Only For Tonight, page 9
“Hi, welcome to Deluca’s Italian Steakhouse.” She smiles at me. “Can I start you off with a cocktail?”
“I’ll have sparkling water,” I tell her and she nods at me, then looks over at Zoey.
“I’ll have a glass of pinot,” Zoey orders and smiles at her, waiting for her to walk away before turning back to me.
“Okay, well, let’s start with things slowly,” she starts, moving the big brown leather menu from in front of her. “Why the fuck are you here and you didn’t call or come and stay with us?”
“I think that’s not starting slowly.” I laugh and take a sip of the water that was poured when Zoey got here. “I had some work,” I lie to her and her eyebrows pinch together. “Okay, fine, I didn’t have any work,” I tell her and stop talking when someone brings over a basket of bread with a plate of butter.
“So what are you doing here?” she asks. “I’ll get into why you aren’t staying with us in a bit.”
“I came out to talk to the father,” I state and she gasps.
“Have you spoken to him?” she asks and I shake my head. “Have you called him?”
“I sort of showed up at his house,” I tell her, without mentioning his name. She gasps again.
“Shut the fuck up.” Her eyes are big and her mouth hangs open. “You just showed up at his house?” All I can do is nod. “Talk about freebasing.”
“I don’t think that saying makes sense in this situation since that’s about cocaine”—I shrug—“but what do I know about lingo?”
“You showed up at his house,” she repeats, still in shock. “Like, knock, knock, knock. Can me and your child come in for a cup of water?”
“Well, I showed up and—” I close my eyes and tell her all about the scene.
“His girlfriend was there.” She slaps the table. “I’m going to kick his ass, and I don’t even know who he is.” She picks up her phone.
“What are you doing?”
“Calling in reinforcements,” she scoffs at me. “I think this is what the Bat Signal is used for,” she mentions the way her mom’s side of the family deals with things, “but I’m not sure.”
I reach up and grab her phone from her. “Can we not send out any signal?” I put the phone down beside me.
“Well, I have to at least tell Nash that he is going to have to bail me out of jail.” I laugh when I see she is one thousand percent serious.
“I love you so hard, but no one is going to kick anyone’s ass.” I try to defuse the situation. “He said he didn’t have a girlfriend when we hooked up.”
“Of course he did.” She shakes her head. “Maury says that’s a lie.”
“I have no idea what that means either,” I tell her and stop talking when the waitress comes over with our drinks.
“I’m going to need you to keep this coming,” Zoey says, grabbing her glass of wine and taking a huge sip.
The waitress smiles at her. “Will do. Do you want to hear about the specials?” she asks us.
“No,” Zoey snaps out. “Sorry, we’re in the middle of something. How about you bring out the meatballs, the beef carpaccio, and the Italian salad to start?” She nods at her. “Then we’ll see if we need more food.” She walks away and then Zoey turns back to me. “Okay, so you show up, and his girlfriend is there. You don’t say anything and you just walk out?”
“Pretty much.” I grab a piece of bread and slather it with butter. “I wasn’t going to be like, ‘Hey, can we have a minute so I can tell your boyfriend that I’m pregnant with his child and he can be as involved as he wants to be. Come back in five minutes.’ She was wearing his shirt.”
“And that was two days ago?”
“Correct,” I confirm, taking a bite of the bread.
“What the fuck have you been doing the past two days?”
“I’ve been having some me time, and burying myself in carrot cake and cheesecake. Sometimes in the same bite.” Her face grimaces. “It’s not as bad as you think it is. Okay, well, I have to go to the bathroom again because now that I’m pregnant my bladder has become the size of a pea.”
I push my chair back and get up. “Wait until you sneeze and pee yourself. Good times ahead. We are so excited to be pregnant.” She claps her hands while smiling at me.
I wash my hands when I’m done in the bathroom and pull open the door. I walk back toward the front of the restaurant at the same time the door opens, and I look over and stop when I see him. His face shows me he’s just as shocked as I am that we’re both here.
I stop walking, turning as he steps in. I see he’s wearing a pair of black jeans and a white shirt with a brown jacket, the sleeves are pushed up to his elbows, showing off all his mouthwatering tattoos. “Ariella,” he says my name as if he doesn’t believe I’m here.
“I swear I’m not following you,” I reply before I can stop myself. “I’m here having lunch with Zoey.” I point over at Zoey, who is on her phone and I hope she’s not calling in her Bat friends.
