Chapter Seven #2
“I agree with him. You should celebrate your birthday with your friends. I’ll be fine here. I promise not to leave the apartment while you’re gone.”
She sounds sincere, and I appreciate that she wants me to be with my friends. But that isn’t the plan. “That’s not what Dan suggested.”
Or what I want, which is why I pulled the plug on the thing to begin with.
“You are not staying here alone. Dan takes protection very seriously, as do I. But he lost his wife to cancer awhile back, and because of that, he believes in living life to the fullest.”
“That’s so sad,” she murmurs. “But so sweet at the same time.”
Dan would have a heart attack at being called sweet, although that’s what he is, deep down inside.
“It is. And Dan said, and I quote, ‘Life’s short. We’re having your party. Just bring the girl.’”
Summer gapes at the suggestion.
I understand. I canceled because I am working, and bringing Summer around my colleagues and friends is too intimate even for people already sleeping together.
Sure, I decided to allow myself this time with Summer, but I also need to keep my heart protected.
Bringing her into my inner circle of friends and life won’t help me in that regard.
“Go with you? No.” She waves a hand in dismissal. “You go on, and I’ll be safe and sound right here.” She pats the sofa for emphasis.
I shake my head and groan. “Sorry, but I can’t do that. Dan’s the boss. He said to bring you. You said you have no plans. Which means we’re going to a barbeque tomorrow at noon.”
Even if she isn’t any keener on getting up close and personal with my life than I am with letting her. We don’t have a choice.
* * *
Summer
I tap my foot nervously against the floorboard of the Uber we are taking to Ben’s boss’s house.
He sits beside me in silence. I chose a floral casual dress for the occasion, and unlike my trips to the gym or the studio for work, I have no intention of documenting my day for social media.
Ben’s friends and his day are off-limits to the prying public.
I am nervous about going to the birthday party for Ben because I don’t know his friends and am not sure I belong there.
Until yesterday, I had no idea when Ben’s birthday even was.
After he was fired from Star Power, I attempted to do the obligatory postmortem stalking of my ex only to discover he doesn’t have a social media presence.
No photos to torture myself with and no birthdate mentioned online for me to see.
I do, however, have a photo of us stuck in my wallet, a selfie I coerced him into taking while we were sharing ice cream, and which I had printed so I could look and mourn what might have been. He doesn’t need to know that, though.
I was wrong in thinking he wanted to regroup and pull away the morning after.
Instead, he seems to have come to terms with the fact that the desire between us is off the charts and ignoring it isn’t going to work.
He has, however, put an emotional wall up between us, and I really can’t blame him.
We might be in a good place when it comes to us, sex being a good icebreaker, but we aren’t a couple in the true sense of the word.
I glance out the window at the typical New York traffic on the highway and sigh.
Ben closes his hand over mine. “Relax. It’s just the people I work with. They’re nice, and you’ll feel comfortable.”
“Thank you,” I murmur, turning toward him. “And I promise I won’t do anything to let them know we … hooked up or whatever. I don’t want to get you into trouble again.” I glance away, knowing that despite apologies given, that is still a sore subject for him.
A wry smile pulls at his mouth, which on Ben becomes the equivalent of a sexy grin. “If I know Dan, he wouldn’t be surprised. Trust me when I tell you, there’s nothing traditional about this group. They mix family and business, but I don’t think we need to give them things to gossip about, either.”
I nod in understanding. “Agreed.” I’ll handle this however he wants to and take my cues from him.
“What else is on your mind?” he asks.
I don’t want to admit to my nerves. I handle large audiences. I’ll deal with his friends. “I couldn’t get you a gift,” I say instead.
And I really do feel bad. I found out about the event less than twenty-four hours before it was to take place, and I am house-bound as dictated by my bodyguard, the birthday boy himself.
He leans an arm on the back seat. “I don’t need presents. I don’t even want a party.”
“Well, it sounds like you were outvoted, so you might as well enjoy it.”
“I intend to. I hope you will, too. At least you’re getting out of your apartment and going to a place where you don’t have to worry about anyone getting near you. It’s a house full of bodyguards.”
I laugh. “Good point.”
The car pulls up to a modest house with white siding, a well-manicured green lawn, and SUVs parked along the street and in the driveway.
My stomach tumbles as we come to a stop, and not long after, Ben leads me to the front door, his strong hand firm and reassuring on my lower back.
He doesn’t bother ringing the bell, just pushes open the door and urges me to step in alongside him.
