Chapter 15
CHAPTER 15
SIMON
S hit, I’d missed talking to her. I’d forgotten how easy it was with her; how time had always just flown by when we’d been together. Sometimes, it’d felt like we’d just started a conversation, and the next thing I’d known, it’d been the next morning.
That was how it’d been tonight too. I’d genuinely believed she would only give me the hour I’d asked for and leave, but lo and behold, it’d been almost four hours, and the longer we’d been together, the more relaxed she was becoming.
As she laughed at my comment about sending her a basket, my heart flip-flopped in my chest. She was fucking beautiful, her head thrown back and her features alight with humor. Her blue eyes sparkled like precious gems and I couldn’t stop thinking about kissing her, but I wouldn’t do it.
Above all else, even back in the day, she’d been my friend first. A friend I had fallen head over heels in love with and was starting to wonder if I’d ever fallen out of love with, but tonight had been about explaining myself and trying to get us to a point where we might just be capable of being friendly—or even friends—again.
I couldn’t let wanting her mess this up. Even if I really, really did want her. Taking a sip of my beer, I tried not to notice the swell of her breasts as she laughed and I glanced at her dog instead. August had lain down at our feet and I had to admit that I kind of liked the way this felt, having a drink with her after a long week while her Doodle napped against our ankles.
“Who’s going to be taking care of your clients from out of town now that you’re going to be on Fit Gal for so long?” she asked when she looked at me again. “Or are you planning on traveling on the days we won’t be there?”
“Nah. I’m actually cutting down on my travel time all together,” I said. “It was fun while it lasted and someone had to do it, but I’m running Astor and Co now, so I’m trying to learn how to delegate.”
She smiled, surprise registering as her eyes widened. “You’re in charge over there? How have I not heard about that?”
“Well, I didn’t make a documentary about it,” I joked. “Maybe I should call Liv and get her camera crew’s details. Do you think I’ll go viral too?”
“Nope.” She grinned at me. “Not unless you’re hiding a ranch underneath your headquarters. That might grab some attention.”
I laughed. “That would’ve been something, but sadly, the only thing under our offices is a parking lot. Somehow, I don’t think that’s quite as interesting.”
She sighed. “I know how you feel, but on the upside, we get paid to generate attention for our clients, not ourselves, so you shouldn’t feel bad about it.”
“Thanks, I feel better now.” I smiled, realizing that I’d done more of that tonight than I had in ten years, but hey, that was the Abigail effect. I wasn’t stupid enough not to enjoy it after not having it for so long. “On a more serious note, how’s Liv doing down there? How is she liking Houston?”
“Oh, she loves it.” Abi let out a soft sigh, a faraway smile playing on her lips. “She’s turning into a real cowgirl. She’s got her own hat and everything. You wouldn’t believe it if you saw her.”
I chuckled. “Yeah, I can’t quite imagine her as a country girl. How about London? Aside from wanting to shiv me, how’s she doing?”
Abi refocused on me and shrugged. “She’s alright. Surprisingly, she loves Texas almost as much as Olivia does. I suspect Liam has a lot to do with it, but she’s definitely not ready to admit that yet.”
I thought back to Liam and London as kids, smiling when I remembered the way they’d always bickered and yet had almost never been apart. “Those two still haven’t happened, huh?”
“Nope.” She took a sip of her beer, fiddling a little with the label as she lowered her gaze away from my own and sighed. “I wish I could ask you about Brooks, you know. I still can’t imagine what it must be like for you, especially now, growing older and having so much happen in your life without him being a part of it.”
Pain lanced through the center of my being, but I’d known she’d bring him up again at some point. Abigail was literally the only person in the world who hadn’t been afraid of mentioning him to me once he’d been gone. Everyone else tiptoed around him, like if they didn’t say his name, I wouldn’t think about him and I wouldn’t hurt so much, but I’d always thought that was bullshit.
It was a relief to hear his name. To know I wasn’t the only person still thinking about him and, in a way, to be given permission to talk about him without causing someone else any discomfort by doing it. Absolute, total fucking bullshit.
“I wish I could’ve told you what he was up to now,” I admitted quietly, rubbing August’s back gently with my foot. “As for growing older without him, it’s gotten easier in some ways and more difficult in others. It’s really hard to believe that he hasn’t been a part of basically the last third of my life, but I’ve still got the guys, and while they’ll never replace him, it’s not like I’m alone either.”
“Yeah, I was glad to see them in LA,” she said. “I always hoped that you still had them. I mean, they’re not Brooks, but they’re like your other brothers.”
“Exactly,” I said. “Benny’s even working for the company with me now. David and Josh too, but they’re consultants. I’ve offered them both permanent positions so many times, but they prefer being on their own time.”
“That’s so cool that you all get to work together.” She smiled, then surprised me for the umpteenth time tonight by reaching out and squeezing my hand. Her touch sent an electric shock through me. “Just so you know, I’ll never forget Brooks either, but I know he’s watching over you and that he’s proud of everything you’ve achieved.”
I swallowed hard past the sudden dry lump in my throat and turned my palm under hers, sliding our fingers together for just a moment before she withdrew her hand from mine. “Thanks, but I’m not so sure about him being proud. At least, not of everything I’ve done, but I think he knows I’ve done my best.”
