It felt like there were a million hurdles between us when I looked into his eyes sometimes, and I didn’t understand why. Except for the rules, of course, but that hardly felt like an insurmountable obstacle to me.
The things I worried about were more about the realities of being in a relationship with me rather than the reasons why we couldn’t have one. But it felt like Carter didn’t see it the same way, as if he could see or knew something I didn’t.
Tani brought me back to our conversation by snapping her fingers in front of my face. She smiled when I looked at her. “I know you drifted off to think about all those things you need to talk to him about, but you should’ve seen the look on your face. I think you’re falling, my dear friend. Even if you might not know it yet.”
“Oh, I know it all right,” I mumbled under my breath. “I just don’t really know what to do with it.”
“How about telling him?” she suggested, the corners of her eyes still crinkled and her irises sparkling. “You have to tell him, but you also need to let me help you plan how you’re going to do it. I love all love, but your love? I’m all about that.”
“What about your own love?” I knew Carter had warned me about Bart, but I couldn’t help holding on to a sliver of hope that the two of them meeting each other today would turn into something more.
She just shook her head at me. “We’re not talking about me. You were still telling me about your worries, remember?”
“Right.” I rolled my head from side to side, my hand on my neck as I prepared to voice my greatest fear. “What about my MS? Living with a famous person is difficult enough, but a sick famous person? A sick person whose disease can show up again at any time and ruin everything? That’s a next level kind of commitment to expect from anyone.”
Her expression grew serious. “Have you told him about it?”
I nodded. “After rehearsal the other day. He complimented me on my performance and we ended up on why I took a break.”
“What did he do when you told him? How did he react?”
He brought me home and made love to me for the first time. “It didn’t change the way he looked at me.”
Tani knew exactly why I’d said that and what I meant by it. Another slow smile spread across her face. “There you have it, then. You always said that if you find a man who doesn’t treat you differently or pitied you after he found out, you’d marry him. I’d say it’s time for us to go ring shopping.”
“I’ve only known him a few weeks. I’m not proposing to him.”
She shrugged, waving her left hand at me. “Put a ring on it, gorgeous. If you know, you know, and I’m pretty sure you know.”
“Pretty sure isn’t sure, sure,” I said, but I couldn’t help flashing back to how I’d felt the other night before he’d taken me to bed, and every day since.
What we had between us was undeniable, and it sure felt like the real thing. Unless the MS flared up now that I was going back to performing most nights a week. “Hells bells. Maybe I shouldn’t get back on stage. If I don’t, both of the things I’m worried about the most are far less likely to cause any problems.”
“Nope, not happening,” she said firmly. “Just because you’re worried about those things doesn’t mean you should give up your career because of it. You want to be back onstage, so you’re going back onstage. It’s as simple as that.”
“And as complicated as that.” I held the back of my neck and lifted my head to look at the ceiling. “It’s terrible enough having the whole world in my business when things are good, but when they’re not? I don’t even want to think about it.”
“Your relationship and your MS don’t have to be tabloid fodder, Ry.” Her voice was gentle. “Once your first performance is over and the show has opened, things will be better. If you choose to tell the press anything about your private business, you can do it when and how you want to.”
“Nathan has been so fucking nasty with his rumors recently that it’s hard to believe he’ll ever back down. I could tell him all the dirtiest details of what goes on behind closed doors around here, and he’d probably still insist on being present in the room so he could take pictures as proof.”
She laughed but nodded in agreement. “That guy is getting seriously out of control. Maybe Carter can whoop his ass for you?”
“No, not yet. Maybe not ever.” I’d rather keep those two far, far away from each other. “I’m still hoping Nathan will move on from me eventually and find someone who’s actually interesting to obsess over. If my supposed boyfriend beats him up, that’ll never happen. He’ll make it his personal mission to destroy me.”
“I hate to break it to you, but I think he might’ve already done that.” The worry that crept into her eyes disappeared when we heard the door opening, the sound of masculine laughter drifting from the entrance hall.
“The boys are here,” I said, feeling the wide grin that spread on my face just by knowing Carter was back. Home. With me. Where he belongs.
I nearly snorted out loud at the soppy thought, but that didn’t make it any less true. Now if only I could figure out what it was that it felt like I was missing, maybe I could work on convincing him it was true too.
Chapter 19
CARTER
Rylee didn’t want to admit it, but she was a romantic at heart. Apparently, she, Tani, and Cash had a standing brunch date one Sunday a month, but since I would be here anyway, Bart didn’t need to be.
Neither of us had told him. Me because she’d asked me not to and her because she was still convinced our best friends would hit it off. It was a blind date that was so blind that neither of them even knew it was a setup.
Yet.
They were about to find out, and I had to admit that I was curious about how it was going to go. Bart and I ran into each other at the elevator, and he laughed when I told him I’d had to run out to the store for Rylee.
“You’re taking this boyfriend thing so far that you’re running her errands now?” He lifted his eyebrows at me. “That’s cute. Really. All of the cons of a relationship and none of the pros. Why did you agree to this again?”
