Love Drunk (Complete Series), page 7
“We’d pick Chloe up from basketball practice, take her to a very delicious and calorie-laden dinner, load her up on sweets, and let her stay up late while you do whatever you’re going to do.”
“It sounds tempting. Chloe would have a blast.”
“Guaranteed. So what do you think?”
“Sounds fabulous. I really appreciate it. You guys are awesome. I don’t know what I’d do without you.”
“Anytime. We need the practice anyway. See you around four?”
“Great. I’ll meet you at the school. Now I need to get my ass up so I can take my little girl for…“ She shuddered. “…breakfast.”
“Take some Tylenol and suck it up. Jesus, weren’t you in college once?”
“Bye!” She clicked off the phone. “Hey, Chloe! You hungry? Let’s roll!”
“Are they dry yet?” Mia peered at Chloe’s bright red toes wiggling under the dryer at the nail salon.
“I think so. This was a great morning. I had a lot of fun.”
“I’m glad, cupcake.”
Chloe’s expression darkened. “Mom, can I ask you something?”
“Sure. What’s on your mind?”
“Are you upset about the fight you had with Grandma last night?”
“You heard us arguing?”
“Yes. I wasn’t sleeping when you got home. I heard you yelling at each other.”
“Sweetie, it’s fine. Grandma and I just had a difference of opinion, that’s all. Nothing for you to worry about.”
“I heard her say you’re not around enough, but that’s not true.”
“Grandma just loves you so much she wants to protect you and to make sure you have as much love around you as possible. Always.” She was also a complete bitch who couldn’t see past her nose, but that was a story for another day.
“She sounded pretty angry, but I’m not upset about anything. Don’t I get a say?”
“You always have a say. If you’re ever bothered by something, I want you to tell me about it. Promise?”
“Promise. Can I ask you something else?”
Mia nodded. Oh God, now what?
“Do you still miss my dad? Does it still make you sad he died?”
“Of course I miss him, sweetie. He was a very special part of my life — so smart, sweet, and loving. But even though he isn’t around, I still love our life together. Are you upset it’s just the two of us?”
“No. I wish I got to meet my dad, but I know he’s in heaven looking down on us. Maybe someday I’ll have another one.”
Dammit, was her mother right? Was she really looking out for Chloe’s best interests by pushing men away? Lusting after a guy she couldn’t ever have — was that just another symptom of her commitment issues? “Maybe you will. Hey listen, how about we go to Jamba Juice for a smoothie?”
“Really? I’m getting the biggest Strawberry Banana Explosion they have. Let’s go!”
Mia paid for the pedicures, and they walked next door in matching flip-flops.
“I love the design on my big toes. It’s so cool.” She pointed at Mia’s feet and shook her head. “So boring. Plain old pink. Not even a fun pink.”
Mia snickered. “I can’t walk around the office with big old flowers on my bright red toenails. I’m lucky I can get away with wearing peep toe shoes.”
“It’s okay, I get it. Boring finance job equals boring toes.”
“That about sums it up.” Mia squinted at the menu board. “Hmm, what am I in the mood for?”
“Let me guess. Pomegranate Paradise?”
Mia spun around, nearly colliding with Chris. Her heart gave an inexplicable lurch. She tugged at her messy ponytail. Sweats, flip-flops, toe separators. It didn’t get much sexier than that. “Am I really that transparent? Or does this getup just absolutely scream Pomegranate Paradise?”
“Nah, your getup screams something entirely different, like maybe Carrot Orange Fusion. But Pomegranate Paradise is my favorite, and I was curious to see if we were still on the same wavelength.”
Hell yeah, they were. Little hairs on the back of her neck prickled at the realization. “Evidently we are. It’s actually my favorite, too.”
“Mom, who is that?” Chloe whispered, nudging her hip.
“Chris, this is my daughter, Chloe. We were just stopping in for a treat after our pedicures.”
“Daughter? Oh, wow, I didn’t know…you look really young to have a…I mean—”
Mia stifled a laugh. Chris Camden stammers? She bet none of his lady friends had seen him react that way before. “Thanks. I’ll take that as a compliment.”
