Park Avenue Player by Vi Keeland
Chapter 13
Hollis
It was almost midnight.
I hadn’t meant to work this late. Even though Elodie had told me it wasn’t a problem and to stay as late as I needed, I didn’t want to take advantage. But the West Coast clients needed some schmoozing, and my staff had all stayed for damage control, too.
My apartment was quiet. It was damn pleasant to walk in and not hear Anna’s name squawked at me. I tossed my keys on the table and went looking for Elodie. The living room TV was on, but the sound had been muted, and there were subtitles flashing on the bottom of the screen. Elodie was out cold, lying on the couch a few feet away. I grabbed the remote and went to flick off the TV, but the show caught my attention. A long-haired Fabio-looking guy was unbuttoning his shirt when a woman with a shitload of cleavage on display walked in.
What’s this now?
Words popped up at the bottom of the screen as the woman marched over to the dude, saying something: “Merhaba tatlım.”
What the hell?
Was she watching a foreign soap opera or something? That’s what this shit looked like. I once had a client from Turkey, and I could’ve sworn merhaba was hello in Turkish. The woman who’d walked in on Fabio two seconds ago already had her tits pushed up against him.
I chuckled to myself and hit the Off button. Elodie was definitely different. I had no idea what to expect from her one minute to the next. Turning, I watched her breathe in and out a few times as she slept. She really was gorgeous. Relaxed as she snoozed, her features were soft and feminine. Earlier, her hair had been tied back, but now a piece of her thick blond mane had come loose and rested across her cheek. I had the craziest urge to push it back off her face. Her shirt was disheveled and pulled to one side, exposing a delicate collarbone and smooth, fair skin. I swallowed. Damn. While a part of me wanted to fix her hair, an equally strong part of me wanted to sink my teeth into that unmarked skin—leave bite marks where people could see them. It was fucked up, and I salivated, thinking, two years. Two years that beautiful body hadn’t been touched.
I scrubbed my hands over my face and walked over to the couch to wake her.
“Elodie,” I whispered.
She didn’t budge. So I tapped her shoulder. “Elodie?”
Her eyes fluttered open, and she stretched her arms up over her head. Her shirt rode up with the motion and exposed her midriff. I couldn’t help myself. I hadn’t been with a woman in a while, and being around Elodie made me lose my damn composure. Her stomach was just so smooth and flat, and her navel, an innie, showed off a sparkly diamond. God, I wanted to take that thing between my teeth and give it a good tug.
Shaking my head, I forced my eyes to look anywhere but at the damn nanny. I cleared my throat. “Sorry I’m so late.”
“It’s fine.” She gave me a goofy grin and sat up, pushing that lock of hair off her face as she rose. “I love getting paid to sleep.”
“I’m going to call you an Uber. I don’t want you taking the trains this late.”
“Okay. Thanks. I need to use the bathroom first.”
Elodie walked out of the room, and I used all my strength to keep my head down and focus on calling her car, not look at her ass.
When she came back, I was still standing in the living room. “Your car will be here in three minutes.”
“Oh wow. I better get downstairs then.”
She walked around the apartment, collecting her things.
“Everything go okay tonight?”
“Yes, fine. We ate and started a series on Netflix. Pretty uneventful. Hailey went to bed at nine, but I checked in on her an hour later, and she was still awake. I think she’s all pumped up about the last day of school tomorrow.”
I nodded. “I’m sure.”
Elodie grabbed her purse from the couch and slung it over her body so it rested diagonally across her front. I was behind her and had intended to walk her to the front door. But after a few steps she abruptly stopped, turned around, and grabbed one of my arms.
Before I knew what the fuck was going on, I was flipped into the air and laid out on my back on the floor. The wind was knocked out of me with the umpf of my landing.
“What the fuck!”
Elodie leaned over me, flaunting a gigantic smile, and offered a hand. “This afternoon you laughed when I said I could’ve brought you down. Now you won’t doubt my abilities anymore.”
“Seriously? You could have broken my neck.”
