“I have to go workout with Fields and Miller.” He walks into the bathroom to brush his teeth like this is nothing.
“I thought we were spending the day together?”
“We are. It won’t take long.”
“Where are you working out?”
“Fields’ garage.” When he’s finished, he crawls back over me.
“Since when?” I knew they were getting closer but being invited to an off day workout in Preston’s garage gym, that’s different. He’s infiltrating my life entirely at this point and it feels really fast all the sudden.
“I told you. Your friends like me, Princess. Think I’m the third member of the bromance at this point.”
“You’re just going to walk over there?” His phone rings and he answers it while looking at me and answering both my question and the caller’s question as well.
“On my way. Walking over now, Mills.” He hangs up the call before cutting off my protest of them finding out he’s coming from my house.
“My car has been in your driveway for days. I don’t think there’s any hiding where I am, Bree.” He drops a kiss on my forehead and pops off the bed. “Now think about what I said. I’ll see you over there.” He doesn’t wait for a response and leaves the bedroom, jogging down the stairs and out the back door like this is an everyday occurrence.
My phone pings, and I check it to find a response from Miller.
MILLER
Probably because he was in your bed just now.
I flop back in bed and throw my hands over my face. “Ughhhhhh!” We are so not good at this secret relationship.
ME
I hate you.
MILLER
Sure you do, Gabbadoo.
Switching to the group chat, I finally respond.
ME
Anything I can bring?
IVORY
Nope, I’ve got it covered.
Come over whenever you want.
As I shower and get ready to head to Ivory’s, I think about what Chase said. Am I only worried about going public because of my job, or is there something deeper at work here? I’m known to self-sabotage. My relationship history isn’t the best. I’ve never been the girl someone chose. Even my parents chose things over me. My focus on achieving and making a name for myself in this industry has taken center stage in my life.
Anything else has fallen by the wayside.
The same goes for friendships. I didn’t have friends in town. I had Ivory and Taylor, but Ivory didn’t move here until a few years ago, and Taylor still didn’t live here despite visiting often. I had my dream job, a house, and made a good quiet life for myself. I didn’t need anything else. But one night in St. John showed me what it was to feel desired. To not worry about the complications of reality. To let go and live. It was a blip in time, thought of often but not intended to happen again.
Then he showed up seven months later and all those feelings of freedom came rushing back. It’s what drove me to say fuck it and give into him. To take something for myself for once. Consequences be damned. I wish I could say that was the end ofmy overthinking. The decision was made, and the rest was history, but it’s not how I’m wired. Time and experience told me that secrets don’t stay buried, and the more time we spend together, the more people who know our secret, the more likely it was to come out.
I’m a woman of logic and reason. The optics of being caught sleeping with the newest member of the team— one I’m in charge of monitoring for purposes of both the plea deal with the DA and the investigation with the MLB—isn’t a good look. It could be career suicide. If someone wanted to report me, they could.
On the other hand, Chase has a point. It shouldn’t matter if my friends know. Hell, Miller already knows, and it seems Preston does as well. I doubt Preston kept it a secret from Ivory, and Taylor already told me to go for it. If I can’t trust my friends with this secret, who can I trust? So, what’s the problem?
