Chapter 16
CHAPTER
SIXTEEN
AVA
“So he’s taking you to meet his family but there’s nothing going on between you two?” Lauren asks, an amused grin on her lips. “And he also spent the night at your house last week?”
“Nothing happened then either,” I remind her. “We’re… friends, I guess.” I never thought I’d say that about Myles Salinger and me, yet there’s a truth to it that I can’t deny. “He was worried about me and came over to cheer me up.”
“You could have called me,” Lauren says. “I would’ve brought donuts.”
“I didn’t ask him to come over,” I remind her. “He just turned up.”
“Hmmm.”
“What?” I ask, because her hmmms are so annoying.
“It just doesn’t feel like the sort of thing a friend would do.”
“You just said you’d do it,” I point out.
“Yeah, but a guy friend. Who’s not into you. They don’t do that without an ulterior motive.”
I frown. “Don’t spoil it. He was just being sweet. Why can’t I have a guy friend who cares for me?”
Sophie carries over our drinks. Two mojitos for them and a soda with lime for me. “What guy friend cares for you?” she asks, passing the drinks out.
“Myles,” Lauren says, offering Sophie a smile as she raises her glass to her lips. Then she turns back to me. “And we’ve seen When Harry Met Sally enough times to know that women and men can’t be friends.”
“Not with somebody they’re attracted to anyway,” Sophie adds.
“Are you attracted to him?” Lauren asks.
“No,” I lie. “He’s just a good friend who’s doing the nicest thing for me that anybody could. And I’m not about to ruin that friendship by getting a crush on him.”
“Sure,” Sophie says dryly. “Keep telling yourself that.”
“I’m serious,” I admonish. “He’s a good guy and I’m really hoping he’ll be my baby’s father. Why would I mess that up by falling for him?”
“But he’s not a good guy. At least that’s what you told us. He’s arrogant and annoying and made you feel two feet tall the first time you met him.”
I open my mouth and close it again. Because they’re right, he’s all those things. It’s just hard to remember that when he’s bringing me chocolate and Tylenol and letting me sleep on his chest.
“I don’t think you should go to this reunion,” Lauren says, her brows pinching.
“I already said I’d go. And I want to. Myles was right, we need to keep working on this thing.” And I’m not about to tell him I’ve changed my mind. Not after all the kindness he’s shown me. The least I can do is spend a few days with his family.
“I’m with Lauren,” Sophie says. “I’m scared you’re going to get hurt.”
I blink. “How is he going to hurt me?”
“You just told us he spent the night with you. Holding you and stroking your arm, and then in the morning he’d gone,” Lauren says, her voice slow like she’s trying to let it sink in. “And neither of you have mentioned it since.”
“There!” I say, feeling triumphant. “If it meant anything we’d have mentioned it. So that means it’s unimportant. Like the three of us going out together.”
“I’m going to ignore the way you just told us we are unimportant,” Lauren says sharply.
“And concentrate on the other stuff instead. If it had been unimportant you would’ve talked about it.
But you didn’t. Maybe because you’re embarrassed or maybe because you can’t work out in your brain what it all really means.
But, honey, you’re too nice and he’s going to hurt you. ”
I should never have told them about this family reunion. “Do you think the same thing?” I ask Sophie.
She presses her fingertips to her temple and looks carefully at me.
“I think…” She frowns, as though trying to find the right words.
“What the two of you are going through is a very emotional thing. Trying to make a baby together is huge. You’re bonding through it.
And sometimes those bonds can feel very intense when they occur this fast. Kind of like when you go through a trauma together. ”
She’s gentler than Lauren, but somehow that feels even worse. I can ignore Lauren because she talks first and thinks later. But Sophie is analytical. She thinks things through from every direction. She’s a planner and a worrier and I hate that she might be right.
“You think we’ve trauma bonded?” I ask.
“I think emotions are high. And maybe hormones, too.” Sophie bites her lip, her brows knitting.
She hates upsetting people so she always chooses her words carefully.
“Myles is in a new town, probably feeling lonely, and he’s offered you this lovely gift.
But then he turns up when you’re feeling sad and it’s confusing.
Your body is telling you to bond with this potential baby daddy, because that’s what our bodies have done ever since humans existed. ”
I take a sip of my soda with lime, and really wish that it was something stronger. “Maybe you’re right. I’ll think about it.”
“Are you still going to the reunion?” Lauren asks.
“Actually, I think she should,” Sophie says.
I frown at her. “What? You both told me I’m bonding with him in all the wrong ways.”
“No, I didn’t.” Sophie shakes her head. “I told you you’re bonding with him in all the ways humans ever have. But I also think the sooner you get pregnant, the better it will be. So go to this reunion and take every bit of sperm he has.”
Lauren’s lips twitch. “Go swimming in his sperm. Take showers in it. Just make sure you get pregnant this time.”
“You’re grossing me out.” I fake gag.
Lauren smiles smugly. “Then my job is done.”
“Thanks,” I tell her, rolling my eyes. “You’ve made me feel so much better.”
“Okay, so that’s it I think,” I say, sitting back in my chair and looking up at Catherine and Ryan. “But if anything goes wrong here, and I mean anything, you have to call me. I’ll only be a couple of hours away and I can be back at short notice. I don’t want a repeat of my trip to Spain.”
