Chapter 11
brING THE WORST
Probably not the best comeback earlier.
London had been quiet until their drinks and dip came. Even after, they said little.
By the time her glass was empty, she was willing to talk more.
Spencer wanted to apologize, but told himself he’d be doing it every day if he did it now. It wasn’t like she was apologizing for insulting him.
And he was only stating facts. Not even sarcastically like she had through dinner.
When the server came out with their food, they were asked if they wanted a second drink. “Water is good for me.”
He’d have a beer in the room and didn’t need more than two tonight. Even if he wouldn’t have minded it to get through his time with London.
“The same,” she said, pushing her empty glass away. Their water glasses were topped off now that their lobster rolls and fries were set in front of them.
The damn thing was massive. “If I drop any in my lap, don’t laugh at me.”
“The same goes for me.” She looked around. “I wonder if I can get one of those bibs.”
The appalled look on his face said more than words could and had her laughing before she picked up her lobster, tilted her head sideways, and opened her mouth as if she was unhinging her jaw and bit right in.
He picked his up to do the same.
The taste of the buttery cold lobster on his tongue mixed with the smoothness of mayo and the tang of lemon and crunch of pieces of celery was an explosion in his mouth. He went in for a second while she did the same.
While they ate, they wouldn’t be tempted to insult the other.
Nah, he was willing to bet it just came naturally to her.
Five minutes went by while they both devoured their rolls without putting them down. Heck, if he did, it might fall apart at this point. Best to finish it off. It was too good to stop.
“That hit the spot. Definitely the best I’ve had,” he said.
“I wonder if they got the lobster from West’s plant or just another boat?”
“I’m guessing they probably just get them off the boats themselves daily. I’m stuffed, but I’m going to pick at these fries a little.”
“I’ve got a weakness for fried and fatty foods. The greasier the better.”
“It’s your arteries,” he said.
“I’m young yet. But I know the time will come when I can’t handle it as much. My mother said she had been the same way. She had different cravings for all us kids.”
“What was it for you and Paris?”
“French fries and potato chips. I love them both. I could eat an entire bag in one sitting. Glad you got two.”
He laughed. “What about your sister?”
“She’s more about the chips than the fries. At least she’s not as much of a glutton as me.”
“Seems to me you’re more extra with everything over your sister.”
“And here I thought we could have had a truce,” she said, pursing her lips. “So you can throw shade on me all you want and hide it behind the lawyer speak of ‘it’s fact’ but it doesn’t make it any different.”
Shit. She had a point.
He picked his glass up to drink... and to think of a reply. And finally said, “It seems you bring the worst out of me.”
“This is your worst? Dang, you’ve got a way to go to get under my skin.”
“If that were the case you wouldn’t have said what you had.”
She leaned back in her chair as if she was trying to make room for more food before she reached for a fry with her fingers.
“I was stating a fact. Isn’t that how you do it? In that calm, dry tone? Just like I am now.”
He felt his face twist some and could only imagine what he looked like. “Do I really sound like that?”
“You do to me.”
The roll couldn’t be stopped from his eyes.
“I don’t think I can eat another piece of food right now.”
He pushed his plate in front of him, but London kept chomping at her fries until they were gone. He couldn’t for the life of him figure out where she had put it.
The bill came and he laid his card on the table. He knew she was itching to reach for it. But why? It was a business expense for West.
“Are you going to be with me or Paris on every trip for the foreseeable future?”
“I don’t know that any more than you. If I were to take a guess, this was to get both of our feet wet, and because your cousins are also aware of your... personality.”
“And that I could turn some people off here?”
“You said it, not me. But it’s also about us learning on the fly. Not just you and me but Braylon and West too. You’ve got another one scheduled in a few weeks.”
“I saw that. In Florida. Both Paris and I will be there for that one. Do you need to go and hold our hands?”
He let out a low chuckle. “I haven’t been told yet. I’m sure I’ll find out when I get back.”
When his card was returned, he pushed back to leave. When she stood next to him, someone came walking through and brushed into her side, pushing her off balance, his hands reaching to steady her.
The heat that hit his body with the contact of her back into his groin and chest might have been enough to ignite the building.
And the way her face was blushing when she turned to thank him said he wasn’t alone in those thoughts.
He guided her out of the pub and to the street. It was almost seven, the sun was still bright and there were plenty of people walking around on the main street of the small town.
“Shorts,” she said. “I need to find shorts. Maybe stretchy ones after that meal.”
“I don’t see any clothing stores around here,” he said. “Let’s check out the general store and see if they’ve got anything. Or at least ask if they can point us somewhere else.”
They crossed the street, moved a few buildings down and went in. In the back corner there were some T-shirts with a lobster on them. Then some shorts with the same. Cheap and silly, but they’d do the trick.
He grabbed a large for him. London was pushing through. “I can’t believe this is all they’ve got.”
