The Bold and the Bullheaded by Willow Aster

Chapter Fourteen

Emma

I groan at my desk as I stare at the screen.

I do hope that Tabitha will be there?

I chew on my thumbnail as I wait for his response.

Yes, of course my girl will be there. Just sorry Rocco can’t make it.

Damn you, Grumpledore.

Rocco is being honored tonight for his community service efforts.

Lies, lies, lies. Rocco will probably be oiling up his abs for a trip to a local bar to show his muscles off this evening. But hey, that’s community service in its own right.

Aw, I’m surprised you aren’t joining him for that.

Walked right into that one.

It’s only for the fire community. I speak out of my ass and hope he doesn’t know the intricacies of the fire department. I need to study up on it myself before I say another word.

Sounds like you’ve got yourself a keeper, Queenie.

Damn straight, Grumpy Smurf. See you tonight.

I slam my phone down on my desk, irritated that my non-existent boyfriend can’t make it tonight to make Spence Taylor jealous. Damn you, Rocco, and your little brain cells for making it impossible for me to stick around longer. But I have to go tonight. I need to see how serious this thing with Tabitha and Spence is.

Work is going well despite being distracted. It helps that we’re close to wrapping this case up. I have a good feeling about it and so does Jack.

“Hey, girl. Just got a message from Jesse. Do you want to go to Mean Mug tonight?”

“Yes. I’m planning on it,” I say.

“Oh good. Are you bringing Rocco? I can’t wait to meet him.”

Guilt swallows me whole. I’ve never kept anything from my best friend. But the fact that she’s dating and living with Old Solemn’s brother makes it complicated. I can’t risk her telling Jesse that Rocco is one taco short of a combination platter.

“No. I don’t think things are going to work out with Rocco.”

Her lips turn up in the corners as if she’s pleased to hear this. Mya has been dying for me to meet someone, so this surprises me.

“I’m so sorry to hear that. Spence told me he bumped into you and Rocco at Mean Mug.”

“Oh. Yeah.” I bite down on my lip, unsure about how much to share. “Would you mind not telling Spence that Rocco and I called it quits?” My voice sounds a little shaky and I hate how off-kilter I am after hearing from Spence.

“Of course. I won’t say a word.”

Why isn’t she asking me why I requested that?

Red flag. Something is up with Mya.

“So Spence said he’s bringing Tabitha. They seem to be going strong, huh?”

She rubs her ear with her thumb and finger and avoids eye contact. “Yes. I believe she’s coming tonight.”

Just then Arwin peeks his head in the door and I silently groan.

“Did you forget to send me an invitation to this party?”

“We did not. We’re talking about dirty tampons and breast milk.” I can’t help myself. He bothers me and I want him to go away.

Mya chokes on her Starbucks coffee and coughs so hard tears stream down her face.

“I love dirty talk with you girls,” the creep says and I cringe.

Only he would take it there.

“Arwin … Swim to the conference room. Arwin … Swim to the conference room,” Miranda says over the intercom.

Mya loses it again and I struggle to hold in the giggles myself.

“Quick meeting in the conference room,” Jack says as he stops in the doorway. Arwin straightens, Mya swipes at her eyes, and I move to my feet.

I spend the next few hours thinking about how I will convince Spence that my boyfriend and I are still going strong. It’s the most excited I’ve been in a while. Because I know I’m going to be seeing Spence tonight—and those always make for my favorite nights. Only because I get a kick out of torturing him—or that’s what I keep telling myself and I’m sticking to it.

I sit in my usual spot closest to the door of the conference room and make my exit just as Jack tells us all to go. I don’t even stop by my office but head straight for my apartment, dropping off some hot dogs to Dad and the guys before hustling upstairs to change. I put on my sexiest jeans and a white sheer blouse with a lacy pink bra beneath. I grab my leather jacket and decide to grab an Uber to Mean Mug. I can’t get there soon enough. I’m suddenly dying to see Spence. My heart is racing when I step inside and the first person I see is Tabitha. She’s standing so close to him that I see red … until I remember that I actually like the girl. Hold up now. I might like to pick on Old Solemn, but I am not a mean girl. I take a deep breath and rein it in as I make my way over to the group. Caden is there talking to a girl I’ve never seen before, Gus is flailing his hands as he entertains them all, and then there’s Spence. He’s scowling at his brothers until his head turns and his gaze locks with mine. And I’ll be damned if the man doesn’t light up like a Christmas tree. He flashes me that perfect smile that he doesn’t show all that often. He makes you feel like you’ve earned something when he gives it to you.

“Hey, Queenie.” He moves toward me and kisses me on the cheek, and a jolt of electricity moves through my body.

“Emma, hey,” Tabitha says, as she stands beside him, and I have the strongest desire to throttle her and then hug her hard. She’s pretty, dammit, and they look really striking together.

My chest squeezes.

My chest never squeezes. Nor does it tighten. Or flutter.

I am not that girl.

Sure, I can get emotional about my father, about Yaya and Mya, but not about men. I don’t feel those things.

