4
Inside we are met with all the sights, sounds and people you’d expect for a ribbon cutting event. Even though the bustling lobby area sits in front of a massive, gleaming sports bar, there’s a temporary bar set up and pub tables everywhere. There is a photo wall with logo banners set up, a stage with a press podium, and some bored TV crews waiting for things to begin.
Everyone notices us—well, notices Josh—as we join the fray. Men call his name, a camera man snaps to attention, and women pretend not to ogle. Or ogle openly, I guess, since I catch some of the older women in business attire outright staring. The mayor’s press secretary is she…she’s actually biting her lip! Get a grip, Mrs.Robinson, he could be your grandson!
“Suze!” I hear Megan’s voice.
“I’ll go grab us a drink.” Josh says at the same time.
“Susan Canton, look at those legs!” My best friend teases, wagging her eyebrows at my tiny skort. “Worth the price of admission, right there!”
I laugh and feel the urge to pull my skirt down. I don’t give in. “This event is free.”
“But very exclusive!”
“You’re the mayor’s daughter. You’re literally required to be here.”
“Tomato, Potato.” Her shiny dark brown hair swishes as she links her arm in mine and hurries me to the side of the lobby. She’s petite and I’m five seven, so she has to take almost two steps to every one of mine. “Has he groped you yet? I mean, I see the beginning of butt cheek happening here, hanging right on out! I’m so proud of you!”
I wince. “Proud of me for dressing like a—”
“On behalf of the sexual liberation and political progression of women everywhere, don’t finish that sentence, Suze.” She narrows her deep brown eyes at me. I just laugh again. She is the stereotypical rebel daughter, complete with a hidden tattoo, a closet liquor stash and a secret penchant for attending whatever political marches she can find that champion the direct opposite position of her very conservative parents.
“Fine, but I feel naked and cold and no, no groping. Not even an accidental-but-not-accidental graze. I don’t even think he’s looked yet.”
She scoffs, “He’s a twenty-five year old human male. He’s looked.”
“I don’t know,” I start. But she’s heard it all already so she cuts me off.
“No, listen, this look is hot. Very sporty-dressy-sexy. The high blonde pony, but silver earrings and necklace that make your tan pop, the bold lip color, I think you nailed it.” I am not convinced, but she switches to a murmur as Josh approaches. “You just need to go on a real date, just the two of you. He can’t fondle you here in front of his mother!”
“Hello, Megan.” Josh drawls with a grin. He hands me a white wine and then takes my hand. He coughs a bit and his eyes look worse. Poor guy.
“Hey,” She replies, looking star struck, even though she’s met him a few times now.
“I need to borrow my girl here and make the rounds, but golf with us later, yeah?”
“Yeah!” Her reply is too enthusiastic and I throw her my best be cool look. She shrugs.
Josh raises his beer to her before leading me away. Then it’s the same song and dance as always. We greet his buddies, his parents, Megan’s dad, and some other big wigs. We dutifully watch and clap for the actual ribbon cutting and subsequent speeches about the great city of Tulsa. Josh jokes with a few reporters who corner us to ask the famed basketball player questions about his golf skills.
After an hour or so of mingling, everyone moves to their bays to try the game and sample the food. Our bay holds the Bell family, a couple of their employees, myself and Megan. We move to fill a U shape of couches with low tables covered in appetizers. It’s a lot like bowling, where one person goes up front to hit their ball and everyone else watches.
When I’m up I ignore the tips from the helpful men around me and focus, remembering my responsibility to sporty females everywhere. Then I pummel the crap out of that ball. It goes where I want, straight into the big blue target that’s going to get me at least 0 points, the second-highest hole-in-one score. Everyone oooos and aahhhs and says how well I did for a girl, and I don’t even roll my eyes about it.
Because when I turn and catch Josh watching me turn I think that finally, blissfully, I’ve crossed out of cute girl territory.
_____
“I agree, he was looking! Mission accomplished. You’ve moved into hot wife territory for sure, Susan.”
I squeal a tiny bit and Megan laughs but then we shush ourselves. We’re at the back of the bay where the tall food tables are, so no one is watching us, but the crowd could be listening. The crowd that is absent one Josh Bell and has been for a while.
“Do you think he could be in the bathroom this long?” I wonder aloud.
“Absolutely. You don’t have a brother to know that they can stretch their poops out to last a full hour, which they do, just when you need to get into the bathroom to get ready.”
“Gross.”
“Very.” She takes a large sip of her margarita. “Too gross for Josh. He’s probably not a poop session stretcher.”
“I sure hope not.”
“Damn, you guys are just so cute together I can’t stand it. You’re perfect.”
I sigh. “He definitely is.”
“Aw, bestie!” Megan punches my arm. “Are you falling in love with him?”
“I...” I fumble a bit. The truth is I still barely know him.
“You are! You love him!”
“It hasn’t been that long, Megs.” I shush her again. “But he’s the dreamiest man I’ve ever met, such a gentleman, even though he’s also so confident, driven. I just think about how humble he always was in his post-game interviews, bragging on his team. It will transfer so perfectly to being CEO of Bell Construction someday. Just a natural leader. And you’re right, our lives do line up. We will—I mean, we would, we could —be a real power couple.”
“Just like your parents.” Megan says.
“Ummm, I’m not sure if you mean that in a nice way or not,” she snorts and I go on, “but that always has been my goal, to be as accomplished as them. As loving. My own big family, in the family business. Businesses, plural in this case. Josh is…perfect.”
Right as the words leave my mouth I sense him over my shoulder and turn with a smile.
“Oh.” My smile dies a quick, embarrassing death. “Uh, hi, Adam. Do you know where Josh went?”
I don’t know how I mistook him for Josh. He’s shorter but…bigger somehow. More imposing and maybe a little scary. I don’t think I’ve ever seen him not scowling. He glares at me from under his thick dark eyebrows, which are scrunched down in annoyance as if I’ve just asked if the sky is blue.
I’m about to apologize for asking, for bothering him, because clearly this guy is bothered. But I’m shut up by an exhale through his nostrils so loud I think the teenager driving around picking up loose golf balls heard it 100 yards away and two stories down.
He works his jaw before barely opening his mouth enough to huff a low, angry, “No.”
I stretch my eyes wide at Megan who mirrors the shocked expression as he stalks away.
“I’m right here, Suze, sorry about that.” Josh wraps a huge arm around my shoulders from behind and kisses the top of my head. He sniffs again.
I wrap my fingers around his smooth, hard forearm. “Allergies getting worse?” I ask him.
“What? Oh, yeah. Much worse, but I’ll be fine. You okay?” He says, looking between me and his grouch of a brother.
“Yeah,” I try to say lightly. “I just don’t think your brother likes me very much.”
Josh shakes his head. “That’s just Adam. He hates everybody.”