by Willow Aster
“I don’t have a fucking clue, but I’ll figure it out.” I make my way out the door and down the stairs.
My phone vibrates and there’s a text from Tabitha.
Joey called me this morning. He wants to meet for lunch. What should I do?
What am I? Her therapist? The girl texts me incessantly for advice. We’ve become friends, so I don’t mind it most of the time.
Go to lunch. See what he says. Make that bastard grovel a little before you forgive him.
You’re the best, Spence. Thank you.
Hey, I may need a favor.
Name it.
Would you be willing to pretend there’s more going on between us than there is at Mean Mug if I need you? Don’t worry—I know we’re just friends. I can explain more later. Are you down for that?
Count me in. I’m guessing this has something to do with Emma...
Apparently Emma had grilled Tabitha after she’d seen us out together, and she’d picked up on some tension there. To which I confirmed that yes, there is most definitely tension, and that I seem to have a twisted obsession with this tension ... otherwise known as Emma.
Beyond that, I don’t have a clue. But I am sick of trying to get her out of my head and ready to figure out why she’s there in the first place.
I’ll keep you posted. Good luck with Joey.
Thanks. I’ll text you later.
I stop on the fourth floor to check on the condos that are just about completed. Caden and Gus are moving into the smaller one-bedrooms, and I’m considering purchasing the three-bedroom penthouse we’re currently living in. I want to stop moving around, and I’ve grown pretty fond of this building and that particular unit. Minus the two brothers that are endlessly on my shit list. I’m too old for roommates at this point in my life.
Gus walks out of the bedroom and holds his hands out to the side. “I think it’s ready. You sure you can survive without me?” he asks.
“I’m sure. Don’t let the door hit you in the ass,” I say, as I check out the kitchen flooring and head for the bathrooms to check the finished product. “It looks good.”
“Yeah. These are going to sell fast. I can’t believe how quickly we’re getting them done. And this is a huge project. We’re going to make bank.”
“I definitely think this will put us on the map. We’re making a name for ourselves. I got a few calls this week about potential projects in the future.”
“Sweet. So what’s going on with Tabitha? Do you like her?”
“Nah. We’re friends. I’ve got my eye on someone else,” I say, surprised as the words leave my mouth.
“Spence Taylor … say it isn’t so. I don’t think I’ve ever heard you say you liked someone.”
“I didn’t say I liked someone. I said I had my eye on someone,” I say, unable to hide my irritation.
“Who is she?”
The last thing I need is Gus in my business. He suffers from foot in the mouth disease and if anyone is bound to fuck things up with Emma, it would be Gus.
“You don’t know her.”
“So, what’s the hang-up? Ask her the fuck out.”
I cross my arms over my chest. Why am I discussing this with the biggest player in our family?
“I’m taking my time. She’s a bit of a game player, so I need to think out my next move.”
“There’s only one way to win over a game player,” he says, and now he’s deep in thought as if I’ve completely intrigued him.
“What’s that?”
“Play smarter.”
“Thanks, genius, I hadn’t thought of that.” I roll my eyes and head back out to the kitchen.
“You know who we should bring in on this?”
“No one. I’m actually kicking myself for talking to you about it,” I say as we both head to the door.
“Emma Kingsley. I mean, do you know anyone better at the game than Mya’s best friend? Let’s ask her what you should do. She’s the savviest person I know.”
We step on the elevator and I groan. This is why you never involve Gus in your business. Without even knowing it, he’s going to blow this shit up. If you look up the definition for elephant in the room, there’d be an 8x10 glossy of my little brother.
“Do not talk to Emma or anyone about this. In fact, forget I mentioned it. I already have a plan. Erase it from your memory,” I demand as we step off the elevator.
“So touchy. This chick has you wound tight. You really like her, huh?”
“Shut the fuck up, dickweasel. And don’t make me tell Mom you just referred to a woman as a baby duck. It’s low, even for you.”
