Stumbled into Love

by L. P. Maxa

  Hollie shook her head, taking a large sip of her wine. “Uh, no, I haven’t spoken to him since I went to pick up the rest of my stuff and found him hanging out with the girl I caught him cheating on me with.”

  “Oh that’s so awful, I’m sorry.” Cassie’s face fell, like she truly felt bad. “I shouldn’t have brought him up.”

  No, she shouldn’t have. I put my hand on the back of Hollie’s neck, rubbing my thumb against her pulse. I wanted to comfort her, but I didn’t want to make things worse with Declan.

  “You went to pack up your stuff by yourself?” Dec shot daggers at me from across the table.

  “I didn’t think he’d be home.” Hollie’s eyes darted between the two of us. “Brice offered to go with me, but I wouldn’t let him.”

  Declan looked like he didn’t believe her, and I couldn’t blame him. I hadn’t wanted to go, and I’d felt guilty as hell about it when I’d found her crying in the hallway.

  Our food came a few minutes later, and luckily most of the conversation turned to how wonderful everything was and how excited the parents were for another grandbaby.

  “This is so good.” I turned to Hollie. “Here.” I held a bit of my chicken out for her, trying like hell to keep my dick in check when her lips closed around my fork and she moaned.

  “Oh my gosh, it’s so good.” She pointed to her plate of pasta. “You want some of this.”

  I nodded. “Yeah, I’ll eat your leftovers tonight after you pass out from all the orgasms, carbs, and wine.” She laughed softly, resting her head my shoulder for a moment.

  When I turned back to my food, both Declan and Cassie were staring at me. Neither one of them looked all that mad anymore.

  Terrified, but not mad.

  ***

  Cassie was having a girl this time. They’d brought out a cake and when the two grandmothers cut into it, the middle was all pink and white. They’d cried, like we all knew they would. Cassie cried too, you know, because she was pregnant. And Hollie teared up, which didn’t surprise me. She cried pretty easily for such a tough, sassy chick. My dad shook Declan’s hand, which always kind of made me laugh. Like, good job throwing that X chromosome while you were fucking a baby into my daughter.

  But I was happy for my sister and my best friend. They were good parents, and this would be one lucky baby. Wyllie was smart and secure, and he laughed so easily. You could tell the kid had a great childhood. He’d make a great big brother, and I’d teach him everything he needed to know about protecting his little sister.

  Well shit.

  Now I was getting all emotional.

  Chapter Twenty-Eight

  Holland

  Dinner with Brice and Declan’s families had been fun, if not oddly entertaining and uncomfortable. Declan was obviously still pissed, which was why I was currently pacing the floor in the entryway of Cueva. He was coming into the office today, and he’d called a staff meeting. On a Sunday.

  He’d told me he wasn’t going to fire me, but maybe he’d changed his mind. Maybe seeing Brice and me together last night had sent him over the edge. We should have sat farther apart. We shouldn’t have laughed or eaten off each other’s plates. We threw our friends-with-benefits situation in his face.

  The large doors opened and Declan walked in, the smile on his face looking a little out of place since he’d spent so long scowling across the table at dinner. “Declan, ‘morning.” I smiled, falling into step beside him as we made our way down the hallway, past the private lounges, and to the large conference room we used for staff meetings.

  “‘Morning, Holland. Is everyone here?”

  I nodded, pulling up the tablet to show that the entire staff was clocked in for the meeting. “Everyone is here, expect for Paul, he has the flu.” A chef with the flu was not someone you wanted at work.

  Declan paused for a moment outside the doors to the large office space. “Holland, look, I’m sorry about last night. I shouldn’t have acted like that. I hope I didn’t make things too awkward.”

  I shook my head. “No, sir. I’m the one who should be sorry. I broke a rule, and then we flaunted it in front of you. It was unprofessional and I feel awful.” I took a deep breath, steeling my spine and saying what needed to be said. “I understand if you’ve changed your mind. Please don’t feel guilty for firing me, it’s company policy.”