“Or you can ask,” he said. “These will work for me.”
No way he was wearing a shirt. The damn shorts were going to be bad enough. Were they soft and would move easily in the sheets? Nope, but it’s not like he thought he’d get much sleep anyway.
He moved to the register with London. “Hi. Do you know if there are any clothing stores close by? I’m just looking for shorts I can sleep in. Or athletic shorts.”
“If you go out the front and turn right, about thirty minutes down the road you’ll come to a boutique. Not sure if they have what you are looking for, but it’s the only place other than Walmart. That’s about an hour away.”
“I’m not driving an hour for shorts to sleep in,” he said.
“No,” she said, sighing and walking back to grab the same ones he had. They were going to look ridiculous tonight.
He reached his hand for her to hand them over and she pulled her card out before he could pay. “My peace offering for being so hard to handle today.”
He didn’t argue over twenty dollar shorts. It wasn’t worth it.
When they got outside, he turned and said, “You’re not hard to handle. Or not anything I can’t handle.”
She held his stare long enough that a car beeped its horn for them to walk since they had the right of way.
“I don’t like men handling me.”
“I don’t like having to handle a woman, so nothing to worry about there.”
“We aren’t talking about work,” she said.
“I’m talking about life in general and work falls into it. Despite what you might think, I’m not a controlling person.”
“Please,” she said. “You wreak controlling. Isn’t that what being an attorney is all about?”
“I’m not sure what book you’re reading, but it’s not something I learned in law school.”
Her head shook with the lift of her eyes. “You can’t tell me that most lawyers don’t have to control it all.”
“I can and I will. I’ve got plenty of lawyer friends who aren’t like that. Do you think Braylon is? How about your father?”
“They are exceptions.”
“And I can’t be one?” he asked. He wouldn’t be hurt over her words. Or her thoughts of him.
He wasn’t sure the last time he’d gotten his ego and pride stepped on so much.
She blew out a breath. “I keep putting my foot in my mouth with you.”
“Let’s just agree to put it behind us and start over. I want to grab another beer and sit on the balcony we’ve got to get some air. No way I can stay in that tiny room all night.”
“We can do that,” she said. “I’ll have another glass of wine. Might as well enjoy the night while there is daylight.”
The minute his ass hit the uncomfortable plastic chair on the balcony, he put the beer to his lips from the cheap glasses that he’d purchased. “Now this is the life.”
She burst out laughing. “Do you do that often?”
“What?”
“Look for the good in everything?”
He almost said he wasn’t doing it now, but that wouldn’t be calling a truce. “I guess so. There is enough in life to worry about that I don’t add to my list.”
“I said this before. That I know little about you and I feel as if you know more about me.”
“I don’t really know much more than what I could find online.”
“The same. So why did you leave your last job?” she asked.
“The short version is, it was time.”
“Which makes me think there were problems, but I also think you’re not the type to have issues at your job.”
“Did you just compliment me or insult me for being a rule follower?”
“Maybe a little bit of both,” she said, tilting her glass toward his and clinking them together.
“Fair. I got this new boss a few years ago. He was five years older than me, made partner at thirty-eight.”
“So you’re thirty-five or thereabout?”
“Thirty-five,” he said.
“And this new boss’s name?”
“Ryker.”
“Sounds like a dick.”
He laughed. “You said it. But as we know, I can get along with just about anyone.”
“Glad someone within five feet of me can.”
“You could if you wanted to. I think you don’t.”
“That can be our little secret.”
He didn’t know if she was joking or not. The grin on her face said yes, but he was positive there was more truth to it than she was letting on.
“I got called into his office a few months ago. No meeting set. Nothing. Not even a whisper of what might be coming.”
“Did you get fired?” she asked, her eyes huge. “That would be scandalous.”
He squinted at her. “I was being promoted to partner.”
Her smile vanished, replaced by a frown. “Sounds like good news to me.”
“In California,” he said.
“And you didn’t want to go there?”
“No. I’d been doing a lot of work on projects there. A few years ago I worried the company would move and I’d have to decide. I already knew what my decision would be. This came out of left field.”
“Was it one of those take it or lose your job things?”
“Not sure. Ryker made it sound that way. But he spun things the way he wanted all the time. I told them I wanted to think about it. I took the steps to take the bar in July there, just in case.”
“Because you’re the type with a plan B, C and probably D.”
“I never thought so. Or not that much. After a few days I contacted a headhunter to see what was available. I knew I could be a little fussy. If I really didn’t want the promotion, they weren’t firing me, but I’d be stuck in that position forever.”
“You already decided to leave so why not just do it, right?”
“Exactly. And that brings us to being stuck in plastic chairs sticking to my thighs, drinking beer out of water glasses, and watching the sunset while inhaling the sea air. How about you? Something brought you to New York. Going to share with me like I am with you?”