Wish I May (15 page)

When I turn onto Asher’s street, I’m surprised to see there aren’t many cars here. I don’t know what I expected. Lines of Mercedes and Cadillac Escalades? There’s a blue Mustang at the front of the drive and the Charger Lizzy said was hers, but other than that, only a pickup, a couple of sedans, and a yellow Ducati across the street.

I park along the road so I won’t be blocked in if I decide I need to jet.

A hard tap on my window yanks me from my thoughts and makes me jump. Hanna pulls the door open, eyes bright, smile covering her whole face.

“You’re really here!” she squeals, wrapping her arms around me before I can get out.

“I told you!” I hear Lizzy say.

“I had to see for myself!”

I push lightly against her embrace. “You’re kind of squishing me, Han-Han.”

She releases me and steps back to let me climb from the car.

“Dang, girl!” Hanna runs her gaze over me. “You left an average pretty girl and came back a freaking vixen!”

“Isn’t she hot?” Lizzy says.

I feel myself blushing. I was pretty awkward during my early teen years, usually hiding in boxy T-shirts and behind my thick mop of hair. Brandon is the one who taught me how to dress for my curves and long legs. He even hired someone to teach me how to apply makeup with a modicum of skill. These, I suppose, are the souvenirs I get from a relationship I’d otherwise rather forget.

“Such a hottie!” Hanna agrees.

“She’s a goddess.”

I turn to the unexpected deep male voice and find myself facing William Bailey. Since we’re going to be working in the same building, I guess I should get used to running into him, but I’m not sure I’ll ever get used to the heat that fills me when he looks my way.

He takes in my tattered jeans and fitted black mesh top, making me extra grateful the boxes of clothes my friends shipped from my apartment arrived today. Even so, his careful perusal is worthy of a slinky formal gown, not some outfit thrown together to hang with old friends.

My cheeks are blazing by the time he returns those blue eyes to mine. Hot blue eyes that remind me of candlelit corners, sweet wine, and his calloused fingers on my thigh under the tablecloth.

“Hey, Cally,” he says. “Good to see you again.”

“Are you coming to the party, Will?” Hanna asks.

He shakes his head. “No, I just stopped by to get something from Maggie.”

“You should stay,” Hanna says softly. “It’s going to be a good time.” There’s something tentative about the way she makes the offer, and I’m pretty sure I’m missing something.

“Thanks, but I have plans.” His lips tilt into a half smile as he slides his gaze over me again before crossing the street. “See you around, Cally.”

Just when I thought William Bailey couldn’t get any sexier, he throws his leg over the Ducati and pulls on his helmet. The revving engine settles into a purr and, with a wave, he shoves off, and he’s gone.

“Holy sexual tension, Batman,” Hanna says.

“Yeah, after that we’re going to need to cancel the party,” Lizzy says. “There was so much tension between you two, it left
me
hot and bothered.”

“What was that about?” Hanna asks.

I turn back to the girls to see them eyeing me expectantly. “What?” But I know the flush of my cheeks gives me away, and if they had any idea how hard my heart is pounding…

“Mmm-hmm,” Lizzy says.

Then Hanna says, “You two were always so cute together. He needs someone like you, Cally.”

Someone
like me
? They don’t even know who I am anymore.

“He is such a good guy,” Hanna adds, “and the last year has been shit for him.”

“What happened last year?” I ask.

Lizzy nudges her. “Not now.”

Hanna waves away my question. “Lizzy’s right. That’s for another time. Let’s go inside and lust after Maggie’s boyfriend.”

“Are you going to tell me how she came to date Asher Logan?” I ask, following the girls to the front door.

“She went skinny dipping in his pool after Will and Krystal’s reception,” Lizzy says.

“Lizzy,” Hanna hisses.

Lizzy winces. “Shit.”

I blink. “Wait. Will and Krystal? Like, your older sister?” Then the rest of her sentence sinks in, and I shake my head. “Reception?” Didn’t he say he wasn’t married?

Lizzy looks forlorn, and Hanna’s biting her lip, but neither gets to answer before the door flies open.

“Cally?” Maggie’s wan smile falls from her face but she quickly remembers herself and pastes it back in place. “Good to see you.”

Lizzy nudges me toward the door. “Let’s move! This tequila isn’t going to drink itself!”

“Nice of you to finally join us, Willy,” Grandma says as I slide into a chair at her giant pine dining room table.

“I had to close up the gallery and run a few errands.” I know it’s useless trying to talk her out of the coming guilt trip, but old habits die hard.

She surprises me with a kiss on my cheek. “It’s alright. You’re a hard worker, and I’m proud of you.”

I narrow my eyes at my grandmother. The woman doesn’t pass up an opportunity to lay on a guilt trip unless she wants something.

“There’s someone special joining us tonight.”

So that’s why I’m off the hook. There’s nothing Grandma likes more than finding eligible young women for me, and I’m sure Cally’s return to town will only make her redouble her efforts.

I look around the table but only see Grandma’s friends.