“I texted you,” he states and I take a step back.
“I didn’t get a text,” I inform him and he pulls out his phone, his fingers typing in his password as he turns the phone and shows me.
“Oh, that’s not my number. I changed my number when I got my big-girl job.”
“What are you doing in town?” he asks. It’s so awkward I think I’d rather have anal bleaching done after getting waxed.
I take a big breath in. “I actually am in town because I wanted to talk to you about something.”
His eyes go big and he’s about to say something to me when the door opens. I look over his shoulder at the door and I was wrong. Now, right now, I would rather have the anal bleaching. “Spencer,” I say his name and he looks at me, shocked.
“Ariella.” He walks through the door and wraps his arm around my waist, bringing me in for a kiss on my cheek. “Is today my lucky day?”
“No,” Jaxon snaps out and he looks over at him.
“Oh, I’m so sorry, Jaxon,” he says, holding out his hand. “I’m Spencer Booth.”
Jaxon puts his hand forward as they both shake hands. “Nice to finally meet you.”
“How do you two know each other?” he asks Spencer, but I answer for him.
“We dated for about a year,” I say, suddenly nervous. “We broke up when he moved from New York to Dallas.”
“Should have tried to get you to come with me,” Spencer says to me. I don’t remind him we broke up because he had a wandering eye, and the fact I was sure he cheated on me, but never had the evidence. “How do you two know each other?”
“We’ve known each other her whole life,” Jaxon states.
“Oh, right, right,” he says. “I forgot about the connection between your fathers.”
“It’s more than that,” Jaxon says, and I want to be like, “You have no idea how much more,” but I just stand here.
“Why don’t you go grab a table?” Jaxon tells Spencer. “I’ll be right there.”
“Will do,” he says, nodding, then turning back to me. “Maybe we can get dinner if you’re in town for much longer.”
“Maybe.” I smile at him, not even interested in having coffee with him. He walks away, going to the hostess stand.
Jaxon waits until he’s out of earshot before he looks back at me. “Why don’t you come over tonight and we can talk?”
“That would be good. What time do you want me to come by?”
He hands me his phone. “Put your number in, please,” he asks me. I go to the text thread with my old number, click the picture, and then edit the contact before putting in my new number. “As soon as I finish here, I’m going to go home so you can come over after that.”
“I’ll call you before I come over,” I tell him. He nods his head before walking over to the table where Spencer is sitting.
After I walk back to the table, I pull out the chair. “Can I ask what the fuck that was about?” Zoey looks over at the table where Jaxon is semi-glaring at Spencer.
I think about making a story up, but I’m so tired and she’s going to find out in a bit anyway. “That would be my ex-boyfriend and the other one would be my baby daddy.” I point over my shoulder. “Jaxon, and not the other one.”
eleven
Jaxon
“Shall we sit?” Spencer asks me as I watch Ariella walk back to the table. I’ve met Zoey a couple of times, but not enough times that I can walk up to her table and say hello just to speak to Ariella again.
“Um, yeah, sure,” I say, turning back to Spencer who talks to the hostess now.
She escorts us to the table, and I wish I could say I’m focused on this meeting, because I’m one thousand percent not. I take the chair that faces Ariella and Zoey instead of having Spencer sit in it. I want to tell myself it’s because I like to face out, but the rude reality is probably because I don’t want him looking at her.
“Thank you for meeting with me,” Spencer starts and I nod my head, while the waiter comes over to tell us about the specials. I see Zoey looking over at my table a couple of times and then Ariella says something to her so she stops. My stomach gets tight wondering if she’s telling her about our night together. “So tell me about yourself, Jaxon.”
The minute he asks me that question, I immediately know I’m not going to have him as my agent. Someone who is supposed to be interested in working with me, he should have done his homework a bit before meeting with me. “Why don’t you tell me what you know about me?” I turn the tables on him.
“I know you were drafted to Minnesota and then got traded to LA.” I nod my head. All he would have to do to find out that information was read the bio on my social media. “I know you have a couple of contracts that are coming up to be renewed”—I nod at him—“and I think we can look for better offers—”
“I’ve been with the same sponsors for the last ten years,” I cut him off. “Some took a chance on me when I was a rookie and have gone above and beyond to make sure I was happy with the product.”