Well, I did feel a tiny twinge of something the first time I saw Spence and he scowled at me, and then we met and could outwit each other like no one’s business.

Which is why I have been avoiding this man in the first place.

Yet, here I am.

Without a date and happy just to be in his presence.

What is happening to me right now?

I snap myself out of it when I see my best friend stroll through the door. We spend the next hour talking and laughing and I have my two glasses of Chardonnay. I don’t speak to Spence, but I keep my eye on him every chance I get. He and Tabitha have an ease about them, but I haven’t seen any form of PDA and I’m thankful for it. They certainly don’t behave like a couple who just started dating, but who am I to judge? I just “broke up” with a man who named each of his abdomen muscles.

Mya and Jesse finish their drinks and decide to head out and I hug them both goodbye. Allen calls me over to the bar and tells me that Rocco stiffed him the night we ate here together.

Yes. I left the money to cover our food that night. He obviously took it for himself. I hope his teeny peeny shrivels up from all the ab-building substances.

I insist on paying, and Gus sidles up next to me and orders another whiskey.

“Glad you came by,” Gus says, as he drops onto the stool beside me.

“Yeah. It was fun. Spence and Tabitha seem to be quite the perfect little couple.” I sign the credit card slip and hand it back to Allen who keeps apologizing.

“Oh, those two. No. That’s all for show,” Gus says over a chuckle. He leans close to me. “Spence likes someone. I have no idea if she’s here yet, but he invited her.” He looks around the room, studying each girl intently. “He’s trying to make her jealous.”

I feel like the breath is knocked out of me. It takes a moment for me to catch it and speak. “Is that so?”

Suddenly that sweet grin Spence gave me when I walked in makes sense. That little weasel thinks he can outplay me? He is in for a rude awakening.

“Yeah. In fact, I pushed to bring you in on it because I figured you could come up with a good game plan for him. But he was insistent that I not tell you.” He shrugs.

And I seethe.

“So who’s the woman?” I know the answer, but I’m fairly certain Gus is completely clueless.

“I don’t know. But he never likes anyone, and he is going to pretty big lengths to win her over by bringing Tabitha here.”

“Interesting. So they aren’t a thing, then? That’s kind of rude to do that to Tabitha, don’t you think?” I wanted to throttle her two seconds ago and now I’m feeling sympathetic for the little lady. Yes, I realize I’m all over the place and I can’t even feel bad about it. Spence is the villain here.

“No. She’s getting back with her ex and I think she knows Spence is into someone else,” he says, tipping his head back and finishing off his cocktail.

“I see. Thanks for keeping me in the loop.” I pat Gus on the shoulder as he walks away and I wave Caden over.

“Will you play along with me on something?” I smile at him as I push to my feet.

“Of course. I’m down.”

“Okay, let’s do this.” I reach out and take Caden’s hand and he goes right along with me.

Gus would have asked what I was doing. But Caden—he knows I’m up to something and he loves it.

Spence’s gaze locks with mine before moving down and staring at my hand locked in his brother’s. Firebolts shoot from his eyes and I give a grin with all the teeth. Yeah, bite me, Grumpy McNugget.

“Hey, we’re taking off. Thanks for the invite.”

Spence’s jaw grinds together and he glares at Caden before turning all his anger toward me. “Where’s your boyfriend?”

Hmm, he must have forgotten all about Rocco’s community service award that never was.

“That isn’t going to work out after all. I’ve moved on. See ya.” I lift my fingers in an airy wave.

Caden laughs, gazing at me with the perfect amount of adoration.

We step outside and I drop his hand and laugh. “Thanks for going along with that.”

“You know you can count on me. But tell me what that was about? Are you sticking it to Spence? Something going on between you two?” He smirks.

“Absolutely not. Just giving him a dose of his own medicine.”

“You sure seem to care an awful lot about what Spence thinks.” He crosses his arms over his chest and puckers his lips.

“It’s nothing. Or maybe a little something,” I admit as we walk toward my place.

“So, you like him?”

“He’s fine.” I laugh, because I sound like a combative child.

“Why are you leaving? Now that I’m seeing everything a little more clearly, I think he went to all that trouble to make you jealous tonight. And you used me to do the same thing.” I cringe when he says it out loud, but he laughs, not looking mad at all. “You actually like him. He likes you. What’s the goddamn problem?”

“The GD problem, you mean?”

“Stop deflecting. Answer the question, Kingsley.”

“I don’t know,” I admit. “I can’t do relationships.” I shrug when we get to the Auto Shop, and I pause at the steps leading to my door. “I don’t want to mess things up.”

“I wouldn’t have taken you for a coward,” Caden says, and it hits me straight in the chest.

I remember saying something like that to Mya not too long ago and look at me now.

“I’m not a coward.” I reach for my purse and dig my keys out.

“Then stop behaving like one.” Caden leans forward and kisses my cheek before walking away.

My heart sinks at his words. I am a coward when it comes to Spence Taylor. But that’s only because there’s so much to lose. And that terrifies me.

Heterrifies me.