“I made sure you were on the rug and went gently.”
I pushed her hand away and got up by myself, dusting my pants as I stood. “That’s gently? Where the hell did you learn to do that?”
“I told you, self-defense classes.”
I rubbed the back of my neck. “I’m guessing you’ve used that move once or twice?”
She grinned. “That was actually the first time I did it outside of class. And I’m so freaking glad it worked.”
She’d just knocked my manhood down a few rungs, and I’d probably be sore as shit for a week, yet I couldn’t help but laugh.
“You just elevated yourself from a figurative pain in my ass to a literal one. Get out.”
She opened the front door and turned back with a wink. “Night, Hollsy. Sweet dreams. And try not to dream too much about sparkly bellybuttons.”
***
The following day, Elodie called me at work just as I was going into a meeting with an important client.
I answered, “What’s up?”
She corrected me. “Hello, Elodie. How are you?”
“Hello, Elodie. How are you? What do you want?”
“Would you have any objection to Hailey and I attending an end-of-the-year party at one of her friend’s houses in Connecticut after school gets out today? I guess Megan’s parents have a second house in Greenwich, and since it’s so warm today, they invited a few girls over for a pool party.”
I scratched my head. “That shouldn’t be a problem.”
“We’re hitching a ride with them since I took the train in again today. So you’ll have to come pick us up in Connecticut tonight. Is that okay?”
I sighed. “As long as I’m not required to be there by a certain time. I don’t know when I’ll get out of here. Not to mention, Friday night traffic heading out of the city is going to be a nightmare.”
“That should be fine. We’ll just hang out until you get there.”
“Okay then, text me the address.”
“You sound kind of out of breath. Are you sure I didn’t interrupt one of your noontime rendezvous?”
Her comment made my pulse race a little. Any implication of sex reminded me how hard up I was.
“I’m out of breath because you’re making me late for a meeting.”
Except now for some reason I was imagining Elodie splayed out on my desk naked. Maybe that contributed to my breathing a little, too.
***
A couple of hours later, my meeting was still going when Elodie called again. I almost let it go to voicemail, but then I remembered she and Hailey were traveling to Connecticut. I worried maybe something had happened.
I held my index finger up and left the room to take the call.
Speaking low, I picked up. “Everything okay?”
“Yes. We actually just arrived. But there’s a problem.”
“What?”
“Dr. Gottlieb’s office called. Huey recovered faster than they expected. They want us to pick him up and take him home today. I’m here with Hailey, so I can’t go get him.”
“Can’t he spend the night there? I can get him in the morning.”
“I asked that, but they were insistent that we pick him up now. Something about a shortage of space.”
“Crap.” I ran my hand through my hair. “So, I’m supposed to go pick up Huey, bring him all the way back to my place, then jet out to Connecticut?”
“Unless you want me to leave Hailey here and go back to the city to pick him up.”
I sighed and grumbled, “No. I’ll get him.”
“Boy, you’re just loving me today, aren’t you?”
If she only knew the thoughts in my head when it came to her.
“Goodbye, Elodie.”
“You can’t say hello properly, but you certainly have no problem saying goodbye.” She laughed.
***
Later that afternoon, as I attempted to finish my work so I could get out in time for my chauffeuring duties, Addison walked into my office.
“What?” I snapped before she could even speak.
“What the hell has gotten into you? You’re even crabbier than usual today.”
I stopped typing and swiveled my chair toward her. “If you must know, Addison, I can’t seem to get through the day without people interrupting me—my nanny being at the top of that list. First, she asks me to go pick them up tonight in Connecticut, which is fine, except now because she’s there and I’m here, I have to go pick up the damn bird from an animal hospital he shouldn’t even be in.”
“What’s wrong with Huey?”
“Puffy feathers and an alleged infection that probably would’ve gone away on its own. Elodie insisted on taking him there. She’s a pain in my ass. So infuriating... So...” My words trailed off.
Addison smirked. “Oh my God.”
“What?”
“You totally have a thing for her.”
My jaw ticked. “What are you talking about?”