  Declan crossed his arms over his chest. “For the last time, Holland, I’m not going to fire you.” He chuckled. “This place wouldn’t run without you, we both know that.”

  I nodded, relief flooding my system and making me feel a little dizzy. “Thank you.”

  “Out of curiosity though, what would you do if I made you choose? If I told you that you had to stop seeing Brice, had to move out of his house?”

  His questions made my heart sink, and they made me a little nauseous, if I was being completely honest. I wasn’t ready to leave Brice. It wasn’t time. Plus, I’d promised him I’d stay until his work dinner. He’d been there when I needed a friend, and I wouldn’t go back on my word.

  “I, uh…I’m sorry, but—”

  Declan held his hand up, stopping my stuttering. “I’m not going to ask you to do that, Holland. But I want you to realize that your hesitation means you’d choose him over your job.” He sighed, like he was suddenly tired. “Brice is fun and he’s got this almost reckless air about him. He lives to work hard and play harder. He draws people in, he always has. He’s honest, and he’s forthcoming about what he wants and what he’s willing to give. But he’s easy to fall for, and that’s where he gets in trouble. They all want more, and when he refuses them, they lose their minds.” He put his hands on my shoulders. “Don’t lose your mind, Holland. Not for him.”

  “I’m not falling for him.”

  He chuckled humorlessly. “That’s where you’re wrong. You’re both falling, and neither one of you sees it.”

  ***

  I walked in the front door, tossing my purse on the bench in the entryway. I kicked off my heels and headed for the kitchen, smiling when I could hear music. Brice was standing at the stove, wearing nothing but an apron and dancing like he didn’t have a care in the world.

  Declan’s words had played on a loop in my brain all day. You’re both falling. Was he right? We’d gone into this thing with eyes wide open. I knew Brice wasn’t looking for a future with anyone. And I was okay with that, or at least I told myself I was. I knew he cared about me, I knew he’d become attached to me. I knew he didn’t want me to go.

  I had another living option, but the thought of leaving this house, this man… It made me feel queasy. Did that mean I was already in too deep? Was I going to end up heartbroken and crazy when this was all over?

  “Hey, baby, you’re home.” Brice danced his way over to me, his bare ass facing the windows where the neighbors could see if they happened to look this way.

  You’re home. Those words made me happy, and they had no business doing any such thing.

  “What’s wrong? You look tense.” He smoothed the wrinkles in my forehead and put a glass of wine in my hands. “Was it the meeting at Cueva?”

  I nodded, because he was partially right. “Declan, he uh…”

  Brice groaned. “What did he do now? I really didn’t think he’d take any of this out on you. He’s pissed at me, which is fine, but he shouldn’t be giving you a hard time.”

  I took a sip of wine, buying myself a moment and trying to figure out how much I should tell him. We’d been honest with each other from the beginning, and lying at all didn’t feel right. “He said he’s worried about me, he doesn’t want me to get hurt. He thinks we’re both in over our heads.”

  Brice frowned. “Don’t let him get to you, okay? Declan is a little on the dramatic side, he always has been.” He wrapped his arms around me, his semi pushing against my stomach and making me laugh. “As long as we’re honest with each other, no one is going to get hurt.”

  I nodded, resting my forehead on his chest. I wanted him to
be right and Declan to be wrong. But the more I thought about it, the more doubt crept into my mind. How was this supposed to end? Would Brice end it? Would I? Would he decide he was done with me because he got bored?

  I was a new toy, and eventually I wouldn’t hold his attention anymore.

  Chapter Twenty-Nine

  Holland

  Over the next week, things between Brice and me returned to normal. Declan and Cassie were back in Florida, so the underlying tension was gone. I liked having Dec around at Cueva. He was a good boss. But this visit, every time I saw him, he had that same look on his face. The one that told me he was worried about what was happening between his best friend and me.

  I was lying in bed, being lazy while Brice got dressed to play golf with some of his douchy coworkers. It was Saturday and I had absolutely nothing I needed to do. It felt good. And although I knew I should be out apartment hunting, I decided staying in bed would be more relaxing. I’d been so tired over the last couple of days, falling asleep almost as soon as Brice would leave my body.

