Chapter 14
Chapter Fourteen
Simon
I walked into Gramercy Tavern a few minutes before twelve-thirty and spotted Christian in a booth toward the back. When he saw me heading toward him, he stood up.
“Well, look who finally decided to grace me with his presence.” He grinned.
I shook his hand before pulling him into a quick hug. “You’ve been in London for two months. I’m not the problem.”
“You would have been if you were still in Los Angeles.” He smiled.
I slid into the seat across from him as the server came over and took my drink order. It was good to see him again. Christian and I had been friends long enough that neither of us had to make any effort. Months could pass, and we’d pick up exactly where we left off.
“So,” I said. “How was London?”
“Wet.” He chuckled. “Other than that, it was great. Tell me why you ditched Los Angeles two months early?”
“I fixed the problems.”
“Of course you did.”
“I wasn’t going to sit there for another two months once everything was back on track.”
“I don’t blame you. You have enough going on here in New York.”
The server returned with my drink, and we ordered lunch.
“So, what’s new with you?” he asked, setting down his glass of Scotch.
“Nothing,” I said.
“Nothing?”
“No. Not really.”
“Work?” he asked.
“Same as always.”
“Women?”
“No.” I looked down at my drink.
He studied me for a moment and narrowed his eyes. “You’re lying, Simon. You just looked away when I mentioned the word ‘women.’”
“I looked at my drink, Christian.”
“Because you’re hiding something,” he smirked. “I know you, my friend.”
“Fine,” I sighed, picking up my drink. “There’s a woman living in my penthouse.”
“I’m sorry. What did you say?” His brows furrowed.
“You heard me. Don’t make me repeat it.”
“I heard the words, Simon. They just don’t make any fucking sense together. There is a woman,” he said very slowly, “living in your penthouse.”
“Temporarily living.”
“Who are you?” His brow arched. “I leave the country for two months and come back to find out my anti-relationship best friend has suffered some kind of personality-altering head injury.”
“Don’t start,” I said. “She was there when I got back from L.A.”
“What do you mean she was there?”
“Daisy told her she could stay at my place while I was in L.A.”
“Without asking you?”
“Yes.”
He let out a bolstering laugh.
“This isn’t funny.”
“Oh, but it absolutely is.”
“I walked into my home and found a woman I’d never met standing wrapped in a bath towel.”
That made him laugh harder. “I’m sorry. I’m just trying to picture your face.”
“Are you done?” I threw back my drink.
“Not even close. Who is she?”
“Her name is Bella Castle.”
“And she’s Daisy’s friend?”
“A friend from college.”
“And you let her stay?”
“She needed somewhere to live for October. She’s here in the city for a temporary job.”
“And you care because?”
“I don’t care.”
“Okay. Then why didn’t you kick her out?”
“I tried.”
“And she wouldn’t leave?” he asked.
“She had nowhere to go on short notice.”
Instantly, his brows furrowed. “You felt bad?”
“No. I didn’t feel bad.”
“You felt bad.” He nodded.
“I made a reasonable decision. That’s all.”
“You let a strange woman stay in the one place on earth you don’t let anyone stay because you made a ‘reasonable decision?’”
“Yes.”
The server walked over and set our plates down.
“Can I get another scotch, please? Make it a double this time,” I said.
“I call bullshit,” Christian said, picking up his fork.
“She has until October 31st, and then she’s out.”
“Oh, there’s a deadline? That’s much more like you,” he smirked.
“I also created a list of rules she has to follow if she wants to stay.”
Just as he went to put his fork in his mouth, he stopped and stared at me.
“You gave her rules?”
“Ten of them. If she breaks any one of them, she’s out. I have them posted on the refrigerator so she doesn’t forget.”
“You printed them?” He chuckled. “Did you have it laminated too?”
“Fuck off.”
“This is one of the best lunches I’ve had in months.” He laughed.
“I’m glad my misery is entertaining you.”
“What is she like?”
I hesitated for a moment. “She’s—” I paused. How the hell was I supposed to describe Bella? Annoying didn’t cover it. Neither did stubborn.”
“She’s what?” he asked.
“A lot,” I replied.
“That’s not an answer, my friend.”
“She’s opinionated, talks a lot, and doesn’t respect boundaries.”
“Maybe your boundaries are stupid.” He grinned.
“Watch it.” I pointed my fork at him.