“Don’t bring Mom into this,” he hisses. “I think you are in desperate need of a Hallmark movie night, brother. Your moods are getting the best of you.”
“No, you are getting the best of me. Just keep your mouth closed for once in your goddamn life.”
“Once in his GD life?” Jesse comes around the corner. “What are we talking about?”
“Spence likes someone. He’s all worked up and edgy over her.”
Fuck me. Here we go.
“Really? Who is she?” Jesse asks as he runs his hand through his oversized hair.
“She’s no one. It’s nothing. You guys need to get a life.” I move to my office and they both follow me.
“See how worked up he is,” Gus says, just as Caden comes through the doorway.
“Who’s worked up?” Caden asks.
“Spence is into someone, but he won’t tell us who she is.” Now it’s Jesse and he’s fully jumped on the bandwagon, which pisses me off. My youngest brother is usually the most sensitive and the least nosy.
“Is it Tabitha? The one Mya set you up with?” Caden leans against the wall and studies me.
“Oh, I used to love Tabitha the Teenage Witch. Remember when Gram let us watch that? And I made the mile-high club with a girl named Tabitha. It’s a good name,” Gus says, and we all gape at him.
“It’s not Tabitha. It’s no one you know. Can we please get back to business?” I say, fumbling through a few files on my desk and desperate to end this conversation.
“Did you fix the shitter in our condo?” Jesse asks, and he chuckles at his own words.
“I’ll finish later. I’ll grab the part I need at the store today and be by to fix it tonight.”
“Let me guess. Did your tampon get stuck in the toilet again? You sure seem to be menstruating a lot lately, dickdonger,” Gus says to me, laughing as he punches my arm.
“Why must we always revert to twelve-year-olds when we’re together?” I say it, but I can’t help cracking a smile when I do. Pretty sure we’ll be in our eighties and still acting like twerps. “It was a broken valve. Easy fix. Get your head out of your ass, Baloney Pony. Let’s get to work. How was your meeting with the design team? Do you like them?” I ask Caden, and everyone finally seems ready to move on.
“Yeah. They were very professional. The mom barely let her daughter speak, but what little she was allowed to share was actually what sold me on them.”
“Okay, so third time’s a charm. Glad that’s over. Did you sign with them?”
“They’re sending over the contract. We’ll finish up this building on our own, but depending on which project we take next, we’ll have a good team in place.”
We are looking at taking on a huge hotel project next, and we will definitely need guidance on the design aspect. Caden will be leading the commercial projects for us moving forward, so he took the lead when it came to choosing a design firm to work with. It’s been exciting to think about what this will mean for our little family business.
The brothers finally leave my office and I text Tabitha to see if she could stop by Mean Mug later tonight. She says she’ll be there. I have a perfect plan and it starts with a text to the woman who’s invading all my brainwaves. She put her number in my phone back when we were trying to help Mya and Jesse get back together, but this is the first time I’m actually using it.
H
ey, it’s Spence. We’re all going to Mean Mug tonight and I thought you and Rocco might want to stop by.
I watch as the three little dots move across my screen and my foot taps on the floor as I wait.
Rocco can’t make it, but I could stop by.
A full-on Joker grin takes over my face.
Oh, I hope he’s all right. You should definitely join us.
And just like that, my plan is falling into place. I step out into the office to find all three of my brothers huddled together, most likely conspiring against me.
“Hey. Be at Mean Mug tonight. Go along with whatever I say or do with Tabitha—got it? We’re just friends, but she’s going to help me out. Do not ask any more questions.” I look directly at Gus who has his mouth open and ready to speak.
Not tonight, brother.
This match is just getting started.
15-Love.
Chapter Fourteen
Emma
I groan at my desk as I stare at the screen.
I do hope that Tabitha will be there?
I chew on my thumbnail as I wait for his response.
Yes, of course my girl will be there. Just sorry Rocco can’t make it.
Damn you, Grumpledore.
Rocco is being honored tonight for his community service efforts.
