AllFreeNovel
Share Us
The funny thing about this meeting? Miles doesn’t have a clue Barclay’s been invited. He thinks he’s having dinner with Maggie and me. I can’t wait. The element of surprise will give Barclay the advantage, and that’s everything when you’re dealing with the world’s most overprotective brother and seasoned policeman.
I put the last piece of clothing from the boxes into a drawer and Maggie comes into my room.
“How is this our apartment?” She spins around in glee. “I figured we’d be using milk crates for coffee tables and using blow-up beds for the first year.”
“I know.” I shut the dresser drawer and we step out of my bedroom. “I walk in every night after work and feel like I’ve broken into someone else’s place. It does seem more real having you here, though.”
“Now I just need to find a job. I thought I’d try a spa if I don’t land one in accounting right away. At least I’m a licensed masseuse.”
“Good idea. I’d try one down on Wall Street. Maybe you’ll have a client who can network for you. Or we can ask Barclay about some references.”
“Good idea, and thanks about Barclay, but I want to get this job on my own. I want to sit on top of the Empire State Building in victory.”
“Exactly how I felt,” I say, because she knows the story. I got my job at Hammond Press on my own, even if Trevor did help a bit by passing my résumé along to Mrs. Ratner. “Oh, did I tell you what happened to Trevor, Barclay’s creepy cousin?”
“Um, no.” She grabs her bag off the kitchen table as we get ready to head downstairs for dinner. Barclay’s reserved a booth in the back and is likely already waiting for us.
“He was fired last week. Canned and thrown out on his ass. He didn’t even get a severance package.”
“Let me guess,” she pushes the down button for the elevator, “he was inappropriate with a woman at work?”
“Bingo!” I sound like I just called the winning number. “The company couldn’t overlook his family connections after he was caught pressuring subordinates for sex, so the board told him to find the door.”
“He’s disgusting. I like sex, as you know, but can’t stand men who prey upon women or pay for it. Gross.” She shivers at the thought. “They need to earn it by treating us like ladies.”
“True,” I say. “Even your one-night stands need to take you out on a date.”
We both laugh and enter the elevator to descend to the lobby. I pray dinner goes well for everyone, but mostly for my sweet man.
46
Barclay
I throw back my bourbon and set the glass down on the bar. I’ve allowed myself one strong drink before dinner to calm my nerves. Hell, I don’t think I’ve felt this worked up about meeting a girl’s family since … well, ever.
Miles has every right to “put me through the ringer,” as Tessa calls it. I would feel the same way if I were in his shoes. But I’m not. I’m the one who has to prove himself worthy of Tessa, and I wonder if it’s even possible.
I take a seat at the table I’ve chosen for us. It’s to the side and back, leaving us more secluded from the hustle and bustle. There’s a guy about my height with blond hair who just sat down at the bar and immediately strikes up a conversation with Michael, the bartender.
He fits Tessa’s description of Miles and scribbles something on a small spiral pad. The kind you can fit into a pants pocket. It reminds me of a scene from Law and Order, and I know it’s him—the man I have to impress.
I wipe my hands over my black wool pants as Jeffrey, our best server, comes up to the table.
“Good evening, Mr. Hammond. How are you this evening?”
I refrain from telling him my nerves are on edge and everything I hold dear is on the line if I fuck this dinner up.
“Hanging in there.” I offer him a small smile.
“Would you like anything before the rest of your party joins you?”
“Bring me the bottle of Dom Perignon, two-thousand. But only open it once I give you the go-ahead. Thank you, Jeffrey.”
When I look toward the front of the restaurant, Tessa walks in with a pretty brunette by her side. I assume it’s Maggie, since the girl looks to be about Tessa’s age. They make a beeline toward the blond guy at the bar, confirming he is Miles.
When the three of them start their way to my table, Miles and I lock gazes. A flash of recognition and surprise appears in his eyes. He knows who I am and turns to Tessa with a tightened jaw. The smile he was wearing has transformed into something close to a sneer. He says something to Tessa, and worry spreads over her face.