“You never let women get under your skin like this. And I’ve seen her—she’s gorgeous. I think you’re starting to fall for Elodie. And it’s pissing you off. That’s why you’re so crabby.”
“Don’t be ridiculous.”
“Ridiculous? I’d be willing to bet my car that you two will end up in bed in three months’ time—if that long.”
“You’re insane. Your Bentley?”
“Yes. My precious Bentley. I have nothing to worry about, so I can safely say that if you haven’t slept with her in three months, I’ll give it to you.”
“That’s your prized possession.”
“That’s right.”
I returned to the email I’d been working on. I banged on the keyboard and spoke at the same time. “I don’t want your car, Addison.”
“Well, you won’t be getting it.”
I stopped typing. “I’m not going to sleep with Elodie. Not only does she drive me nuts, but Hailey loves her. I would never jeopardize that relationship by inserting myself into it.”
“Oh, you’ll be inserting something, alright.”
I laughed. “Get the fuck out of here.”
I did love my relationship with my business partner. We could talk to each other like two guys hanging out at the bar.
I looked down at my phone. “Shit. I still have to call Davidson.”
“I’ll handle the call with Davidson. You’re all wound up, and from what you told me, you have a lot of shit to do tonight. Why don’t you leave early for the first time in your career?”
“Not my style, Addison. You know that.”
She intentionally pushed my buttons. “Yeah, well neither is driving around birds or trekking up to Connecticut on a Friday night. This nanny sure has you wrapped around her finger.”
“And you sure know how to fucking annoy me.” I was sweating. “On second thought, maybe I do need a breather.” I stood up. “Take the call with Davidson.”
***
The vet’s office was mobbed. There were four people in line in front of me before I could even tell them I was there to pick up my damn bird.
About the time it was going to be my turn, everyone’s attention went to a man who waltzed in with a goat. A fucking goat!
He cut in line.
“Excuse me, gorgeous,” he said to the woman at the desk. He had an Australian accent. “I have a bit of an emergency. The family and I are in the city visiting my sister who just moved here. We drove all the way from California. Anyway, we were walking down the street when a loud popping sound came from under the ground. Still don’t understand what it was—an explosion of some kind. Everyone’s alright. But Pixy here…well, he fainted. He does that from time to time when he’s startled. But this time, he hit his head pretty badly on the pavement. Ever since, he’s seemed a bit disoriented. So, I want to get his head checked.”
I was pretty sure this guy was the one who needed his head checked.
The woman came around from behind the desk and bent down. “He’s so cute.”
Everyone in this damn office was now swooning over a goat. Wait. Not just a goat—a goat in a damn diaper.
“He’s normally potty trained,” the man added. “But when he’s nervous, he gets the shits. Thus, the diaper.”
Thanks a lot, Elodie. Thanks a lot for getting me into this clusterfuck.
“Excuse me,” I finally interrupted. “Shits aside, I’m just here to pick up my bird. Can someone please bring him out?”
“You’ll have to wait your turn, sir.”
“Technically, it is my turn. This gentleman and his goat cut in front of me.”
“I’m sorry, mate. No harm intended. Just trying to make sure my boy is okay.”
“Let’s take him back to see the doctor,” the woman said. She then ushered the man and his goat straight through.
Baaa.I could hear from down the hall.
By the time they brought Huey out, I felt ready to kill someone.My bird looked completely normal. A little hospital tag affixed to his cage read: Huey B. LaCroix.
B? What the hell does that stand for?
“He’s going to be just fine,” the nurse said. “Thank you for coming to get him. I know it was earlier than expected.”
I looked over at Huey and felt a little bad for doubting his need to come here, because he did look a lot better than the morning Elodie had brought him in. As much as I talked shit about him, I never actually wanted anything bad to happen. Some days I just wished he’d fly away to a happier place.
We were almost out the door when I heard it again. Baaa.
That damn goat was loud.
And again... Baaa.
Wait a minute.
It wasn’t coming from down the hall. It was coming from...Huey.