Because it’s Rylee. “I have this boss. He’s a real asshole. Insisted that I was the best guy for this assignment.”
“He stands by it.” He watched when I extracted the key to her front door from my pocket, unlocked it, and motioned for him to precede me. “Why, thank you. See, I told you you had a sparkling personality. It just took a girlfriend to bring it out in you.”
I laughed, shaking my head as I shut and locked the door behind us again. “Told you my boss was a real asshole.”
Another bout of laughter came out of him until Rylee and Tani walked out of the kitchen toward us. Bart’s mouth shut immediately, his eyes nearly bulging out of his head when he saw her.
Tani looked good, though. I couldn’t blame him for staring at her in a soft green cardigan that matched her eyes and gave a decent view of her cleavage. If the woman I was falling for faster than I could remind myself that it would never work hadn’t been right next to her, commanding all my attention in a black hoodie that I couldn’t wait to peel off her later, I might’ve been scraping my jaw off the floor too.
As it was, though, I only barely noticed Bart’s reaction. My gaze was glued to Rylee. She was grinning at them, widening her eyes when they met mine. My arms started opening for her of their own accord. It took me a beat to remember that I couldn’t hug her the way I wanted to, and they dropped back to my sides.
Rylee made the introductions, coming to stand next to me while our friends shook hands. Tani looked just as taken with Bart as he was with her, a soft smile on her lips and a faint flush on her cheeks.
“Hi,” she said. “It’s nice to meet the person responsible for my friend’s safety. Thank you for everything you’re doing with her.”
Bart shook her hand, his eyes not leaving hers for even a moment. “Technically, Carter’s the one keeping her safe. I’m just the stand-in on Sunda
ys.”
“Even so.” Her blush spread as their fingers lingered before Bart withdrew, clearing his throat when Cash ran into the room after Max. I saw the moment he realized Cash was there with Tani.
A guard dropped over his face, but he still smiled and bent over to greet the boy. “Hey there, little man. I’m Bart.”
Cash dutifully took his hand. “My name is Cash. I’m four.”
“Four, huh?” His eyes flicked to Tani’s hand before he brought them back to Cash. “It’s fun being four, isn’t it? I don’t remember it so well, but playing is the best.”
“I play all the time.” Cash grinned. “Mommy plays with me when she’s not working.”
“You’re lucky to have a mommy who plays with you.” He straightened up, distracted for a minute as he gripped the back of his neck and looked around the room.
Rylee stepped in. “The food is ready. I just need to set the table. Then we can eat. How about we get everyone a drink?”
“I’ll help you,” Tani offered, taking her friend’s arm and pulling her in the direction of the kitchen.
Bart came back to himself once they were gone and Cash had chased after Max again. He eyed the door they’d disappeared through. “Cute kid.”
“Yeah, you’re good with them, you know?” I said. I wasn’t lying or blowing smoke up his ass. He loved children despite his fear of fucking one up if got too closely involved in his life. “His dad’s not in the picture. If you were interested in knowing.”
“This is a setup, then?” He swallowed but didn’t seemed pissed about it. “Why?”
I shrugged. “Rylee thought you two would get along well. They were coming over for brunch anyway and you were going to be here today, so she wanted you to meet.”
He chuckled, dragging a hand through his red hair while shaking his head. “Just because I enjoy children doesn’t mean I should have any. Let’s get in there.”
I followed him to the kitchen. He’d taken the revelation better than I’d expected he would, which meant that physically at least, he was attracted enough to her not to bolt now that he knew about Cash.
Maybe Rylee was right. She’d also come prepared, offering us each a choice between a strong coffee or a strong mimosa before excusing herself to set the table while we “got to know each other.” I saw right through her trick, and I was pretty sure our friends did too, but they didn’t complain when she left and I went after her.
“Did you warn her?” I asked quietly, taking the stack of plates to help her. “About his hang-ups with kids.”
“I told her he has some issues because of his childhood. She didn’t seem too bothered by it. Tani’s dealt with a lot worse from men as soon as they find out she’s a single mom. She doesn’t really date, but that doesn’t mean she hasn’t gotten plenty of comments.”
“That sucks. People are assholes.” I snaked my arm around her waist after checking that we were still alone in the dining room, pulling her closer to me to steal a kiss. “Hi.”
She gave me a secret smile before nuzzling the underside of my jaw. “Hey. Any trouble out there?”
“Nope. No sign of Nathan either.”
“Good news.” She sighed, stepping away from me when we heard their footsteps coming our way. Turning to face our friends, she flashed them a bright smile and motioned at the chairs. “Have a seat. I’ll go get the food.”
She refused to let me help her, insisting that I finish the table while she went to the kitchen. A few minutes later, she had a delicious spread ready to tuck into. She’d even gotten Max a special treat, and Cash asked if he could sit with the dog instead of the grownups.
I get it, buddy.
Tani nodded, smiling as she waved a finger at him. “Just remember to tell me if you mess anything up, okay? We don’t want to wreck Rylee’s place.”
“He won’t wreck it.” Rylee rolled her eyes, but Tani pursed her lips and raised both eyebrows at her.