He flashed a smile at Chloe. “Your mom and I just started working together. So tell me, do you love Jamba Juice as much as I do?”
“I bet I love it more!”
“Oh yeah? I come here all the time, sometimes twice a day.”
Chloe’s cheeks turned pink, and she giggled. “Okay, you win. We only come once a week. But I wish we came every day.”
“My nieces love it, too, and I take them here all the time. All the crushed fruit and yogurt really gets them nice and crazy. My sister hates me for it.” He grinned at Chloe. “What grade are you in?”
“Fourth,” Chloe answered, her response accompanied by an uncharacteristic hint of shyness. Mia bit her lip to keep from smiling. How about that? Her little girl had a crush. Those dimples could charm ladies of all ages.
Once they got to the counter, Chris ordered and paid for the drinks. He handed them to Mia and Chloe with a flourish.
She grasped the cup, her fingers grazing his. Neither pulled away. The devilish glint in his eyes sent tingles racing down her spine. Breathing suddenly became a chore, and a commanding voice exploded inside her head. Drop the cup! Bury every craving! Run as fast as you can! But her body vehemently refused to oblige. All the reasons why they could never be together swarmed her brain, and the biggest one was staring at Chris with a look of adoration on her face. But dammit, that spark was so powerful. It was impossible to ignore.
“Thanks.” Chloe smiled, her large blue eyes shining.
“You’re very welcome.” He looked at Mia. “Any big plans for tonight? Are you hitting the town with your fancy pedicures?”
“Hardly. My brother and sister-in-law are babysitting so I can go to an event in San Francisco.”
“Sounds cool. Work-related?”
It could be a great networking opportunity for LazerShark. Or was she grasping at straws to see him again? Mia met his gaze and hesitated. No, no, no, not a good idea. How would Alex react to her bringing another guy? And her mother would be furious with her if she found out.
“Well, kind of. Some of my old clients will be there.” Yes, old clients and the guy she was dating.
“Do you need a plus one for this event?”
A tingling sensation swept up the back of her neck. “I’m already a plus one. But it would be good for you to meet some potential investors if you don’t have plans.”
“Great. What’s the address?”
“It’s at Broadway Studios.” Why didn’t he press her about the plus one comment? She chewed her straw as he typed in the venue name. Maybe she was the one barking up the wrong tree.
“Thanks for the invite.” He glanced at his watch. “Shoot, I’m late. Nice meeting you, Chloe.” The mischievous gleam reappeared. “I’ll see you later, Mia.”
Mia pulled out her toe separators and tossed them into a nearby trashcan, mentally reviewing her closet. It was just plain wrong for her to be so excited about seeing him, especially since she’d be with Alex.
But that didn’t yank her from the delicious daydream.
“He’s really nice. I like him, Mom.”
Mia clasped Chloe’s hand and bit her lip. “Yeah, me too.”
Chris shook his head as he drove, still dumbfounded by the exchange. So she had a daughter. He never saw that coming. No wedding ring. Could there be a dad somewhere? Wait, why was he even wasting his time wondering? A kid was just one more reason to steer clear. Yeah, so clear he practically strong-armed her into inviting him to that event. And what about the plus one comment? She could be seeing someone for all he knew. Since when did he need to beg for dates, especially with women who’d made their ambivalence toward him crystal clear? Sure, the chase was fun, but he had too many other things on his plate, like LazerShark, the whole reason he’d been thrown together with Mia in the first place. Dammit. Could he even conjure up a single thought that didn’t involve her? He raised the volume on the stereo, trying to focus his attention on anything other than how hot she looked in sweats of all things.
It was a good thing James and Jessica were in Napa. He didn’t need the third-degree from his best friend, although he was sure there would be some choice comments flung his way when James returned.
His cell phone buzzed. Kate. Dammit. He’d been so eager to see Mia again that he’d forgotten about his actual date.
“Hey, Chris. I’m so excited for tonight.”
Chris ran a hand through his hair. “Listen, I’m really sorry, but I need to cancel. I have to go to an event tonight to meet with some investors.” It was true, for the most part.
“Oh, really?”