He opened his beak. Baaa.
What. The. Fuck?
I carried him back to the desk. “Excuse me. My bird has only ever said one thing his entire life. He’s hardly made another peep besides that one sentence, and now he’s making goat sounds because apparently he thinks it’s funny to mimic that…animal…back there. You want to tell me how I’m supposed to live with this?”
She shrugged. “Isn’t that typical of birds like him? They mimic things? It’s not really a problem.”
“It’s not? He comes here a bird and comes out a fucking goat, and it’s not a problem?” It felt like a vein had popped in my head.
I was losing my mind. I just needed to leave.
The Australian guy emerged from down the hall. “Hey, mate. I couldn’t help but overhear you yelling. Imitation is the finest form of flattery. And Pixy is very flattered.”
***
The baa sounds drove me bonkers the entire way home.
When I dropped Huey off, I jumped in the shower and whacked one off real quick to calm myself down before getting changed into some casual clothes.
As expected, traffic was bumper to bumper almost the entire way to Greenwich. Thank goodness, I’d left work early.
By the time I pulled up to Hailey’s friend’s house, I was ravenous. I hadn’t eaten since breakfast.
The smell of barbecue filled the air. My stomach growled.
The sun hadn’t set yet. There was probably at least another hour of daylight left.
A woman spotted me approaching the property and opened a gate leading into the pool area.
“You must be Hailey’s uncle?”
“Yes.” I held out my hand. “Hollis LaCroix.”
She took it, giving me a once-over. “Lindsey Branson, Megan’s mother.”
“Thank you for having Hailey.”
“It’s been an absolute pleasure. And your Elodie is such a hoot, too.”
My Elodie?
I couldn’t wait to get to Elodie and give her a piece of my mind about what happened with Huey. I still wanted to blame her for the whole thing, even though deep down I knew it wasn’t her fault. I just enjoyed directing my anger toward her for some reason.
But when I got through that gate and took a look at her, I couldn’t remember anything I had to say. Elodie was lying on a lounge chair wearing a bikini top that displayed her taut stomach—and cutoff denim shorts. Fuck. That diamond belly ring was glimmering in what sunlight was left, her supple tits pushed up somewhat. I’d never seen her so exposed. Given the environment, it wasn’t even inappropriate. Just sexy.
When she spotted me, she hopped up from her seat and walked over.
“There you are.” She smiled. “You made it. Everything work out okay?”
The entire car ride here I’d been intent on reaming her out. For what exactly? I didn’t even know. Now, all I wanted to do was look at her. Well, I wanted to do more than look at her, but I knew that wouldn’t be happening.
Instead of barking at her, I said, “Everything is great.”
“Good.” She smiled. “Hungry?”
My eyes scrolled down the length of her body. Fucking starving.
“I could eat.”
“Let me make you a plate.”
“You really don’t have to do that.”
“I know. I want to. You had a long day.”
As I followed her toward the smell of the grill, I said, “You know, you’re kind of an anomaly.”
“How so?”
“Well, you hate men for the most part. You’re quite independent. Yet any chance you get, you’re trying to serve me or feed me. I’m not sure I understand it.”
“It’s simple,” she said as she grabbed a burger and started making my plate.
“Yeah? Enlighten me.”
“You don’t expect it. You’re not the type of guy who assumes a woman’s role is in the kitchen or that you’re superior just because you’re a man. Hailey has told me what you’ve taught her about being a strong woman and not taking shit from people. Because you don’t expect to be served, it’s my pleasure to do it.” She handed me the plate. “Here you go.”
“Thanks.”
“You’re welcome.”
We walked back to the lounge chairs, and Hailey finally noticed me.
“Hi, Uncle Hollsy!” she yelled from the pool.
I waved and spoke with my mouth full. “Hey, Hailey.”
“Can we stay longer?” she asked.
“Yeah. A little while,” I said.
I sure as hell wasn’t going to push going home early when here I could gaze at Elodie’s body in that getup.
Yeah, it was official. Addison was right.
I do have a thing for Elodie.