“What does she do?”
“Social media and content creation.”
“Weird. For?”
“I can’t remember the name. Some lifestyle company hired her to shoot their fall campaign.”
“And how is living together going? Don’t forget, I know you.”
“Fine.” He knew me too well to accept that answer.
“What has she done?”
“Nothing.” I reached for my scotch. “I came home from work last night, and she turned my fireplace into a fucking pumpkin patch.”
“Why?” He laughed.
“I don’t fucking know. For her job, I guess. One of the pumpkins has a name.”
“I’m sorry. I’m going to need you to repeat that,” he said.
“I’m not repeating it.”
“Fine. What’s the pumpkin’s name?”
“Harold.”
Christian lost it and laughed so loud that other patrons in the place turned and looked at us.
“Fuck you,” I said.
“There’s a pumpkin named Harold living in your penthouse?”
“Apparently. And you know what the worst part is?”
“Can it get any worse?” he asked.
“It’s wearing a bow tie. My father met him this morning.”
That set him off again into roaring laughter. “Jesus Christ. I leave the country for two months and come back to find you living with a woman and raising a pumpkin named Harold together.”
“Knock it off. We’re not raising a fucking pumpkin together.”
“Why was your father at your penthouse when you weren’t?”
“He was picking up some documents I’d left in my study.”
“So, he met Bella?”
“Yes. And he likes her.”
“Of course he does.” He grinned. “What’s not to like?”
“You haven’t even met her?” My brows furrowed.
“Doesn’t matter. I already like her. But on to the most important question of the day. Is she hot?”
I should have told him no, but I couldn’t lie about something like that. “Yes, she is.”
“Oh?” His brows arched. “How hot?”
“I’m not rating her.”
“That means hotter than hot.” He smiled. “Have you slept with her?”
“God, no.”
“Do you want to?” A smile was still perched on his lips. I didn’t answer him. “Well, that answers that.”
“It doesn’t answer anything.”
“I’ve known you since we were kids, Simon. It answers everything.”
“It doesn’t matter. She’s living in my home, and I’m not complicating the situation.”
“Right.” He took a bite of his food.
“There’s nothing happening between us.”
“Not yet, anyway,” he said.
“She’s staying through the 31st and leaving first thing on November 1st.”
“I know. You’ve mentioned it already.”
“Because that’s the arrangement.”
“Such an interesting word,” he smirked. “We spent our whole lunch together talking about Bella.”
“You asked what was new, so I told you.”
“And Bella Castle was your answer.”
“Because she’s living in my penthouse.” I finished off my scotch and placed my napkin on my plate.
“But only temporarily,” he said.
“Exactly.”
“With ten rules.”
“Yes,” I said.
“And Harold.”
I glared at him, and he laughed.
“I’m meeting her.”
“No.”
“Why not?” he asked.
“Because there’s no reason for you to meet her.”
“She’s living with my best friend.”
“She’s staying in my guestroom for a month.”
“Even better.” He grinned. “Uh, is that Daisy?” I pointed.
I turned my head and saw her and Bella heading to the table across from our booth. Shit. Shit. Shit.
“Christian?” Daisy and Bella walked over. “When did you get back? Hi, Simon.” She smiled.
“I got back last night.” He stood and hugged her. “You’re looking as beautiful as ever. Correct me if I’m wrong, but you must be Bella.” He took hold of her hand. I wanted to kill him.
“I am. How did you know?”
“Because Simon and I just spent our entire lunch talking about you.” He grinned.
“Oh lord. I don’t even want to know what he told you.”
“Relax. It was all good.”
“I highly doubt that.” She glared at me.
“Well, it was good to see you both. We’re going to sit at our table and enjoy a fabulous lunch,” Daisy said.
“Simon.” Bella nodded.
“Bella.” I nodded back.
I paid the check, and we headed out.
“I give it two weeks,” he said.
“For what?”
“For you to break one of your rules.”
“The rules aren’t for me. They’re for her.”
“Which one of those rules says you can’t sleep with her?”
“None of them.”
His grin widened. “Interesting.”
“Shut the fuck up, Christian.” I hugged him. “I’ll catch you later. I’m happy you’re back.”
“Not as happy as I am.” He laughed and climbed into the back seat of his car.
One thing was right. There wasn’t a single rule on that list that said I couldn’t touch her.