“Trust me. He could wreck it before we even realized something was going on. There’s nothing scarier than a silent toddler. You’d be surprised how much they can get up to in just a few minutes.”
“I remember drawing an entire mural on my mother’s wall in permanent ink,” Bart offered with a nostalgic grin I hadn’t seen before on his face. “I also might’ve cut my hand on something I shouldn’t have been playing with. Then I bled all over her carpet before I worked up the courage to tell her.”
“You see?” Tani laughed. “Any kid is terrifying when they’re quiet, but I’m convinced boys are worse. I don’t remember doing anything like that. I’d have to check with my mom to be sure, though.”
“I don’t think you have to check with her,” I said. “Between my brothers and I, I don’t know if there’s anything in my parents’ house that survived our childhood intact. Except maybe the house. We didn’t break it down. Not the whole thing anyway. If you can’t say the same, boys are probably more destructive.”
She laughed. “Destructive. Inquisitive. Potato, potahto.”
“Do you have any sisters?” Rylee asked me while Bart turned to Tani to tell her some more of his own stories.
Judging by the way they were looking at each other and the animated movements of Bart’s hands, I had to hand it to Rylee. This had been a good idea “Nope, just a bunch of brothers. If the whole acting thing doesn’t work out for you, I think you’d have a bright future in matchmaking.”
“I might just agree with you.” She glanced at our friends with an extremely satisfied, serene expression softening her features. When she turned her attention back to me, my heart started racing again. “Do you have any plans for Christmas with your family? You said before they were overbearing, but I imagine with there being a whole bunch of you, family Christmases must be entertaining.”
“They are, but not this year. My brothers are all doing their own thing since we were home for Thanksgiving. My parents are under the impression they’re coming here for the holidays, but I’ve already told them no.”
“Why?” Her brow puckered before she smoothed it out and shot me a playful smile. “Are you embarrassed by me or by them?”
“Neither. I just don’t have any time off for Christmas. The contract says I’m with you until January.”
“Yeah, but they could come here?” she suggested. “I’d be one hundred percent good with it. It’d be fun, even. My parents aren’t coming for Christmas this year, and it’d be nice to meet yours. Christmas is a time for family. Invite them.”
“Yeah, man,” Bart interrupted, apparently having overheard the last part of our conversation. “If Rylee’s okay with it, I’m fine with it too. Your parents are great. You’d have a good time with them, and then your mom won’t castrate me for having you on a job at this time of year.”
Fuck. I really need to tell her who I am.
My folks would recognize her immediately, and while I might’ve changed over the years, they certainly hadn’t. A few more lines on their faces at most. Their accents were also much stronger than mine. If she didn’t know who they were the second she saw them, she’d put it all together very, very fast. Even if I asked them not to say anything to her, but I didn’t want to do that. It would be taking the lie to the next level, making it into something so much more than it was.
Fuck. Time to face the music, Demming.
As soon our friends left, I was going to have to come clean. Why didn’t I just tell her in the first fucking place?
If it was possible, I’d have kicked my own ass up and down this penthouse right now. When I tuned back into the conversation, Bart and Tani were talking a mile a minute again and Rylee was waiting for my answer.
“Yeah.” My voice didn’t come out quite as strong as I’d have wanted it to. “Sure. I’ll speak to them.”
She grinned and gave my thigh a quick squeeze under the table. “I’m looking forward to meeting them.”
The food looked and smelled delicious, but it tasted like cardboard to me. Bart seemed to be having th
e same problem, pulling back from Tani when Cash came running back into the room.
We’re both fucked. Bart hadn’t put himself in this position, though. His bastard of a father had done it for him. I, on the other hand, was up shit’s creek due to no one’s fault but my own.
The girls kept the chatter going at the table, friendly and laughing while Bart and I took turns wallowing in our own personal misery. It was several hours later when they eventually left, and Rylee came up to me as soon as I’d locked the door behind them.
She pressed her soft body against mine and wound her arms around my neck, a gorgeous, relieved smile on her full lips. “I think that went well. You?”
“They definitely hit it off. You were right about that. I’m just not so sure Bart’s going to be able to get past his terror of children.”
“That’s up to them.” She kissed along my jaw. “There’s some stuff I wanted to talk to you about. Do you want to come get in the hot tub with me? I’d rather talk there.”
Trepidation spiraled through me, but my time was up. “Yeah. There’s some stuff I need to talk to you about too. We might as well do it out there.”
Chapter 20
RYLEE
Carter and I changed into our swimsuits and met out on the balcony. Steam rose from the surface of the hot tub, the bubbles already on. I froze my butt off running out, but my muscles relaxed as soon as I hit the hot water.
He carried two glasses of water with him, setting them down on the edge before sliding in beside me. It didn’t matter that I’d seen him naked before. My mouth still dried up at the sight of him in his swim trunks.
They hung off his hips in that delicious way that exposed his incredible fuck-me lines and stopped just above his pubic bone. The man was just plain big. Everything about him was huge—his muscles, his personality, his ego, and okay, yes, his cock too.
Dropping The Ball: A New Year’s Billionaire Romance Page 13