“We have company, Hollywood. Don’t start something you can’t finish.” He squeezes her ass with a wink. “Ribs are done if you girls are ready.”
“Let’s eat.” Ivory claps her hands together and we all help move the food and utensils outside to the long picnic tableunder their covered porch. Miller and Chase are sitting on the couch in front of the fireplace with a TV mounted over it, but they both spring into action as we finish setting the table for a feast. Preston made ribs on the smoker and Ivory went overboard with a salad, fruit tray, potato salad, and coleslaw.
“Wow, this looks delicious. Thank you for having me,” Chase says politely sitting down next to Gabby.
“Glad you could make it Chase. Sorry it’s taken so long to get one of these together. We try to spend the off day together as much as possible, but our schedules have been crazy.” Ivory passes her plate to Preston where he’s dishing up the ribs.
“You outdid yourself, Ivey.” Miller places a kiss on her cheek before he sits down beside me.
“Is Daddy Mike coming by today?” I ask, already knowing the answer.
Preston answers, “Not today. He’s meeting Grant and Ben for lunch to go over the roster and see if there’s anyone in Triple A they should move to the active roster for the postseason.”
“He’s pretty involved for a team owner,” Chase comments, dishing up Gabby’s plate. I smile at him taking care of her. This isn’t some fling for him. It’s the real deal and I can tell Gabby’s already falling for him. She deserves that kind of love.
“Boss man is super involved. I think it was one of the conditions when Coach agreed to come to Nashville.”
I tilt my head. “What do you mean?” I hadn’t heard this.
“Dad would’ve stayed in Tampa for the rest of his career, or at least until they gave him the boot. There’s only one person he would’ve entertained an offer from.”
“Well yeah, you’re here, so obviously he’d want to be closer to you,” Chase weighs in.
“Not me.” Ivory smiles and looks back at me. “Grant.”
My mind is spinning. What does that mean? I want to ask more questions, but then that would draw attention to my secrets, and I’m not ready to share with them yet. Today is for Gabby declaring her relationship with Chase.
Sensing I need a change of subject, Gabby asks Ivory about her Christmas movie and the upcoming dating competition we’ve planned to create buzz around the release. I zone out while they talk about all the details I’m already intimately familiar with as Ivory’s agent.
“You okay, Blondie?” Miller leans over and whispers to me.
I nod. “Fine.”
“You’re quiet today.” He eyes me and my barely eaten plate of food skeptically.
“That time of the month, so I’m not feeling well.”
“Can I get you anything? You can leave if you want. I’ll create a diversion so you can sneak out.” He looks around conspiratorially.
“It’s okay, Mills.” I pat his shoulder. “But thank you.”
“I’ve got you, Tay baby.”
I tense at the nickname. Miller’s always giving us nicknames, but he’s never called me that before. That’s Grant’s name for me.
“Don’t call me that.”
He assesses me carefully.
“Please,” I beg.
“Sorry, Taytie Tot. Won’t happen again.” He may be the goofy one of our group, and we may like to take swipes at each other, but he’s an extremely loyal and vulnerable friend.
True to his word, Miller diverts attention away from me for the rest of lunch, and as soon as I’m able, I bail with the excuse of needing to get back for an urgent client meeting.
When I make it back to the penthouse, Grant’s still gone. Relieved to be alone for a while, I pad down the hall to my room and sink into the plush bedding for a nap, but before I can fall asleep, my phone chimes from the bedside table.
JOSH
