Taking Chances (BYC #3)

24. Lennox

24

LENNOX

A nne’s body is almost shivering with sobs. Sobs of happiness for her best friends. Happiness for things she wants and she’s nowhere near to having.

My arm wraps around her shoulders on its own accord. It’s probably better in case her father walks by, but I can’t claim that’s the only reason.

Her soul is so fucking pure, you get a need to care for it. The fear she was emanating when she noticed her father made unease settle in my stomach. I never want to see her scared again.

After the boss started her speech, Anne finally relaxed. I could see joy radiating from her. The pride she feels for her friend, along with the bliss currently on her face, that’s what fits her.

That’s what she should be feeling.

Natalie and Matt finish their celebration and Anne rushes to congratulate her friend. She’s smiling ear to ear while animatedly telling Natalie she’s going to be the best boss.

It’s weird. Where I’m from, the success of others is not the cause of celebration, but rather endless gossip and envy. Even during hockey days, people would congratulate you while always keeping an eye on their own prize and place in the team.

But these people… it seems like they actually love each other. In an unconditional way. A way that is unknown to me.

A throat clears near me.

“So, you’re still here?” Jack Bailey states with a tone full of disdain.

“What do you mean? The celebration just started.”

“You know what I meant.” I do. “But you also have to be aware this is temporary. She’s having a temporary fit because she was hurt by her silly romantic notions. But it will go away. And she will be back on track, I’m sure of it.”

“Sorry, I think you misunderstood something. She wasn’t hurt by her romantic notions. She was hurt, your daughter was hurt, by the dick that you’re continuing to support.”

He bares his teeth at me before pulling his lips into a snakelike smile.

How could a man like that raise a woman as sweet and kind as Anne? How did her heart survive under his freezing stare?

“We can agree to disagree,” he says.

I don’t think so, but I won’t be making a scene on Anne’s important day. “You have to know she deserves better.”

“And you think you’re it?”

My fists clench inside of my pockets. “Maybe.” I force a fake smirk, tapping his shoulder before leaving to see what Anne and the others are talking about.

The guy is a snake. But he has a point. I’m nowhere near deserving of her. Guys like me, with pasts like mine and needs like mine, couldn’t be more different from girls like Anne. But I’m only here to give her some pleasure, and I know I can do that .

“So, what do you think?” Connor stands next to me, dressed in dark blue slacks and a light blue button down.

I’ve been staring at Anne for God knows how long, noticing her little mannerisms, like the way her eyes crinkle with a smile, how she talks with animated hands, or how she’s kind to everyone, putting a smile on their faces. But I guess Connor isn’t asking me about that.

“It looks great, man.” I clap his shoulder. He trails my gaze all the way to Anne, so I quickly continue, “It looks like a place I would’ve enjoyed spending time in as a kid.”

He nods, not asking more questions, which I’m grateful for.

It does look like a place I would’ve enjoyed. Maybe in another life, if my mom left my dad, moved away. It would’ve surely been hard, and we would’ve been tight on money, but there would’ve been places like this. Places where I could’ve felt like a kid, peaceful and unafraid. Places where I wouldn’t have had to pretend that everything is perfect, going through life hiding my feelings.

“Glad to hear it. And glad you could make it.”

“Yeah, well, it’s not every day your friend builds a building for his wife.”

He flashes me a smile. “It’s pretty cool, right?”

“Good thing I don’t plan to enroll in the ‘best partner’ competition, because it would be futile after this,” I joke, making him huff a laugh.

“I don’t know, I think you could be a pretty decent partner if you wanted to.”

“Too bad I don’t want to.”

He lets out a hearty laugh and I can’t help but smile.

“Come on, let’s grab something to eat,” he says. I planned on heading out soon, not wanting to impose, but the food looks pretty good.

I devour the sliders as I continue to keep an eye on Anne. She’s chatting with a guy in glasses and a brown cardigan. She laughs at something he says, and he seems into in her.

Interesting.

