Love Drunk (Complete Series), page 6
“How can you say that? Everything I do is for—”
“When I got pregnant with your brother, he became the center of my existence. I loved my job, but Sean needed me. I adjusted my priorities to be the best possible mother for him.”
“I don’t have that option. You had Dad. I’m raising Chloe on my own. I can’t just quit my job.”
“That’s not what I’m suggesting. You need a job that allows for more flexibility in your schedule. Chloe needs her mother, especially at this age.”
“I’m doing the best I can.”
“Mmm-hmm. So you keep telling me. How is everything with Alex?”
There it was, yet another reminder of her failure to do right by Chloe. No husband, no father, no prospects. “Things are going well.” Yep, so well she’d practically been swooning over another man a couple of hours earlier.
“He seemed rather taken with you last time we spoke. Let’s hope he isn’t easily scared off by your career-obsessed tendencies.” She handed Mia a card. “Chloe made this for you.”
Jesus, did she ever love to rub salt in the wound. “Thanks again, Mom. Daddy is waiting in the car.”
“Have a good night.”
Mia collapsed on the couch and covered her eyes. Her mother would never respect her choices. Why bother fighting it?
Chapter 5
“I’m not trying to tell you how to live your life. I’m just concerned.” Rachel turned away from the stove and looked at Chris.
“Why are you so worried?” He peered into the refrigerator in his sister’s kitchen the next morning, his mind still focused on Mia and all the erotic fantasies she’d inspired. “Things are great, other than you being out of orange juice.”
“The acid irritates Emma’s stomach.”
Jake, his chocolate lab, trotted over and lifted his head expectantly. “Hey, boy! Are you taking good care of my girls?”
A faraway smile appeared on Rachel’s face. “He’s such a good dog. The girls adore him.”
Chris ran his hand over Jake’s furry coat. “I feel more comfortable that he’s here. You shouldn’t be alone with the girls. Besides, you feed him real food. It’s no wonder he wants to stay.”
“I don’t mean to meddle, but isn’t it time for you to settle down? Are you really happy?”
“Hmm, dating hot girls with no strings attached, no demands made, and no questions asked? What sane man wouldn’t be happy with that existence?” He grabbed a juice box from the counter. “I don’t want to get tied down right now. Why is that such a big deal?”
“You might miss the chance to meet someone great and build a life together.” Rachel flipped the fluffy pancakes on the griddle. “I just wish you’d start thinking long-term.”
“This is about Tommy, isn’t it?”
“Finding true love is a real gift. You never know how much time you’ll have with the right person.”
Losing her husband had nearly destroyed Rachel. That fateful night…Chris would never forget it. If he hadn’t stopped by the house to drop off Tommy’s sunglasses, if Rachel had been by herself when the police chief and chaplain came to deliver the news…
Tommy had been responding to a domestic abuse call by a repeat offender. It had never been anything too serious in the past, but that night, he’d fallen into a trap that was perpetrated by one of the most vicious gangs in northern California. They had an axe to grind with the Oakland police department after some of their top leaders had been killed during a recent drug raid. It was payback time, and Tommy had walked into the lion’s den with no hope of exiting.
The first anniversary of his death loomed over them like a black cloud. Rachel was obviously preoccupied with the upcoming memorial service to honor all the fallen officers who’d given their lives in the past year, and her pain was evident. Only an insensitive jackass would have ignored the signs. Christ, he really needed to take his head out of his ass and pay more attention to what was going on around him.
He rubbed her shoulders as she turned the bacon. “I’m sorry. I know you’re only looking out for me, and I love you for it. You and the girls are the most important women in my life.”
Rachel’s eyes filled with tears. “I love you too, and I can’t tell you how much I appreciate everything you do for us. I wouldn’t have made it through the past year without you.”
“You guys mean everything to me. I’ll always be here for you. Think about how slighted the girls would feel if I disappeared to hang around with some new girl. They need stability right now.”