“She’s in the kitchen, making us a fresh pot of coffee. Why don’t you see if she needs any help?”

“Easy on the matchmaking, okay?” I peck Grandma’s leathery cheek and head to the kitchen, pretending I don’t hear my grandmother’s friends whispering, “At least she’s not a Thompson,” as I go.

About once a week, I meet Grandma and her friends for a couple of hours of Texas Hold ’Em. I’m under the impression that other people’s grandmothers get together to do something respectable, like play Bridge and drink tea, but the old ladies in New Hope prefer poker for their nightly games and whiskey in their coffee. When I’m lucky, I get to enjoy the game with ladies whose skills at the table shouldn’t be underestimated. When I’m unlucky, the little biddies use the opportunity to set me up with some unsuspecting great-niece/granddaughter/cousin’s step-granddaughter once removed. It’s only been worse since things didn’t work out with Krystal.

In the kitchen, a tall, jean-clad blonde is filling the coffee carafe with water. Her eyes widen when she sees me and she puts the pot down and holds up her hands. “I’m so sorry. I had no idea you were going to be here.”

I wave away Meredith’s concern. “It’s fine. Don’t worry about it.”

“I just don’t want you to think I’m pushing myself on you. I heard your old girlfriend is back in town, and you probably don’t want anything to do with me.”

I cross my arms. “You
heard,
or she wanted to work for you and you turned her away?”

A rush of pink moves up her neck and blooms in her cheeks. “She told you?”

I shrug. “It came up.”

She dries her hands on a towel and sighs. “I’m not a bitch, you know? But my business means everything to me, and I had to make a hard decision.”

I’m not sure the decision was that difficult, but I can hardly be upset about it. Not when the result puts Cally so close to me. “It’s going to work out after all. She’s renting the apartment above the gallery, and she’ll run her business out of there.”

Her lips form a perfect circle of surprise. “Are you sure that’s a good idea? People will think you approve of what she does.”

My jaw tightens. “What do you mean by that?”

She lifts her chin. “I mean, her mom gave twenty-dollar hand jobs in her massage parlor. Maybe worse. Whether it’s fair or not, people are going to assume like mother, like daughter.”

I have to give Meredith credit for putting it out there like that. Most people tiptoe around the rumors. Regardless— “That’s bullshit.”

“Of course it is.” She frowns. “Total bullshit. But people believe what they believe. It could really hurt the gallery. Just think about it.”

I cross to Grandma’s liquor stash beside the sink and pour myself two fingers of brandy. I shoot half of it back without tasting it. “I’ve thought about it. And my mind’s made up.”

“You’re a good guy. She’s lucky to have you.”

I shake my head. “It’s not like that,” I say, then I toss back the rest of the brandy.

“I promise I had nothing to do with tonight,” she says softly. “In fact, I’m a little embarrassed, but you know how Grandma and her friends go rogue in their matchmaking efforts. When I found out Cally was back, it was obvious why you started blowing me off. I don’t want to be in the way.”

And the Asshole of the Year award goes to
me
. I drag a hand through my hair. “I didn’t mean to blow you off. I thought we were keeping things casual.” Fuck. I even
sound
like an asshat.

Her cheeks bloom red again. “This is so embarrassing. I thought…I mean, when we seemed to get along so well.”

Dammit.
“I never meant to give you the wrong idea.”

She holds up her hands. “It’s totally my fault. I just hadn’t wanted anything serious and then you….” She shakes her head. “See? Totally embarrassing. But no harm, no foul, right? I mean, we’re on the same page now, and you can carry on with Cally without worrying about me.”

“I’m sorry, Meredith.”

“Don’t be. Please. I owe
you
the apology.” She drops her voice to a whisper. “I’ve been too much of a coward to tell my grandmother you’re not interested, and I just want her off my back for a little bit, you know? I really hope you don’t mind. I promise to tell her soon.”

“So here we are.” I take the carafe and finish preparing the coffee. “I don’t suppose it would help if I told you that you can do better than me?”

Her cheeks flush. “I think we both know that’s not true.”

She’s really pretty, but her red-tinged cheeks only have me comparing her to Cally, which isn’t fair since all I’ve been able to think about for days is the way Cally responded to my touch in the back of that restaurant.

I press the brew button on the machine and pour myself a cup of coffee from the thermos on the counter.

“Grandma just wants great-grandbabies. And you know what? Things not working out between us was good for me.”

“It was?”

“I realized I just need to do it.”

I raise a brow. “Do what, exactly?”

“I’ve decided not to wait on babies,” Meredith says in a rush. “So, even though I’d really like it if we could still be friends, it’s probably good that you won’t be around much. I don’t want my store-bought sperm to get jealous.”

I choke on my coffee. “I’m sorry?”

She pours her own cup of coffee and smiles. “It’s the twenty-first century. I don’t need a husband to start a family. My mom gets it, and when I have the heart to tell her, Grandma will too.”

“Of course, but you’re young.” She’s only a couple of years older than me, maybe twenty-seven. “Why the rush?”