He hated that voice. Leading her on was just cruel. He wasn’t a complete prick, and she deserved someone whose mind wasn’t flooded with carnal thoughts of another woman. “Kate, the other night was a lot of fun. I don’t want to hurt your feelings, but I think we—”
“It’s okay, I get it.” Her clipped tone dripped with disdain. “I was good enough for you to take home but not good enough to take out. Well, fuck you, Chris. I won’t be your doormat.” The line went dead.
“Jesus, didn’t I make it clear I wasn’t looking for anything serious? Was that really necessary?”
Mia’s face popped into his head again, and he slammed his hand on the leather steering wheel. “Why? Is it because I know I can’t have her?”
Nope. It was because he still wanted her.
Chapter 7
Mia squinted at the plastic contact lens in the palm of her hand. It had to be inside out. The burning sensation confirmed her suspicion. A few more squirts of the saline solution and she was finally able to pop it back into her red-rimmed eye. Her eyes begged for the dark-framed glasses sitting on her dresser, but vanity won out.
Her phone vibrated on the counter, and Jana’s name flashed on the screen. She swiped at the tears streaming down her cheek and grabbed the phone. “Hey, is everything okay?”
“Umm-hmm. I’m calling because Chloe mentioned something very interesting that I just had to confirm.”
“Oh, she did?”
“Yes. She said you met a very handsome work friend at Jamba Juice named Chris, and you asked him out on a date. Did our little girl get that right? Because if she did, you’ve got a whole lot of blanks to fill in for me.”
“That’s not exactly how it happened.” Mia ran a strand of hair through the flat iron and jumped as the plate singed her ear. “Dammit!”
“Burned your ear again?”
“Ugh, yes. You know how much I hate this primping crap.”
“Stop changing the subject. Tell me about your date. And then tell me how your real date is going to handle it.”
“Ha ha. Alex and I aren’t even going together. I’m meeting him there. And I thought it would be good for Chris to come because it’s such a sports-driven event. He can meet a lot of influential people. Totally aboveboard.”
“Bullshit.”
Mia let out a frustrated sigh. “What do you want me to say? I’m attracted to Chris, but he’s not the guy for me. I’m not going to mess things up with Alex. I’m happy with him.”
“How do you think Alex will react?”
“It’s professional. Alex shouldn’t feel threatened, and I’m sure Chris will be just fine on his own.”
“Sounds like you’re getting pretty dolled up. What are you wearing?”
Mia bit her lip. “The, um, black corset dr—”
“The one I just made for you? I’m sure that little number won’t send the wrong message at all.” She snickered. “Oh well, since Chris can’t taste a sample, you may as well give him something yummy to look at.”
Mia combed her fingers through the shiny, stick-straight locks and smiled. Maybe his reaction was one tiny reason she’d chosen that ensemble, not that she’d admit it to anyone. “Sure, who wouldn’t appreciate a little eye candy?”
Chris took a deep breath as he pulled up to Broadway Studios. The erratic heartbeat was uncharacteristic for him, but somehow everything he’d considered normal in his life before meeting Mia was now upside down. He handed the valet a ten-dollar bill and grabbed his jacket from the backseat. Celebrity athletes spilled out of the front entrance as camera shutters snapped, fast and furious. Paparazzi lined the sidewalk for the red-carpet event. This was the place for him to sell the crap out of LazerShark, except business opportunities were the furthest things from his mind.
His eyes swept the front entrance. No sign of her. Maybe she was already inside as someone else’s plus one? Christ, he was pathetic. Of course she was on a date. Even blinded by lust, he could read between the lines. Yet, here he was, on point to crash the party.
“Chris Camden!”
Chris spun in the direction of the voice and stifled a groan. The sales guy in him forced a smile, burying distaste for the young man approaching him. “Alex Gardner. Where the hell have you been hiding?”
Alex clapped Chris on the back. “Man, it’s good to see you. I hear LazerShark is getting a ton of buzz. Good for you guys. How’s Jay doing?”
“He’s great, spending the weekend with his girlfriend in Napa. What are you doing here? I thought you were still in New York.”
