight, he knew when he asked Cat to the party.

  Tony had done some crazy things in the past, but he’d never asked out another guy’s girlfriend.

  Mrs. Striker set two pies down on the table along with a container of vanilla ice cream. Most days, the sight would have his mouth watering. Tonight, the sight only meant they needed to stick around longer. He had a lot of faults, but he tried not to be rude.

  “Those look and smell amazing, Mrs. Striker,” Tony said.

  “I’m glad. Cat mentioned apple pie is one of your favorites.”

  The little door he’d stuffed his feelings for Cat behind slipped open a little more.

  “I missed your pumpkin pie this year. You always used to bring one by our apartment right before Halloween,” Zack said as he cut into the pumpkin pie on the table. “Cat used to eat more than half of it herself. Last year, I think you brought by two, didn’t you?”

  Was Zack trying to piss him off or was the guy just stupid?

  Mrs. Striker met Tony’s eyes as she handed him a slice of apple pie. “I don’t remember, but you can have some of this one to take home. I made another for Cat to take with her tonight. Tony, I made another apple pie for you too.”

  That answered that question. He’d wondered if Mrs. Striker intentionally invited Zack tonight or not. She’d never struck him as a mean woman, but Cat had mentioned her parents
hoped she got back together with Zack. Putting Cat and Zack in the same room together could’ve been an attempt at getting that to happen. Someone who made an extra apple pie for him wasn’t manipulative enough to invite her daughter over for dinner just to get her around an ex-boyfriend.

  “What, nothing for me?” Striker asked.

  “I would never forget you. I baked an apple crisp for you. It’s in the kitchen.”

  “You can share it with Ella. She loves apple crisp.” Cat’s tone contained a sarcastic bite.

  “It’s too bad she couldn’t join us tonight. I haven’t spoken to Ella since the summer,” Mrs. Striker said.

  Tony saw Ella and Striker together at Maureen O’Brien’s wedding, but he’d assumed it was a one-time date. He’d never heard Striker mention Ella.

  “She had other plans tonight.” Striker spoke to his pie rather than the other people around the table.

  Did the guy suffer from a guilty conscience? While he complained who is sister dated, he fooled around with one of Cat’s closest friends. Talk about the pot calling the kettle black.

  “Hopefully, she’ll be able to come for Thanksgiving.” Mrs. Striker said, finally cutting herself a piece of pie. “I expect to see you two as well that day.” She pointed her fork in his and Cat’s direction.

  Not once since Isabella had he taken someone to his parents’ house for Thanksgiving. He’d not decided what he planned to do about it this year, even though it wasn’t far off. Then Zack opened his big trap and asked Cat to the company holiday party. His heart made the decision for him before he could think about the matter anymore. Oddly, the idea of sitting down with most of his family and Cat pleased him.

  “We’ll make sure we get here too that day.”

  Mrs. Striker’s apple pie turned out to be one of the best he’d ever tasted. The only person who made a better pie was Sean’s mom. Tony ate two large slices of pie and was grateful she’d baked him another to take with him.

  Anxious to get home, he backed out of the driveway as Cat buckled her seatbelt. While he’d enjoyed spending time with Cat’s parents, he couldn’t say the same about the other people there. Although he didn’t like it, he understood Striker’s behavior. Zack on the other hand, he refused to give any leeway too. The guy had left Cat, not the other way around.

  Zack’s insistence on getting back into Cat’s life wasn’t Tony’s only complaint with the guy. Tonight had been the first time he’d ever spent any real time around the guy, and he found that he simply didn’t like him. He didn’t understand how Cat stayed with him for so long. Zack seemed like a self-absorbed jerk, not at all the type of guy she belonged with.

  And who does she belong with? Now that was one question he didn’t have an answer too. She deserved someone whose plans involved more than just a few months of sex. Cat needed someone who was just the opposite of him. Even knowing this, he didn’t plan on letting her go anytime soon.

  I might not have much of a choice. Tony gritted his teeth as he thought of how Zack and Striker knew about her possible move and he hadn’t. She should have told him, even if it was only a possibility.

  “Tonight was pretty painful, wasn’t it?” Cat asked as he turned the corner. “I’m sorry. I would’ve declined if I knew Mom invited Striker too.”

  “Don’t worry about it. We both survived.” He pulled into his driveway and waited for the garage door to open.

  “Yeah, I guess.”

  He heard the uncertainty in Cat’s voice and assumed it had something to do with his own annoyed tone. He couldn’t help it. The more he thought about the evening, the more agitated he got. Why hadn’t Cat mentioned the party to him? Had she planned on going solo?

  “Just so you know, she didn’t intend to invite Zack. Mom’s used to him being around, and it slipped out when he stopped by today.”

  “I’m sure it did.” The words came out before he had a chance to consider them. With them out there though, he couldn’t take them back even if he wanted to.

  Cat opened the door and entered the house in silence, and when she turned to look at him, her frown told him everything he needed to know. “Out with it. You’re mad about something, so just tell me.” She leaned against the counter and waited. “Did my brother say something to you while I helped Mom?”