“Tommy and I had something really special. Is it so bad for me to want that for you? You can’t be everything to everyone, and I refuse to let you throw away your shot at a full life because you feel obligated to take care of us. Why don’t you let me introduce you to a few girls I’ve—”
“No way. I don’t need a matchmaker. Besides, I’m too busy with work.”
“How’s everything going?”
“Great.”
“That’s all I get? A one-word answer?”
“Work is going great. There, you got a three-word bonus.”
“Do you have to be so evasive all the time?”
“I’m a guy. We don’t do details, and we’re happy with one-word answers. We like things to be very black and white.” He snatched a strip of well-done bacon. “Mmm. Nice and crispy. You’re the best, sis. You always take such great care of your baby bro.”
“Don’t change the subject.”
“Sorry, you know I’m master of the segue.”
Lizzie and Emma ran into the kitchen, still dressed in their fuzzy pink robes and slippers. “Uncle Chris!”
“Hey! The two prettiest little girls in the whole world are having breakfast with me? I’m the luckiest guy ever!”
Lizzie yelped as he tickled her belly. “Can you stay for a while and play American Girl with us?”
“I’d love to, but I need to take a little trip to San Francisco this morning.”
“Oh.” He hated to disappoint them. The crestfallen looks on their little faces were almost too much to bear. Rachel was right. It was impossible to be everything, but he’d sure as hell try. “Will you come back later?”
“Girls, Uncle Chris has things to do. Lizzie, you have basketball this afternoon, and you still have to clean those messy bedrooms.”
Chris ruffled Lizzie’s hair. “Don’t worry. I promise I’ll stop by tomorrow.”
Rachel raised an eyebrow. “Date tonight?”
“Maybe. But it won’t be a love connection, so don’t get too excited.” Kate wasn’t taking no for an answer. It was time to stop fantasizing about Mia and move on with his life.
Rachel handed him a plate piled high with his favorite breakfast foods. “Here you go, my dear, sweet, man-whore brother,” she whispered.
“No need for name-calling. You’re a better person than that.”
“Fine, do what you want. I can’t save you.”
Chris stuffed a forkful of pancakes into his mouth. “You can’t save someone who doesn’t want to be saved. No more talk of setups with the mommy crew, deal?”
Rachel glowered at him. “Deal.”
Lizzie looked up from her plate. “Mom, you should introduce Uncle Chris to Chloe’s mom. She’s really nice and pretty.”
“I’m sure Chloe’s mom is terrific, but I have a date tonight with a very nice girl named…um…” He paused for a moment, drawing a blank for the umpteenth time. “Kate!” He put his empty plate in the sink. “I’ve got to pick up Jay now. I’ll call you later.”
“Have fun on your date.”
He kissed the girls and saluted Rachel. “I always do.”
Half an hour later, the Audi squealed up to the curb in front of James’s house, and Chris leaned on the horn. After a minute of waiting, he grabbed the phone and dialed his dad. “Hey, Pop. How are you feeling?”
“Hey, pal. I’m hanging in there. The x-rays didn’t show anything out of the ordinary, so the doctor scheduled me for an MRI. We’ll see. The pain’s not too bad. It comes and goes.”
“That’s good. Try to stay off the leg. Do you have enough apple pie to get you through the weekend?”
His dad snickered. “The pantry is fully stocked.”
“How’s the stash of vanilla ice cream?”
“I’m still working my way through the last carton.”
“I’ll bring some over tomorrow. Hey, I was thinking that we should pick a day and take the girls out. Rach needs some time off.”
“Yeah, she’s been in a real funk lately, and she shuts down every time I try to talk to her about things. A break would do her good. How about next weekend?”
“Sounds good. I’ll let her know.”
“What are you up to tonight? Hot date?”
“Of course. It’s Saturday.” A few weeks ago, his words wouldn’t have been so forced. Saturday nights had always been filled with interesting and erotic possibilities, none of which appealed to him in the least at that moment.