“Nah, I relocated awhile back. New York didn’t work out quite as I’d hoped.” He flashed a sheepish smile. “I’m at Major League Investments now. We’re working with some venture capital firms to raise interest in a new fund. This is the perfect place to bring in a lot of big money investors.”
“Sounds like a good plan. Liquor them up first, pitch them second.” Javier Lopez strolled past them as the crowd cheered. “No pun intended.”
Alex laughed. “Come on, let’s get a drink.”
Chris glanced around one more time. He needed to ditch this guy. One drink would go down fast enough, leaving him to work the room. Jay would kill him if he didn’t walk away with any prospective partner leads. “Sounds great.”
The bar was packed with A-list athletes, publicists, and agents. Chris let out a low whistle. “Not bad. Looks like you’re gonna have a pretty prosperous night.”
“We’ll see. Just because they’ve got a lot of cash doesn’t mean they’re willing to part with it. They need to be sold on the upside potential, like anyone else. Fortunately, the fund is made up of great companies that have a ton of backing. Who knows? Maybe one day LazerShark may even find its way into one of these tech funds.”
Condescending prick. “No doubt. Pretty soon you’ll be pitching for us too.”
“Sure thing, man.” Something by the entrance caught Alex’s eye.
Chris followed his gaze. His breath caught as Mia glided through the crowd. Glossy hair streamed over her bronzed shoulders, a confident look in her caramel-colored eyes. She was gorgeous, and, judging by the way all the men in the crowd were gawking at her, it was a generally shared opinion.
“Mia Bradshaw. She’s something else, huh?” Chris’s fist twitched at his side, ready to punch the wicked grin off Alex’s face. Smug bastard. “We’ve been seeing each other for a couple of months. I’m hoping to see a whole lot more tonight.”
“You’re dating her?” Impending dread washed over him. Mia and Alex? She was his fucking plus one?
“Is that so surprising?”
The guy was a complete fucking tool. Couldn’t she see that? “No. Just coincidence, that’s all. She’s our new investment manager.”
“I should have guessed since she’s at Blue Coat now. Business associates, huh? Good thing, I thought for a second we were gonna have an issue.”
She couldn’t seriously be interested in this clown.
He swallowed hard as she sidled toward them, oblivious to all the blatant stares. A short, black cocktail dress clung to her lithe frame and accentuated every curve. It left just enough to the imagination, and he fought the urge to pull her close and run his hands over her—
“Fashionably late, as usual. You look amazing.” Alex kissed Mia’s cheek as Chris averted his eyes. Being the third wheel wasn’t on his agenda for the evening, and he’d be damned if he’d stick around and watch Alex fawn all over her for hours on end.
“I can’t make it anywhere on time. It’s a horrible vice.” Mia turned to Chris, and a smile lit up her face. “I’m glad you made it.”
It was hard to miss Alex’s shocked expression. Point, Camden.
He didn’t like to lose, especially to a scumbag like Gardner who’d dabbled in gambling and drugs for years until his powerful U.S. Senator father had magically erased all black marks from his record.
“Yeah, Camden and I are old friends, aren’t we?” Alex put a strong hand on Chris’s shoulder. “I hear you guys are working together now.”
“Yes, Alex and I go way back.” Far enough to know he was a lying, cheating sack of shit who wasn’t worthy of Mia or Chloe.
Mia nodded. “Small world, huh?”
Chris drained the rest of his drink and slammed the empty glass on the bar. “I’m going to walk around. I’ll catch up with you guys later.” Mingling was never an issue for him. There were always plenty of prospects eager to turn his head, which was exactly what he needed. A distraction with double Ds poured into a skintight dress, parading around in stilettos. Maybe that would help ignore the heaviness in his chest as peals of her melodious laughter floated into the air around him. With clenched fists, he tore his eyes away from the bar. Anger bubbled to the surface. Couldn’t she see the guy was a total asshole?
Not that it mattered. Alex or no Alex, Mia wasn’t about to risk her career and livelihood for a fling with him. Sure, their chemistry was palpable, but it wouldn’t ever be enough. She wanted stability, and he was the king of volatility.
