I kept scrolling through images that portrayed a wholesome family: three beautiful daughters, a perfect home, anda husband who seemed devoted to his wife. “Do you think he loves her?” I asked.
“It sure looks like it. It shows that most of these men are just boys.”
“Yeah, boys with too much cash available to them.” I wondered what would happen if my brother-in-law ever strayed, he seemed so devoted, but were all those road trips too much temptation?
And right about then, my boy with too much available cash decided to check in with me.
Jonathan: I picked up your gown. It’s in your closet.
Me: You brought it to my apartment?
Jonathan had been trying to get me to leave more and more of my things at his place. Lately, he’d been referring to the empty closet as mine. I tried to keep it lighthearted, but the more time we spent together, the easier it was to see our lives merging.
Jonathan: That earned you another handprint across your ass.
Me: Send pictures or it never happened.
Of course, he found one. My core clenched at the image he’d captured after one of our more playful nights. Colby stared at me while I texted her brother, a stupid smile plastered on my face.
“You’re both really cute. I like seeing the two of you together.”
“Well, after tonight, it won’t be so quiet.” We had gone to HR after we first started sleeping together, but had tried to keep things under wraps in the office.
“Everyone knows. But it’s adorable that you think they don’t.”
“And? What are they saying?”
“It’s exactly what you would imagine. But here’s the thing—the team hasalwaysbeen a family business. Nepotism is the entire business plan. We have grown up hearing everything there is about how we haven’t earned our roles—don’t deserve them. I don’t care. Jonathan doesn’t give a fuck either. Your success will depend on how well you let the comments roll off your back.”
“Ugh—”
“Don’t. You’re not the type of woman who gives a fuck, Kendra. It’s why you’re the first woman who has captured his interest.”
“What about Giada?” Why did I bring her up? Other than the conversation I had overheard, Jonathan had given me no reason to wonder about her.
“Thank God she’s gone. It was fucking painful to pretend to like her for all those years. I think he cared about her, but she didn’t light him up. She was decoration. You complement him, and I can see you pushing each other to achieve greatness.”
“Do you think his judgment is skewed because we—” I let my sentence hang.
“Because you’re sleeping together? No, I think he sees you as his equal. He is sleeping with you because he sees you as something more.””
I scoffed. “His equal? He owns the freaking team.”
“Yeah, well, he’s aware that people think he had everything handed to him, too. So, when you two end up building not only the best team for the year, but the next baseball dynasty, the naysayers will be quietly fucking off.”
I closed my eyes and enjoyed the foot massage, but couldn’t help letting my mind wander into the future. Was it too soon to be thinking about the future with Jonathan? Or would getting involved with him romantically be the end of that future?
THIRTY-FOUR
hawk
“Yes,Nonna. You’ll meet her tonight.” Kendra looked panicked as I walked past her in my underwear while talking to my grandmother.
“I’m meeting your family?” She mouthed. She stood stunned and looked incredibly fuckable in the lingerie she had purchased to minimize lines under her gown. She didn’t need it, but it was hot as hell.
“Hey, Nonny, I have to finish getting ready for tonight. Yes, I’ll bid high at the auction—I love you, too.”
I hung up and approached her, backing her into the wall and caging her in with my arms. “You need me to fuck some sense into you?”
