Chapter 35
I’ve been antsy since talking to Grant the other day.
I haven’t decided when to tell Chase that we only have to be a secret a little while longer, but at the same time, I doubt whether we’re ready for that step.
Either way, we’ve barely talked today with it being a travel day for him and a busy day of meetings for me, so I decide to send a lame text to check in when I get home from work.
brEE
How’s the series?
ME
Are we pretending you don’t watch every single game?
brEE
Not every game.
ME
Okay, sure.
brEE
Maybe I want you to tell me about it.
The phone rings before I can finish texting my response. Only it’s not a phone call, it’s a request to FaceTime. Shit. Running to the bathroom, I answer the call but don’t show my face until I make sure I look presentable.
“Are you one of those millennials who don’t know how to use a camera?”
“What, no?” I shout back as I wipe the smudged mascara beneath my eyes and fix my hair.
“Why am I looking at your ceiling instead of your pretty face then?”
“I was making sure my face was pretty,” I say, bringing the phone up so he can see me.
“Your face is always pretty. Hey, Princess.”
“Hey yourself.” He’s lying on the bed in his hotel room. Shirtless. Those tattoos are on full display and I’m weak for them.
“You’re not playing fair.”
“Who said anything about fair?” And there’s the smirk that makes me melt.
“You’re a big tease.”
“Doesn’t have to be a tease. Ever had FaceTime sex?” He props an arm behind his head and what I wouldn’t give to be in the room with him to take in that view.
“Um, nope, can’t say that I have.”
“Wanna give it a try?” he wiggles his eyebrows.
A knock sounds on his end of the phone.
“Fuck, hold on.” He gets off the bed and answers the door.
“Rook, whatcha doin? Oh, is that Gabber?” Miller takes the phone from Chase and his silly smile fills the screen.
“What are y’all talking about?”
“Cockblock,” Chase mutters and I hear the door slam shut.
“What was that? You doing filthy things with my sister?” Miller looks at Chase over the screen.
“Little late to play the affronted big brother, Mills.”
“Shh, I’m trying to talk to the kid.” He shushes me.
“Bruh, calling me a kid is not helping.” Chase groans from somewhere in the room.
Miller gives an “ahem” sound and corrects himself by saying, “Sorry, you’re a very mature young man.”
“Dude!” Chase exclaims and Miller laughs.
“It’s too easy. So, tell me about your day, Gabberella. What’s going on back in Nashvegas?” Before I can speak, Miller cuts me off and looks back over at Chase, who I can now see in the background of the camera angle.
“Hold on, where’s your iPad? I know you have it. Let’s put her on that so we can both see her.”
“Sure, I’d love to talk to my girl with you instead of by myself. Not like I haven’t seen her.” Chase’s frustration only makes me chuckle. He’s getting the full Miller experience.
“It’s been, like, two days. Get over it.”
“Should I let you guys go?”
“No!” they shout in unison.
“Okay, okay my bad. Y’all figure this out. I’m going to pour a glass of wine.” When I come back to the couch, they’ve set the iPad up on the table and are sitting shoulder to shoulder on the bed facing the camera.
“You both look ridiculous, you do know that, right?” I laugh, screenshotting the view to show the girls later.
“It’s the only way we could both talk to you.” Chase gives Miller a side-eye.
“Listen, you basically stole my best friend. The least you could do is let me talk to her.”
“I didn’t steal your best friend. You hung out last week,” Chase argues.
“Yes, but normally I would be over there more often. Instead, you’re there all the fucking time.” I spit out my wine, thinking he said “you’re there fucking all the time.”
“You could still come over. Nothing’s stopping you,” Chase offers while I clean myself up. Thankful, they’re too busy debating to notice what I’m doing.
“Really? Nothing? Not walking in on you doing the nasty?”
I jump in before this gets out of hand. “Can we not talk about doing the nasty as a group? That’d be great.”
“Yuck, yeah, I regret that. I don’t need to think about you going to pound town.” Miller visibly shivers at the thought.
“I’m choosing to not be offended by that,” I deadpan.
Miller points a finger at me. “You literally just said you don’t want to talk about it.”
“You could at least act a little less disgusted by the idea.”
“I know too much of Ivory and Preston’s sex life. I don’t need to know yours too, and it’s like learning my sister lost her virginity. A brother doesn’t need to picture that shit.” Miller pretend vomits in his mouth as I roll my eyes.
“I’d prefer he not picture it either, Princess. Let’s keep that our dirty little secret.” Chase’s wink makes me blush and I hide it by taking a sip of wine.