Our gazes locked and she sighed, those blues filled with profound sadness, relief, and so many other things that I had to be the one to look away this time. I glanced at her bay windows and the cozy little reading nook she’d created in front of them.
“Do you know that I’ve wondered what your house looks like?” I chuckled, but the sound was a little humorless even to my own ears. “It’s a lot warmer than mine.”
Unlike my own, Abigail’s space was filled with life, mismatched rugs on her wooden floors and hundreds of pictures on the walls. Overflowing bookshelves, colorful scatter cushions, all sorts of knick-knacks like statuettes, figurines, diffusers, candles, and even a couple of little ceramic pots. I smiled at those.
“Why do you have pots on top of your shelves?” I asked.
She flushed. “I went through a phase. They’re scattered all over the house. I have at least a dozen of them, but I don’t use them to eat out of anymore.”
“Do you want to tell me about this phase?” I asked.
The corners of her eyes turned down, but she didn’t look away from me. “Maybe one day, but not tonight.”
“Yeah, I guess it is getting pretty late.” All I wanted was to keep talking to her, but I knew I should get moving. “Monday is our first day at Fit Gal. I should probably let you get some rest so you can bring your best game.”
“You’re not going to take it easy on me?” she asked mildly.
I arched both my eyebrows at her. “When I beat you, I want to know you gave it your all.”
“Like when I beat you at the Fit Gal Olympics?” she said sweetly. “This is no different.”
I laughed. “You really have become feisty over the years, haven’t you?”
“You have no idea.” She grinned but stood up with me after we’d both finished our drinks and I’d put my shoes back on. “Thanks for coming by. It was good catching up with you, even if I wasn’t sure it would be.”
“I knew it would be.” I didn’t tell her how much I’d missed spending time with her or how grateful I was to have been able to do it again.
Instead, I just let her walk me to her front door, drinking in the framed pictures on her walls along the way. There were so many of her memories here and I loved getting glimpses into the parts of her life I’d missed.
Her family, Hazel, Eden, and Austin dominated the frames, and while I didn’t like him being in so many of the shots, I supposed a friend was better than boyfriends she might’ve had over the years. In fact, I was way more relieved than I had any right to be to see that there were no strange men in any of the memories she’d wanted to look at every day.
When we reached her door, I stopped walking and turned to face her. “See you Monday?”
“Unless you get cold feet.” She peered up into my eyes, looking like there was so much more she wanted to say.
Honestly, there was a whole hell of a lot I still wanted to say myself, but as my gaze swept across her beautiful face, drinking in those full lips and the button of a nose I’d missed so much, I lost the ability to speak.
I also lost the tenuous hold I’d had on my self-control and decided to kiss her after all. With my gaze on hers, I took a step closer and slowly lifted my hand to wrap it around the base of her neck. I glanced at her lips to let her know my intentions—and then I kissed her.
As my lips touched hers, she froze and I knew she hadn’t expected me to actually go through with it. I’d surprised her, but obviously not in a bad way since she didn’t smack me. Instead, she sighed against my mouth before she broke the kiss and took a step back.
“Hey, this is not a date, buddy,” she said, her voice lacking the fire and scorn of a real admonishment.
I laughed, winking as I turned and opened the door. “Doesn’t have to be a date for me to kiss a beautiful woman. Good night, Abigail. Thank you for showing up tonight.”
A minute later, as I was driving away, I glanced at her in the rearview and saw her smile. She could play hard all day, but I knew her better than she thought I did. When I finally climbed into bed after I got home, a smile took shape on my own lips and I couldn’t shake it for the rest of the weekend.
Come Monday morning, however, I was ready to rock and roll. I arrived at the Fit Gal offices nice and early, feeling good about what was to come. I was easing into a parking spot when my phone rang. My heart did a weird leap thing just like it had every damn time I’d heard the ringtone since Friday night.
It wasn’t Abigail this time either, though. Instead, it was my dad. I considered letting it go to voice mail, but it was better to just get this conversation out of the way. The old bull dog was relentless.
“I’m already here at Fit Gal’s HQ, Dad,” I said as I took the call. “I’ve got this in the bag. Don’t worry about it.”
“Don’t worry about it?” he asked, serious doubt underlying his tone. In the past, it probably would’ve stung to hear it, but I was so used to it that it rolled right off me. “You need to dominate this competition, Simon. Do you hear me?”
“I appreciate the pep talk but this isn’t my first rodeo. I’m here to win.”
“Crush all your competitors,” he went on as if I hadn’t spoken at all. “It doesn’t matter what you have to do to get it done. Come out on top.”
“I will.” I climbed out of the car. “Maybe when I land this account, you’ll finally admit I know what I’m doing.”
“Land the account and we’ll see,” he said. “Just stay focused, alright? No distractions.”
“I’m locked in,” I said. “Seriously, there’s nothing to worry about, but I need to go inside now. Goodbye, Dad. I’ll call you later to let you know how it went.”
Hanging up before he could continue, I blew out a harsh breath and grabbed my laptop out of the trunk. No matter what else was going on in my life right then, I knew I had to concentrate only on getting this account while I was here.
My dad would never let me forget it if I didn’t, and that wasn’t an option. Winning was the only thing he had ever cared about. It was what he had raised me to do, and it what I had to go in there and achieve now.
Everything else could wait—including my feelings for Abigail Walker.