* * *

I go through the motions the next day at work and I fill Mya in on what happened after she left. She finds the whole thing hilarious and doesn’t understand the dilemma. I remind her that I’m not the settling down type and it’s Spence and things could get messy. For the first time in our friendship, Mya is the one calling me out. And I’m not happy about it.

I leave the office in a huff, because she can’t seem to grasp the issue.

I arrive at the steakhouse to meet my mother and am surprised to find her standing with Bob outside. She canceled on our girls’ night and rescheduled for today. With her boyfriend.

I’d let the fact that she canceled slide off my back like it was nothing. If I don’t let it penetrate, it won’t hurt.

True story.

“Hey, sorry. I made the reservation for two. I didn’t realize Bob was joining us,” I say, as I hug my mother and then give Bob a brief hug.

“I called and switched it. He wanted to see you.”

I find that doubtful since we don’t really know one another.

We walk inside, pausing to give my name to the hostess, and she takes us to a table in the back. We strip off our jackets and my mother is noticeably tense. She seems very different than she did the night at the coffee shop. This is more like the Veronica Kingsley that I knew my entire life.

Unreadable.

Unpredictable.

And full of prickly edges.

The waiter walks over to the table and asks if we’d like anything to drink. I order a club soda with lime, Bob orders a Coke, and my mother orders a bottle of Cabernet.

Mom for the win.

Always full of surprises.

My shoulders tense and Bob looks over at her. The Neil Diamond song, “Love On The Rocks,” starts playing in the background softly and I want to fall over laughing.

It’s beyond fitting, as Bob looks like he’s about to start crying.

The waiter sets down three glasses and I hold my hand up and stop him from filling mine. I’m not going to join in on my mother falling off the wagon. She’s going to have to do this on her own.

Surprisingly, Bob allows his glass to be filled.

After we all three place our orders, I look at my mother as she pulls the glass to her lips.

“Do you really want to do that?”

She laughs. “It’s wine. It hardly counts. Bob and I have been having a glass every night this past week and we’re fine.”

Oh, really.

“I thought you were working on living a sober life?” I ask, and I hate the way my voice cracks as the words leave my mouth.

“You’ve always been too literal. Wine is a fruit and harmless. Don’t overthink it.”

I want to tell her that I’ve spent most of my life overthinking because that’s what you do when a parent bails on you. But I bite my tongue and sit there as the two of them polish off a bottle of wine, steak and lobster, and a nightcap.

I haven’t spoken more than three words and I’m wondering why I’m here.

They bicker and argue and my mother tells Bob that she isn’t happy. Bob cries—no, he sobs—and tells her that he loves her and begs her not to leave. I have sympathy for the man, because I’ve been in his shoes. But I feel like it probably would have hurt less if I’d only known her for a month.

The bill arrives. I’ve barely touched any food on my plate, and I suddenly know why I’m here.

“Sorry, sweetheart. I forgot my wallet. Do you mind getting this one? I’ll get the next one. Just you and me, next week.”

I nod and drop my card on the table.

I’m fairly certain that my mother brought me here to pay the bill and give her lover a farewell three-course, fine dining experience.

She leans in to hug me goodbye. “I’ve met someone that I want you to meet. I’ll call you next week. Thanks for helping me end things with Bob.”

I shake my head as I look at her, and she hops in an Uber as Bob stands there dumbfounded.

“Did you want to share a ride with me?” I ask, because I feel so bad for the poor bastard.

“Would you mind?” his voice trembles.

I want to tell him that he’s better off without her, but it feels like the wrong thing to say, seeing as she’s my mom. He sobs the entire way to his brother’s place and I hug him goodbye.

I’m tempted to go to my dad, but I don’t want to weigh him down with this. He wouldn’t say I told you so, but I’m saying it for him. He warned me and I did what I always do when it comes to my mother—I gave her another chance. Not only that, I played right into her manipulative hand.

God, I’m so much smarter than this. When will I learn?

Will I ever stop being that five-year-old girl inside who will do anything to have her mom come back and stay?

I tilt my head back and call Mya before the lump in my throat gets too hard to swallow around. I fill her in on what happened on my way home, and when Carl the Uber driver pulls into the parking lot in front of my place—the poor guy has heard enough drama tonight to last a lifetime—Spence Taylor is sitting on the steps outside my door.

“I’ll see you tomorrow. I’ve got to go.” I end the call to my bestie as she’s still asking questions. “Thanks, Carl,” I say before hopping out of the car.

Spence pushes to his feet, looking like every fantasy I’ve ever had.

Dark jeans running down his long legs. A navy pea coat. Plump kissable lips. And his eyes are an indistinguishable color of the sea that look right through me and seem to know all my secrets.

“Hey,” I say, unsure about what else to say. It’s been a crappy night and I’m so happy to see him. To feel something other than sad.

Other than disappointed.

Spence makes me feel so many things that I’m not used to. And for once, I want to know what it’s like to welcome that feeling instead of running from it.

He moves into my space, and his mouth crashes into mine. He lifts me off the ground and my legs come around his waist before he carries me toward the door.