“Okay, well let’s talk about something else then. How was the series?”
“Is she pretending she’s not watching the games?” Miller turns to Chase.
“Said she wanted to hear it from me.” Chase shrugs answering him.
Miller nods and says, “Ahh, I’ll bite. Well, I went one for three last night so that wasn’t great.” They were in Wisconsin last night before heading west to Los Angeles today for another few games before coming home in time for Bark in the Park on Labor Day.
“We did get that guy out at second, though,” Chase says, calling out their play at second to stop the runner from stealing the base. Normally, Preston covers that play, but this time Chase was there for the throw.
“That was pretty sick,” Miller concedes
“Let’s get in the cages in the morning and get your swing back.” His batting average is low, but I didn’t realize Miller was struggling, which makes me feel like a shitty friend.
“I’m sorry, Mills. I didn’t realize you were having trouble.”
“Because you don’t care about me anymore.” Miller pouts. “Nah, it’s okay. Just a bad two games. I’ll get it back. Can’t be hot all the time. I need to let the Rook show out, and you know Gramps gets touchy if I show him up too much. It’s really for everyone’s benefit when I strikeout a lot.”
His ability to make everything into a joke is unmatched. Still, I know what he hides behind the layers of bullshit and comedic relief. I’ll text him later to make sure he’s really okay.
“Chase?”
“What?” He grins.
“How is the series for you?” I direct the question back at him now that Miller answered.
Chase responds like he’s giving a book report. “Oh, we’re still doing this pretend update. Got it. Well, Ms. Pierson, I had an RBI, a stolen base, and two hits tonight. Unlike Miller here, I didn’t strike out, but they did walk me, so I took revenge by stealing a base.”
“It was beautiful too. One of those slide and stand things. Perfection.” Miller kisses his fingers
“Yeah, it’s really hot when he does that.” When he slides and then looks into the camera offering a wink, wave, or celebratory move, I always know it’s for me. Makes it even hotter to see him always thinking of me like he says when he signs off on our texts.
“Nope, la la la la. Gabrielle!” Miller plugs his ears. “We just talked about this.”
“Not my fault you crashed my FaceTime.” Chase nods along with me.
“How’s the office?” Miller changes the subject.
“Everyone is amped up for the charity event, but other than that it’s been fairly quiet. I’m glad you’re sitting down. I wore pants today.”
Chase smiles so wide I can’t help but smile back. Miller gasps.
“Who is she?” Miller asks Chase.
“My girl, that’s who.” The pride in Chase’s voice and on his face give me butterflies.
“Pants? To the office? Say it ain’t so. Quick, pinch me.” Chase pinches him. “Ow, fuck.” Miller rubs his arm.
“You asked, dumbass.”
“You didn’t have to pinch so hard.”
“Proud of you, Bree,” Chase says, giving me the words I didn’t realize I needed to hear. It’s one thing to see it on his face or in his touch, but to hear it drives the point home. It feels good.
“I think my assistant almost fell out of her chair.” I laugh remembering the shock on her face when I walked off the elevator.
“Wait ‘til you wear jeans one day.” Chase winks at me.
“We’ll see.” I think it will be a while before I show up to work that casual, but time will tell.
“What else is going on?” Miller prods. I know what he’s really asking. He’s wanting me to open up more after texting him the other day anxious about my upcoming appointment, but that’s not going to happen.
“I also told Grant I would take the general counsel role. I think Ivory is coming over tomorrow for wine and a porch night to celebrate.”
“Way to bury the lead!” Miller shouts.
“Gah Bree, wish I could kiss you right now.”
“Dude!!”
“Nothing changes right now,” I say “There’s paperwork to do and a few other things before it can be official, but since you’re both here, I figured I’d share.”
“Glad you did!” Miller’s proud big brother face hits me in my feels. It means a lot to share this moment with both of them when I normally would just glaze over it.
“Alright, man. Time for you to go. I want to talk to my girl alone before I hit the sack,” Chase says, not so discreetly telling Miller to get the fuck out of his room.
“Fine, I’ll leave. Gab, talk to you later. Very proud of you. Badass!”
“I’ll text you,” I say to his retreating back.
“Now, where were we?” Chase asks once the room is clear and we’re alone.
“I think that ship has sailed for tonight.” I yawn. I wasn’t expecting to talk to both of them for over an hour tonight.
“Rain check. Sweet dreams, Princess. I’m so fucking proud of you.”
“Thank you. I’ll talk to you tomorrow.”
“You can count on it.” The kiss he blows is the last thing I see before he disconnects the call.