She probably just wants to get back to that and I’m not going to deny her.
After I settle the bill, we head out. We’re at the entrance when I spot Baxter coming in.
Fuck.
I place my hand on Maddie’s lower back, set to steer her away, but Baxter spots us.
“Miss Lowe and my favorite brother.” His grin grows wide as he stops before us and holds out his arms.
She glances at me and smiles right before she tucks herself in them for a brief second.
I know she’s proving that Baxter’s presence annoys me. But what she doesn’t know is that it’s because he wants her. And I won’t let him have her.
“Baxter.” I ignore the bro hug he tries to initiate. “What are you doing here?”
“Coming in from tennis practice.” He waves his hand to his running shoes paired with jersey shorts and a shirt that molds to his biceps. “And what are you two up to?”
“Having lunch. With my girlfriend.”
“Huh.” He looks between us, then asks Maddie, “How was lunch?”
“Delicious. You’re going to enjoy it.”
“Oh, I know. I come here a lot.” He looks at me like‘you don’t, why now?’
I won’t dignify that look with a response. I wouldn’t have brought Maddie if I knew there was a likelihood that we would run into each other.
“Wait, so after tennis and lunch you’ll return to the office?” Maddie asks.
He laughs. “No. I don’t roll the way Chance does. The world is my oyster.” He splays his hands.
“Shut your sweaty pits.” To Maddie, I say, “He takes possible investors on fun little dates and convinces them to invest with us.”
“Oh.” She nods.
“Yep.” Baxter winks. “And because I’m not petty I won’t take offense to Chance belittling my very serious, very important job.”
“I’m sure he didn’t mean that.” She turns to me, her face solemn.
“He did,” Baxter says.
“I did,” I concur.
Before she can delve more into our weird dynamic, an older couple comes up to stand next to Baxter.
“Mr. and Mrs. Kelly, this is my brother, CEO Chance Easton, and his assistant, Maddie Lowe.”
Maddie and I exchange handshakes with the Kellys.
“She’s my girlfriend, too,” I add.
Mrs. Kelly smiles. “You two look wonderful, dear.”
“And we’ll need to sit with you soon, Mr. Easton,” Mr. Kelly says.
“Chance, please.”
He nods. “Right now, we’re hungry.”