He looks just like the guy I could see her with, with what they call kind eyes and a cheerful disposition. Unlike the dick of her ex, he seems like he could make her happy. But she’s nowhere near ready to jump into something now.

Not sparing it another thought, I swallow the rest of my slider, wipe my hands on a napkin and head toward them.

“Lennox,” I introduce myself.

“Tom.”

I shake his hand with more force than necessary. My hand finds its place on Anne’s lower back on its own. She shivers under my touch and for a second, I think I’m taking it too far.

But when Tom’s gaze starts frantically moving from my hand to Anne’s back, any regret I had is gone.

“Tom is our volunteer. He teaches music to kids.” Anne shoots him a warm smile.

“To-do-do-dodo.” He does a pretty good imitation of a trumpet before excusing himself. “Oh, I need to go say hi to Rina.”

“Urgh,” Anne lets out a quiet groan, her cheeks reddening. “This was so awkward.”

“Is there a story there?” I shoot her a questioning look.

“He asked me out on a date recently.” She fidgets her fingers.

“What did you say?”

“The truth.” Her gaze turns to mine. “That I wasn’t ready for a relationship.” She starts chewing on her bottom lip. “But now he probably thinks I was lying to him or letting him down easy. I hate this.”

My thumb reaches her lip, pulling it from her teeth. “Hey.” Her freckles almost sparkle on her flushed skin. “It doesn’t matter what he thinks. You know you told him the truth. That’s the only thing that matters.”

She inhales a deep breath, her eyes relaxing.

Fuck, the way her body reacts to commands, even though it’s not sexual, is intoxicating.

The rest of the night passes in comfortable chatter and amazing food. This group of people has already grown on me and the rest of the BYC isn’t too bad, either. They seem authentic, which unfortunately is a rare commodity these days.

“We should grab a drink,” I propose.

Noah and Alex already left, but the six of us just exited the new BYC building.

“Sorry, Eric’s already dead on his feet. And I’m not far from it.” Rina points to her swollen ankles. “We need to get home.” We wave to them as they get into the car.

“I think we’ll head home, too. I need to thank my husband properly.” Natalie winks, leading Matt by his tie.

In less than a minute, Anne and I are left standing alone.

Anne bites the inside of her cheek. “I really don’t want to go home. Today was… a lot. And I kind of need to work this energy off.”

“The two of us can still go grab a drink.”

“Oh.” Her brows furrow, as her bottom lip becomes, once again, a victim of her teeth. The streetlight casts a halo around her head, making her look angelic. Somehow, after the whole day of socializing, her hair and makeup are still spotless. A deep, dark part of me wishes to mess it up.

We stand there in silence, her eyes turning darker by the second. Oh.

“Is there something else you’d rather be doing?” I ask.

She gulps, her eyes sizing me up and down before nodding. She’s bolder, more confident. I saw her drink a glass of champagne, but not more than that, so it can’t be the alcohol. “Come on.” She follows me to my car. I would typically bring my bike to these things, but I’m so fucking glad I drove the car today.

I could have forced her to verbalize what she wants, but it’s big enough she made the first step, no matter how subtle it was.

“I studied your list.”

“Is that why you haven’t contacted me?” Her voice is low, insecure.

“What do you mean?”

“Were you scared of what you saw?”

“No, Firecracker.” I chuckle. “I wasn’t scared of what I saw. But I don’t want to force anything. I wanted you to think on it some more.”

“Did you… like what you saw?” Her hands rub her thighs.

“What do you think?”

“I-I don’t know. I’m not sure if it’s something you do.” She turns her head to the side.

“Want me to show you?” This time, her nod is so sure I don’t even have to turn sideways to see it. “You were honest while checking the list?”

“Y-yes.”

“And you’ll say red if anything gets too much?”

“I will.” Her voice trembles with anticipation.

We park in my garage and for a second, I sit still, planning a scene in my head.

Not that I need much inspiration, I’ve been imagining every possible scenario ever since she sent me the list. But I want to softly lead her into it, following the lesson we started.

Getting out of the car, my eyes land on my bike. Perfect.