“Have fun and be safe. I’ll see you tomorrow.”
He clicked off the phone as James tore out of the house with a large duffel bag slung over his shoulder.
Chris tapped the steering wheel. “Any day now.”
James hopped into the passenger seat. “You know, I’ve spent a good part of my life waiting on you.”
“It’s different this time.”
“Why? Because it’s the first time the tables are turned?”
“Exactly. By the way, why didn’t Jess drive you? Aren’t you guys leaving for Napa this morning?”
“That car of hers is such a lemon. It’s brand-new and has more issues than a car ten years older. She dropped it off at the dealership earlier and took an Uber home. Sorry to drag you back to the wharf, but I had no choice.”
Chris maneuvered the Audi onto I-280 headed toward San Francisco. His thoughts returned to the night before as James griped about the incompetence of the service department manager. The charge that zipped through him when his fingers grasped Mia’s arm…what the hell was that? Sure, she was insanely hot with a body that didn’t quit, but his attraction went way beyond her looks. He just couldn’t pinpoint it. He was in deep. There was no denying it. And then alcohol coupled with lust had turned him into a spastic idiot. Had he been testing her? Testing himself? His comments had been completely out of line. What if Mia went to Paul and asked him to assign LazerShark to another investment manager? What the fuck had he been thinking? James would murder him if he messed things up with Blue Coat. Good thing he’d been more focused on sexting with Jessica.
“So I guess I was worried for nothing, huh?” James’s question sent him reeling back to the present.
“What?” Chris veered around a slow-moving car and pressed his foot on the gas.
“Didn’t you hear anything I just said?”
“Nope. Sorry. I have a lot on my mind. Tell me again?”
“I said I’m glad Mia’s not your type after all.”
“My type? I have a type?”
“Um, yeah, you do. Blonde hair, fake boobs, empty-head. Sound familiar?”
“Purely coincidental. It’s not like fake boobs are a requirement.”
“Just a nice-to-have?”
“Here we go again. Why are you being so critical? And be careful about how your answer. I’ll dump your ass off at the corner and make you hoof it the rest of the way.”
“Don’t be so sensitive. I’m just saying Mia’s not the usual girl you date. It’s actually a good thing because our professional relationship isn’t in jeopardy before we even start working together.” James scrolled through some emails. “I need to get back in touch with those guys at Atlas Media. Their game is finally ready. We need to sync up our marketing plans before the launch.”
Chris gritted his teeth as he sped toward the wharf. Why was his lifestyle such a point of contention? He didn’t get involved with anyone else’s choices. Why couldn’t everyone just leave him alone?
Or was he just being defensive because he was finally tired of it all?
It wasn’t purely boredom that made him question his own agenda. It was Mia. She was smart, sassy, witty, and driven. The woman exuded confidence and sex appeal. He wanted that. He wanted her.
“Do you think I’m that superficial?”
“You’re not interested in a commitment. That’s why you pick those girls. There’s no risk of getting attached. I just don’t know why you’re afraid to find the right one.”
Chris pulled into the parking lot. “I think what you and Jessica have is great. I’m really happy for you guys. I’ve never found that before.”
“Maybe you just didn’t look hard enough. I know things with Jess and me happened fast. There were a lot of curve balls thrown our way, too. But there was a connection we couldn’t ignore, and we knew we were both in it for the long haul.”
Connection? Like what he’d felt with Mia last night? People always said things like this happened when you least expected them. It figured. For the first time in his life, he didn’t want to walk away, and that was exactly what he had to do.
Chapter 6
Mia massaged her throbbing head. Oh God, why had she drunk so much last night? All that champagne…
“Morning, Mommy!” Chloe bounded into Mia’s room and climbed into bed next to her.
“Hi, pumpkin.” Mia swallowed a groan as she struggled to sit up. Cottonmouth with a vodka aftertaste — what a charming mix. “Did you sleep well?”