Lies, lies, lies. Rocco will probably be oiling up his abs for a trip to a local bar to show his muscles off this evening. But hey, that’s community service in its own right.
Aw, I’m surprised you aren’t joining him for that.
Walked right into that one.
It’s only for the fire community. I speak out of my ass and hope he doesn’t know the intricacies of the fire department. I need to study up on it myself before I say another word.
Sounds like you’ve got yourself a keeper, Queenie.
Damn straight, Grumpy Smurf. See you tonight.
I slam my phone down on my desk, irritated that my non-existent boyfriend can’t make it tonight to make Spence Taylor jealous. Damn you, Rocco, and your little brain cells for making it impossible for me to stick around longer. But I have to go tonight. I need to see how serious this thing with Tabitha and Spence is.
Work is going well despite being distracted. It helps that we’re close to wrapping this case up. I have a good feeling about it and so does Jack.
“Hey, girl. Just got a message from Jesse. Do you want to go to Mean Mug tonight?”
“Yes. I’m planning on it,” I say.
“Oh good. Are you bringing Rocco? I can’t wait to meet him.”
Guilt swallows me whole. I’ve never kept anything from my best friend. But the fact that she’s dating and living with Old Solemn’s brother makes it complicated. I can’t risk her telling Jesse that Rocco is one taco short of a combination platter.
“No. I don’t think things are going to work out with Rocco.”
Her lips turn up in the corners as if she’s pleased to hear this. Mya has been dying for me to meet someone, so this surprises me.
“I’m so sorry to hear that. Spence told me he bumped into you and Rocco at Mean Mug.”
“Oh. Yeah.” I bite down on my lip, unsure about how much to share. “Would you mind not telling Spence that Rocco and I called it quits?” My voice sounds a little shaky and I hate how off-kilter I am after hearing from Spence.
“Of course. I won’t say a word.”
Why isn’t she asking me why I requested that?
Red flag. Something is up with Mya.
“So Spence said he’s bringing Tabitha. They seem to be going strong, huh?”
She rubs her ear with her thumb and finger and avoids eye contact. “Yes. I believe she’s coming tonight.”
Just then Arwin peeks his head in the door and I silently groan.
“Did you forget to send me an invitation to this party?”
“We did not. We’re talking about dirty tampons and breast milk.” I can’t help myself. He bothers me and I want him to go away.
Mya chokes on her Starbucks coffee and coughs so hard tears stream down her face.
“I love dirty talk with you girls,” the creep says and I cringe.
Only he would take it there.
“Arwin … Swim to the conference room. Arwin … Swim to the conference room,” Miranda says over the intercom.
Mya loses it again and I struggle to hold in the giggles myself.
“Quick meeting in the conference room,” Jack says as he stops in the doorway. Arwin straightens, Mya swipes at her eyes, and I move to my feet.
I spend the next few hours thinking about how I will convince Spence that my boyfriend and I are still going strong. It’s the most excited I’ve been in a while. Because I know I’m going to be seeing Spence tonight—and those always make for my favorite nights. Only because I get a kick out of torturing him—or that’s what I keep telling myself and I’m sticking to it.
I sit in my usual spot closest to the door of the conference room and make my exit just as Jack tells us all to go. I don’t even stop by my office but head straight for my apartment, dropping off some hot dogs to Dad and the guys before hustling upstairs to change. I put on my sexiest jeans and a white sheer blouse with a lacy pink bra beneath. I grab my leather jacket and decide to grab an Uber to Mean Mug. I can’t get there soon enough. I’m suddenly dying to see Spence. My heart is racing when I step inside and the first person I see is Tabitha. She’s standing so close to him that I see red … until I remember that I actually like the girl. Hold up now. I might like to pick on Old Solemn, but I am not a mean girl. I take a deep breath and rein it in as I make my way over to the group. Caden is there talking to a girl I’ve never seen before, Gus is flailing his hands as he entertains them all, and then there’s Spence. He’s scowling at his brothers until his head turns and his gaze locks with mine. And I’ll be damned if the man doesn’t light up like a Christmas tree. He flashes me that perfect smile that he doesn’t show all that often. He makes you feel like you’ve earned something when he gives it to you.