I glance around, taking in the family photos lining the wall in the entryway, giving the place a homey feel. The sound of voices and laughter coming from inside the house draws me in.
“Come this way.” Ben tips his head toward the center of the house, and I follow him to an obviously renovated, open-concept kitchen and family room crowded with people. Mostly large men, like Ben, strong and muscular guys, and one woman, who has to be Ava, laughing among them.
“Hey, the birthday boy is here!” A broad-shouldered man with a buzz cut and a collared short-sleeved shirt heads our way. “Happy birthday!” He hooks an elbow around Ben’s neck and pulls him in for a fatherly-type hug.
“Thanks. Dan, this is Summer Michelle. Summer, my boss, Dan Wilson.”
Dan meets my gaze with an assessing one of his own as he extends his hand. “A pleasure to meet you. I trust my boy is doing his job and keeping out of your way at the same time?”
I bite the inside of my cheek. “He’s only under foot when he needs to be,” I say, being discreet as I promised. “And it’s good to meet you, too.” I shake his hand.
“This is my son, Jared,” Dan says of the dark-haired man who joins us.
“Hi, Jared.” I smile.
“Man, Ben gets all the good assignments,” Jared says, not so discreetly looking me over.
Ben clears his throat. “Watch the eyes, Wilson.”
Jared blinks in surprise. “Well, damn. Okay, then.”
Ava chimes in. “Jared, go away and leave Ben’s woman alone,” she says, sounding pissed off.
“But… we’re not… I mean, I’m not Ben’s anything.” I promised to keep whatever is between us private, and we agreed we aren’t anything serious.
Ava grins, shaking her head at me. “Besides, he gave himself away. He bit Jared’s head off for just looking, and his hand hasn’t left your lower back since you walked into the room. Possessive much?” she asks, smirking at Ben.
A glance tells me that Ben’s cheeks are a bright red from Ava’s summary of what is going on between us.
“Happy birthday!” she says, cutting off any reply. She leans up on her tiptoes and kisses his cheek. “And nice to meet you, Summer. I’m Ava Talbott,” the pretty, bubbly woman says.
“Hi. Nice to meet you, too.”
The introductions continue with a man named Tate Shaw, who I later discover is originally from Texas and occasionally does work there for McKay Taggart Security, and Austin Rhodes, another of the big bodyguards.
I find myself pulled into their warmth, amused by the familial bickering, and over the course of the afternoon, I manage to relax and enjoy myself.
Although the guys gravitate toward each other and hang out together, Ben tries to make sure I am comfortable and doesn’t leave my side—until Ava shoos him away.
“Let us girls talk. Go hang out with the boys.”
She meets my gaze and rolls her eyes. “Too much testosterone most of the time, and I’m surrounded by it.”
“Really? I think you’d enjoy it.”
She shakes her head and laughs. “Why? Because they’re all muscular and hot? They’re all like my brothers.” She glances at where the guys congregate.
“It’s a tough job to have,” I say.
“You try dealing with these hardheaded men on a daily basis.”
I smile. “That’s probably frustrating.”
“Let’s go sit on the back porch. It’s gorgeous out.” Ava leads me outside to a deck that overlooks a wooded area with trees.
“It’s beautiful here,” I murmur, the air still warm. We settle into a long porch swing.
“It is.” She pauses, then says, “I grew up here … well, from my mid-teens on.”
“Really? Was your mother married to Dan?” I ask, drawing the only conclusion I can.
Ava holds back a snort. “Actually, Dan lived in a different neighborhood when Jared and I were younger, and back then we were neighbors.” She pauses, and I give her time to gather her thoughts.
“My mother was … is an addict. Drugs. Whatever she can get her hands on. Dan took me in when she disappeared on one of her binges, and he refused to give me back when she resurfaced. He was a cop at the time, so you can imagine how little leverage my mother had.” She bites down on her lower lip.
“Sometimes I think he paid her to go away, but he won’t admit it. ”
I swallow hard. “Wow.” What do I say to that? My life has been a picnic in comparison. “I’m sorry,” I murmur.
“I got lucky having Dan look out for me, so it’s all good. I try not to dwell on my mother.”
For good reason, I think.
Ava pushes back against the floor, rocking the swing.
“So how are you and Ben handling being secluded together?” Ava asks bluntly, changing the subject and taking me by surprise.
“It can’t be easy living under the same roof after everything.
Although, like I said, it looks like you two are pretty cozy. ”