“That wasn’t my fault,” Catherine says, putting her hands up as though in surrender. “Richard made us promise not to tell you.”
“So now you need to promise you’ll call, okay?”
“Nothing’s going to go wrong. Not for us anyway,” Ryan says, a smile playing at his lips. “You’re the one spending days offsite with Mr. Moody.”
“He’s not that bad,” I say, glancing at his office from the corner of my eye. The door’s closed, thank God. I’d hate for him to hear people talking about him like this.
“What?” Ryan frowns. “I thought you hated him like the rest of us.”
“He bought you a beer,” I remind Ryan. “If he’s good enough to buy you a drink then maybe he’s good enough for a bit of human decency.”
“What’s wrong with her?” he asks Catherine.
She shrugs. “She’s too nice for her own good.”
“Anyway,” I say, trying to pull the subject away from Myles, because he already occupies enough of my thoughts, “I don’t think anything should come up. Just try to keep some order in the office for me.”
“Can we still have Fizzy Friday?” Ryan asks.
“Yes. But only if you all behave.” I’m aware I’m talking to them like they’re six years old, but ever since they heard about Myles and me going away they’ve all been acting a little giddy.
We made up this stupid excuse about having to write an in depth report which requires a lot of brainstorming and blue sky thinking. Somehow, everybody believes it.
I guess the alternative – that I actually want to spend time with Myles Salinger – is just too preposterous to think about.
“If you need us to invent a crisis to get you out of there, we can,” Catherine says. “You know, like when you go on a date and ask a friend to call you in case you need an excuse to leave.”
“It’s okay. No crisis needed.” I smile at her. “But thank you for being sweet.”
“The offer’s always there.”
I look at the list I jotted down and make sure I’ve ticked every line. This all feels too easy and I don’t like it.
“Hey, do you think he’ll wear his suit and tie every day when you’re away?” Ryan asks. “I can’t imagine him going casual.”
“Um, I guess we’ll be keeping it professional,” I say. “He’ll still be having video conferences with New York.”
“It’s such a shame,” Catherine says. “If it was anybody else I bet you’d be looking forward to it. But going away with that guy.” She grimaces. “You’re going to need another vacation after that.”
“Will you have the production costs ready for the Monday meeting?” I ask, changing the subject because I don’t want to be roped into talking negatively about Myles.
If they only knew what he was doing for me.
He didn’t need to invite me to this reunion.
Heck, he didn’t have to offer me free use of his sperm.
And yet he’s doing all this and I’m sitting out here gossiping about him.
As though he can feel my thoughts, he opens his door and looks over at my desk moments later. His brows raise when he sees Ryan and Catherine with me, and damn if they don’t look guilty as hell.
“Yes, I’ll make sure you have the costings,” Catherine agrees, her cheeks pinking up.
Myles’ jaw is tight. “Ava, do you have a moment?”
“Yup.” I nod, still feeling that twisting guilt in my stomach. “You guys have any questions?”
“Nope, we’re good.” Ryan doesn’t look up at Myles. I hope he feels bad.
“We’re great,” Catherine says, smiling widely.
“Okay then.” I push myself out of my chair and walk to Myles’ office, all while I try to ignore that Ryan’s humming the tune of Darth Vader’s Imperial March behind me.
“Everything okay?” I ask Myles as I pull the door closed behind me.
“Yes.” He nods. “Just finalizing details for tomorrow. You might want to bring a swimsuit.”
“I might? Why?”
“Because there’s a lake.”
“And we’ll be swimming in the lake?” I try to clarify, because he’s looking all clamped up.
“Yes. And there will be… events in the lake.”
Okay, this is interesting. “What kind of events?” For a moment I picture him and his brothers doing a synchronized swim dance. My lips twitch at the thought.
“Think of it as team building. But worse.”
A smile pulls at my lips. “Are we having a swimming competition?” I’m more than okay with that. I swam competitively as a kid.
“You get to swim for pleasure. My brothers and I will be... partaking in some competitive activities.”
Okay, I’m officially intrigued. “What kind of competitive activities?” I ask.
“My brothers want to reinstitute the Salinger Olympics.” He looks almost pained to say it.
“The Salinger Olympics,” I repeat, trying not to laugh. “Your competitive activities have a name?” I grin. “Oh God, are they all as desperate to win as you?”
“Worse. Much worse.”
I hadn’t thought much about the fact Myles’ family will be at the reunion, which I know is stupid but I’ve been busy. But the thought of seeing him surrounded by his family is delicious.
I’ve always been fascinated by big families.
I suppose it comes from growing up in a household of two.
I can remember watching Home Alone and wishing I could have a family so big that some of them were forgotten on the way to the airport.
If Mom forgot me she would have realized before closing the door.
“How many of you are there again?” I ask him.
“A lot.”
“Can you tell me their names? After all, shouldn’t I know more about them before we arrive and I make an idiot out of myself?”
“You won’t make an idiot out of yourself.” His voice is soft. “How about I give you the rundown on the drive there?”
“Sure. Okay.” I smile again, because I’m actually looking forward to this Brady Bunchesque family gathering. More than Myles is, from the expression on his face.
“One more question,” I say, because I know we both have piles of work to do before we can leave the office.
“Hit me with it.”
“If you win the Salinger Olympics, will you be in a better mood?”