“Hey, Queenie.” He moves toward me and kisses me on the cheek, and a jolt of electricity moves through my body.
“Emma, hey,” Tabitha says, as she stands beside him, and I have the strongest desire to throttle her and then hug her hard. She’s pretty, dammit, and they look really striking together.
My chest squeezes.
My chest never squeezes. Nor does it tighten. Or flutter.
I am not that girl.
Sure, I can get emotional about my father, about Yaya and Mya, but not about men. I don’t feel those things.
Well, I did feel a tiny twinge of something the first time I saw Spence and he scowled at me, and then we met and could outwit each other like no one’s business.
Which is why I have been avoiding this man in the first place.
Yet, here I am.
Without a date and happy just to be in his presence.
What is happening to me right now?
I snap myself out of it when I see my best friend stroll through the door. We spend the next hour talking and laughing and I have my two glasses of Chardonnay. I don’t speak to Spence, but I keep my eye on him every chance I get. He and Tabitha have an ease about them, but I haven’t seen any form of PDA and I’m thankful for it. They certainly don’t behave like a couple who just started dating, but who am I to judge? I just “broke up” with a man who named each of his abdomen muscles.
Mya and Jesse finish their drinks and decide to head out and I hug them both goodbye. Allen calls me over to the bar and tells me that Rocco stiffed him the night we ate here together.
Yes. I left the money to cover our food that night. He obviously took it for himself. I hope his teeny peeny shrivels up from all the ab-building substances.
I insist on paying, and Gus sidles up next to me and orders another whiskey.
“Glad you came by,” Gus says, as he drops onto the stool beside me.
“Yeah. It was fun. Spence and Tabitha seem to be quite the
perfect little couple.” I sign the credit card slip and hand it back to Allen who keeps apologizing.
“Oh, those two. No. That’s all for show,” Gus says over a chuckle. He leans close to me. “Spence likes someone. I have no idea if she’s here yet, but he invited her.” He looks around the room, studying each girl intently. “He’s trying to make her jealous.”
I feel like the breath is knocked out of me. It takes a moment for me to catch it and speak. “Is that so?”
Suddenly that sweet grin Spence gave me when I walked in makes sense. That little weasel thinks he can outplay me? He is in for a rude awakening.
“Yeah. In fact, I pushed to bring you in on it because I figured you could come up with a good game plan for him. But he was insistent that I not tell you.” He shrugs.
And I seethe.
“So who’s the woman?” I know the answer, but I’m fairly certain Gus is completely clueless.
“I don’t know. But he never likes anyone, and he is going to pretty big lengths to win her over by bringing Tabitha here.”
“Interesting. So they aren’t a thing, then? That’s kind of rude to do that to Tabitha, don’t you think?” I wanted to throttle her two seconds ago and now I’m feeling sympathetic for the little lady. Yes, I realize I’m all over the place and I can’t even feel bad about it. Spence is the villain here.
“No. She’s getting back with her ex and I think she knows Spence is into someone else,” he says, tipping his head back and finishing off his cocktail.
“I see. Thanks for keeping me in the loop.” I pat Gus on the shoulder as he walks away and I wave Caden over.
“Will you play along with me on something?” I smile at him as I push to my feet.
“Of course. I’m down.”
“Okay, let’s do this.” I reach out and take Caden’s hand and he goes right along with me.
Gus would have asked what I was doing. But Caden—he knows I’m up to something and he loves it.
Spence’s gaze locks with mine before moving down and staring at my hand locked in his brother’s. Firebolts shoot from his eyes and I give a grin with all the teeth. Yeah, bite me, Grumpy McNugget.
“Hey, we’re taking off. Thanks for the invite.”