  “Your brother didn’t say anything, Cat.” He tossed his coat on the back of a chair.

  “That’s a first,” she said with a little laugh. “Then what’s the problem?”

  He raked a hand through his hair, not sure who he was more annoyed with at the moment, Cat or himself.

  “Why didn’t you tell me about moving to California?”

  “You’re mad about that?” Cat pushed off the counter and came toward him. “I didn’t mention it because it’s unlikely I’ll get the position. I probably won’t even make it past the first round of interviews.”

  Tony didn’t share Cat’s opinion. In his opinion, they wouldn’t waste their time interviewing her if she wasn’t qualified. However, it sounded like she believed what she said. “You still should’ve told me.”

  “Next time, I will.” She put her arms around him. “Is that the only thing wrong?”

  Complaining about the things she didn’t tell him made him feel like a little kid whining because his parents forgot to tell him they planned to visit his great aunt Dorothy and he’d have to skip his best friend’s birthday party, which was something that had happened to him more than once. Still, the fact that Cat didn’t share information annoyed him.

  “So when is the holiday party?”

  “In two weeks, but we really don’t have to go. I haven’t bothered to RSVP yet.”

  “Zack said you always go, so we’ll go.”

  Cat took a step back and looked at him. “You’re mad because I didn’t invite you. Admit it.” She waited a few seconds for an answer, but when he remained silent, she shook her head. “I wasn’t sure I wanted to go this year. Once I made up my mind, I would’ve asked you.”

  She didn’t quite meet his eyes when she spoke, which made Tony wonder if she was telling the complete truth.

  “Whatever you want to do is fine with me.” As long as it doesn’t involve you going with— Tony forced his thoughts to stop. They weren’t married or engaged. Cat could move on whenever she wanted, just like him. If tomorrow she woke and decided she wanted Zack back in her life, then that was fine. He had no hold on her. The same held true for him. Who knew, maybe next week he would meet someone at work and decide he was ready for a change. He needed to remember that.

  Chapter 9

  Almost two weeks later, Tony stood outside half frozen solid and soaking wet as he watched the team finish up practice on the muddy field. What had started as a gentle mist earlier in the day had turned into a downpour forty minutes ago. Most afternoons, he’d be thinking of nothing but getting inside and changing his clothes. Tonight, the thought didn’t cross his mind. Instead, Cat remained the sole star of his thoughts. Actually, he hadn’t been able to think of anything else since he checked his email that morning and realized today was November twelfth. The day Striker closed on his new condo, which meant he could move out of his sister’s apartment and Cat could go home.

  He’d known the day was approaching. Just the week before, he’d overheard Striker talking to his father about it right before football practiced started. Even so, he’d pushed it to the back of his head and ignored it. When he saw the date on the email, however, the memory pushed its way forward, refusing to be ignored.

  Tony wondered if Cat realized what today was. She hadn’t mentioned anything to him all week, and he hadn’t spoken to her yet today. When he left for his morning run, she’d been asleep, and by the time he came back, she was gone. The note she left by the coffee pot didn’t say much other than to remind him she had to be into work early today.

  Did she plan on coming back to his place tonight or would she go back to her apartment? If Striker had closed as planned, she didn’t need to come back to his ho
use. Although, even if Striker had signed the papers and gotten his key, he probably hadn’t had time to move anything in. When he’d moved out of his apartment, he had Mack help him. Even if Striker and Mack were best friends, he doubted the guy would take a whole day off to help him move furniture.

  Tony wondered if Cat had considered that as well. If she had, then she would be at home when he got there. He knew for a fact that Striker and Cat still weren’t on speaking terms, so Striker wouldn’t have shared his plans with her. Even if she did come back tonight, how much longer would she stay?

  Striker wouldn’t wait long to get himself settled. He’d either ask Mack to help him move that Saturday after the game or on Sunday. That gave him maybe another two or three nights with Cat at his place. Tony cleared his throat to dislodge the lump that had formed.

  So what if she moved home? He’d lived alone since he graduated from college. He liked having his own space. Besides, it wasn’t like he wouldn’t still see her. Things between them would go back to the way they were before Striker found out, only now they could also spend time at his house after work and on the weekends.

  When Cat moved out, the world wouldn’t end. Actually, it might be a good thing.

  Further down the sideline, Coach blew his whistle twice and all the players headed for the benches, taking much of the field with them.

  On his way to join the players, Striker walked past him. “Tell Trina I borrowed an air mattress, so I’ll be staying at my place tonight. She can move home today. Sunday, after Mack and I empty out the storage container, I’ll pick up the boxes I’m leaving at her apartment.”

  Tony nodded. He’d pass along the message. He just might not do it tonight.

  When Tony got home thirty minutes later, he switched on the kitchen light and paused. Everything looked the same as when he left that morning. Did that mean Cat just hadn’t gotten back or had she stopped in, grabbed her things, and went back to Salem? Most nights since she moved in, they got home around the same time. Only a few times had she beaten him back and started dinner for them.