  Maybe it was all the constant sex that was tiring me out. I wasn’t really used to that much of such a good thing.

  “You want to have drinks before dinner tonight?” Brice came back into the room, sitting down on the edge of the bed while he put his shoes on. I’d never moved into the guest room. I could tell myself it was because the overused mattress grossed me out, but the truth was, I liked being in Brice’s bed.

  Tonight was the dinner with his bosses, the number one reason he’d invited me here to live rent-free. “Yeah, that would be nice.” I put my hands under my pillow, turning my head to the side so I could look at him.

  He ran his hand down my bare spine, cupping the curve of my ass under the sheets. “What’s wrong? You’ve got those frown lines going again.”

  I shrugged. “I’m here because of this dinner. What happens tomorrow? You going to start helping me look for an apartment?”

  He slapped my ass playfully, a smile on his handsome face. “You honestly think I’m letting you leave my bed anytime soon?” When I didn’t say anything, he dipped down and placed a kiss on my shoulder. “This dinner will, hopefully, change some things at work.” He rested his lips against my skin, pausing for a moment. “But it changes nothing here at home.”

  Home.

  The word swirled around in my head, making me feel dizzy. I closed my eyes, trying to stop the room from spinning.

  “Hollie, you okay?” Brice put his hand on my forehead. “You look a little pale.”

  I sat up, my stomach churning. “No, I um, I think I’m…” I jumped out of bed, barely making it to the bathroom before throwing up everything I’d eaten last night. I flushed the toilet, sinking down to the floor.

  Brice came in, wrapping a blanket around my body and kneeling down in front of me with a glass of water in his hands. “That was the grossest thing I’ve ever witnessed you do.” He smiled, resting his hand against my forehead again. “And I still want to fuck you.”

  I snorted and pushed his hand away. “Go play golf, weirdo.”

  “I can cancel golf.” He pulled out his cell and quickly, I put my hand over the top of it.

  “No, really, I’m fine.” I took a sip of the water. “We ate cheese-and ranch-covered popcorn at last night, I’m surprised that we aren’t both throwing up.”

  He chuckled. “Hey, you were the one who woke up hungry at midnight.” He put his hands on my cheeks, his eyes searching mine. “I don’t mind cancelling.”

  I shook my head. “No, I’ll be fine.” I stood, holding the water with one hand and the blanket with the other. “And I’ll be fine for dinner tonight, no worries.”

  “Hollie, if you’re sick, we can reschedule dinner. It’s not a big deal.”

  I gasped, lying down with my head on the cool side of the pillow. “It is a big deal, postponing dinner means postponing your promotion.” He opened his mouth to argue but I cut him off. “I’ll be fine, go play golf.” I shooed him away and closed my eyes, wanting nothing more in that moment than to go back to sleep. My stomach felt better, but my body felt heavy and I was having a hard time keeping my eyes open.

  “Here.” Brice came back into the bedroom, setting a bottle of Gatorade on the nightstand along with my cell phone. “Call me if you need anything, okay?”

  I nodded, pulling the covers higher over my shoulder. “Have fun with the bastard brigade.”

  He leaned down and kissed the top of my head. “I’ll be home soon.”

  Home.

  He said it again, only this time, it didn’t make me throw up.

  It made me smile as I drifted off to sleep.

  Chapter Thirty

  Brice

  The bastard brigade. That’s what Hollie had called the three guys I was currently on the ninth of eighteen holes with. And she wasn’t wrong. These guys were the worst. They were crude and obnoxious. They flirted with the bar cart girls more than they played golf. I needed to put in face time with them. I needed to keep up appearances and act like a team player until I got my promotion. Then I would be their superior, and everything would be different.

  But unlike our golf games in the past, I didn’t want to be here. This wasn’t fun at all. I wanted to be with Hollie, and I felt guilty for leaving her home alone and sick.

  As Sam, tee’d up to start the tenth hole, I pulled out my cell phone. Which, by the way, was strictly against golf etiquette and bro code.

  Brice: How you feeling? Is our room covered with vomit?