“Yep. Are you okay? You have black stuff all over your face.”
“I got home late and fell asleep as soon as I lay down. I was too tired to take off my makeup.”
“Poor Mom. What are we going to do today?” Her eyes lit up. “Can we go to breakfast?”
The thought of choking down a single morsel of food was enough to send her flying into the bathroom, clutching the toilet for dear life. “Sure. Why don’t you brush your teeth and get dressed? We’ll leave in about ten minutes.”
“Yay!” Chloe jumped off the bed and tore out of the room singing “Let It Go” from Frozen.
One more deep breath. She gingerly swung her legs over the side of the bed and made the colossal mistake of standing. Waves of nausea crashed over her. Screw moving slowly. She ran into the bathroom and locked the door, praying Chloe was still in her room singing at the top of her lungs.
Before her stomach revolted, she’d had the good sense to turn on the shower. Anything to drown out the noise. After a few wretched minutes, she collapsed onto the floor. The cool tiles felt so good against her flushed cheek. This must be what death felt like.
Hazy memories from the night before tumbled around in her mind. What the heck did it all mean? Was Chris interested in her? Or was she just so blitzed out of her mind that she’d misread everything he’d said? And how had James missed all of it? He seemed like a pretty perceptive guy. Maybe if he’d been able to drag himself away from his phone for longer than five minutes…
When Chris had touched her…oh God. His fingers had damn near singed her skin. No words had been exchanged in that moment, but his desire was plain as day. She couldn’t have imagined it. Jesus, what had she been thinking by flirting with him? Encouraging the behavior was just as bad as initiating it. Alex would probably agree. Besides, even if things were different, Chris was the type to go running for the hills if he found out about Chloe.
Mia dragged herself off the floor, turned off the shower, and splashed water on her mascara-streaked face. A swipe of a makeup remover wipe eliminated remnants of the evening before. She pulled her hair into a ponytail after a vigorous tooth-brushing. Her phone buzzed on the nightstand.
“Well, if it isn’t my long-lost brother.”
“Very funny, smart ass. You do know I work, right?”
“Don’t be so sensitive. I’m just teasing.”
“You don’t sound good. What’s wrong?”
“I had a late night out with colleagues and drank way too much. Then I had to deal with more shit from Mom when I got home.”
“You never could hold your liquor. I hope you didn’t make an ass of yourself.”
“Ha ha. I was fine, thank you. Anyway, what’s up? Do you have a reason for calling or are you just bored and looking for some entertainment at the expense of your little sister?”
“Actually, I was calling with a proposition, but if you’re going to be that way…”
“Proposition? You’ve got my attention.”
“Jana mentioned you were invited to some event in San Francisco tonight.”
“Yes, but I’m not going because there’s no way in hell I’d ask Mom to watch Chloe. I’m so angry with her right now, I could spit.”
“Let us take Chloe for you. Go and enjoy yourself. You’re meeting that guy Alex, right? How is he? You like him?”
“Yeah…”
“You don’t sound convinced. What’s his problem?”
“Nothing. It’s just…we’re taking things slow.” And he wasn’t Chris Camden.
“Hang in there, kid. Things don’t always click right away. You don’t have to marry the guy. Take the night off and try to have a good time. Don’t worry about Mom. You know she’ll never change.”
“Yeah, but why is her wrath reserved for me? She never says boo to you. Why am I so privileged?”
“Stop acting like a victim. Tell her how you feel. Clear the air. It isn’t doing you any good to grouse about it behind her back.”
“Thanks. So glad you’re on my side.”
“Look, I know Mom is really hard on you, but be an adult and confront her. Don’t complain about it and then shy away from the issues. You won’t solve anything that way.”
Having a conversation with her mother would be a futile effort. Susan would never change, and she obviously didn’t care that her relationship with Mia was rapidly deteriorating. They would never see eye to eye. Ever. “Can we get back to this proposition? If I decided to take you up on the offer, how would it work?”