  If it was, I was calling the housekeeper in on a Saturday. I adored Hollie, but I wasn’t about to clean throw-up off the floor.

  Hollie: I’m totally fine. I took a little nap, ate some toast and now I’m snooping through your laptop with the pretense of using it to look for an apartment.

  I didn’t care if she found all the porn on my laptop, but the thought of her finding a new place and moving out made me feel all twitchy and uncomfortable.

  Brice: Stop apartment searching. You have a place to live.

  Hollie: I live in your house. In your bed. Like Cassie said, this can’t last forever.

  I didn’t want it to last forever. I simply wasn’t ready for it to end at the moment.

  Brice: Go take a nice long bubble bath. And send me naked pics.

  Hollie: A bath does sound nice, but you are NOT getting naked pics while you are playing golf with those three douche nozzles.

  I couldn’t help but laugh at how much she disliked my work buddies. She’d only met them once, but they had managed to rub her the wrong way almost instantly.

  “Wow, texting your chick on the green?” Vinny shook his head, like he was appalled. “Already that pussy whipped?”

  Barrett pulled out his driver, swinging it around as he walked to the tee box. “Can you blame him?” He knocked the ball into the air, watching as it sailed exactly where he wanted it. “If that was the pussy I was coming home to, I’d be whipped too.”

  Huh, look at that. Hearing them talk about my girl like they were wasn’t so fun anymore. I didn’t feel cocky, I felt disgusted.

  “Yeah, where did you find her, bro?” Sam came to stand by me as we both watched Vinny take his shot. “Any more like her? Or can I have that one when you’re done?” He chuckled. “For a piece of that, I’d be fine with sloppy seconds.”

  I pulled my driver out of my golf bag, using it to point to each one of them in turn. “I’m going to need all three of you assholes to stop talking about my girl like that.” I knocked the ball expertly onto the green. “And if you don’t, I’m going to beat the ever-loving shit out of you with this club.”

  ***

  I’d made it three more holes before basically telling them I was tired of being around them and then begging off. Hollie was asleep in our bed when I got there, her cheek resting on the back of her hand.

  I wasn’t sure when things shifted inside my brain. Maybe it was all the dinners we cooked together, maybe it was the way she looked when she
was wearing my shirts, or the way she slept with her head on my chest. But somewhere along the way, Hollie had started to feel like home to me.

  My cell started to ring in my pocket and I pulled it out quickly, answering it before it could wake her.

  “Call to scowl at me through the phone?” I was talking softly, not wanting to disturb Hollie but not wanting to walk away from her either.

  “I was calling to see how things were going. You have that big dinner with Boston and Klein tonight, right?” I could hear the TV in the background. Cartoons meant that Declan was home alone with Wyllie.

  “I do.”

  “You taking Holland?” The tone of his voice was uber disdainful.

  I sighed, making sure I let my annoyance show. “I am.”

  “Why are you whispering? It’s creepy.”

  I chuckled and moved away from the bed. “Hollie is sleeping. I didn’t want to wake her up. She was sick this morning.” If he was calling me creepy, he was on his way to forgiving me. If he was still pissed, he would have said something like, stop fucking whispering you sound like a moron.

  “What do you mean she was sick? Does she have the flu? Our chef had the flu last week. You should make her see a doctor. She can’t go to that dinner if she—”

  “Oh good grief, shut up.” I made my way into the kitchen, grabbing a bottle of water and an apple. “She doesn’t have the flu. She got sick this morning but she’s fine now.”

  “She threw up this morning, but now she’s fine. And she’s napping in the middle of the day? Dude.” Declan went silent.

  “Dude what?” He was such a drama queen with all his loaded pauses. When he still didn’t say anything, I took a big bite of my apple, rudely speaking around it. “Okay, well I don’t feel like listening to you breathe into the phone, so I’m gonna go.”

  “She’s pregnant.”

  I rolled my eyes, laughing as I made my way back down the hallway. “No she’s not. You are such a shit starter, you know that?” I locked the front door and pulled my shirt over my head. “We’re extremely careful.”