He smiles a crooked smile. “That’s all fine, but now you aren’t a rookie. It’s time to pay you what you are worth.” He sounds like a used car salesman, and if I didn’t like him before, it’s growing even more as he speaks. “I have a client who I can’t name, obviously, that…” I swear it’s like my hearing stops. I can see his lips moving, but it’s like he has no voice.
I try not to look over at the table while I’m having a meeting with Spencer, who I already decided when I walked in I was not going to work with. I want to tell myself it’s because he seems slimy, instead of the fact he dated Ariella and I just don’t fucking like him.
“I think we can get you a couple more sponsorships,” he says at the end of the meal, where I’ve said maybe five words. I wonder if he’s noticed since he was so busy talking about himself.
“That sounds good,” I tell him, grabbing my phone before pushing away from the table. “Why don’t you and I touch base next week?”
“That sounds amazing.” He puts his linen napkin on the table, getting up. We stop at the hostess stand and shake hands as I watch him walk out the door. I’m happy he didn’t go back and talk to Ariella, which is fucking stupid since I have no claim to her. Fuck, she showed up at my house and my ex-girlfriend came down the stairs wearing my fucking shirt. My teeth grit when I remember how it went down. I’m going to walk out but instead head over to the table where Ariella is sitting down.
“Hey,” I greet, and she looks up at me, licking her lips. Her tongue makes my mouth water. Fuck, everything about her sets me off. She’s wearing an outfit that really shows off nothing and to me it’s the sexiest thing I’ve ever seen. Maybe it’s because I know what she has under it is better.
“Hey,” she says softly as she scoops some ice cream in her spoon. I can see her trying to remain calm but also probably wondering what the hell I’m doing at the side of her table. “You remember my cousin Zoey.”
“Vaguely,” I answer her honestly and then reach out my hand to shake hers. “It’s nice to see you again.”
She smiles at me and extends her hand to shake mine. “It’s good to see you again also.” She lets go of my hand. “It’s okay, there are a million of us.” She waves her spoon in the air. “I’ve been to a couple of your games.”
“Really?” I say, not sure why I’m as shocked as I am since her family comes from hockey. It’s only normal that they would come to a couple of games.
“Yeah, usually when my Uncle Matthew visits, he likes to round up whoever is in town.”
I nod. “Oh yeah, that makes sense. Have you lived here long? I thought most of the family was either in Dallas or New York.”
“I moved out here for a job,” she answers, “eloped with my boss a week later and, well, the rest is history.”
Ariella laughs. “Like it’s no big deal how she slid in there that she eloped after a week.”
“Well, it looks like it’s working out for her,” I note, then turn back to Ariella. “I’m heading out,” I tell Ariella, who just nods at me.
“We’re going to finish up here and then I have to drive her home”—she points to Zoey—“and I’ll give you a ring.”
“Give you a ring?” Zoey questions. “Is that English?”
Ariella closes her eyes. “I think it’s British, I was watching The Crown yesterday.”
I chuckle at her and see her cheeks turning pink when the memory of her on the desk in the hotel comes back to my mind. “Okay, well, ring me up,” I joke, then look at Zoey. “Nice seeing you again. Next time you are at the game, let me know.”
“Will do.” She smiles at me. “The pleasure was all mine,” Zoey says before I turn and walk away from Ariella, not wanting to walk away from her at all. I take two steps out of the restaurant and dial her number; it rings three times before she picks it up.
“Hello?” she asks, her voice filled with confusion.
“Just wondering if you put in the right number,” I say, walking to my SUV. I’m not chancing that she put her number in my phone by accident and I have to go another two days without communication.
“I think I know my own phone number, Jaxon,” she jokes with me. “I’ll call you as soon as I drop off Zoey and it gives me the ETA to your place.”
“Do you want me to wait and go with you?” I ask her, sitting in my SUV, looking in the rearview mirror to see if she is going to come out of the restaurant anytime soon.
“I think I’ll be okay.” She laughs. “But I’ll talk to you soon.”
“Where are you staying?” I ask her.
“Why?” she quickly counters.
“I’m just wondering.”
Her voice goes low. “I came to see you unannounced; I’m not going to stand you up.”
“Fine,” I give in to her, starting the SUV, “I’ll see you in about an hour.”
“Sure.” She disconnects as I pull out of the restaurant parking lot.
Calling my father right away, he answers after the first ring. “You’re on speakerphone,” he warns me right away. “I’m with Nico and Becca.”
“Oh, good,” I say, thinking I’m going to hit two birds with one stone.
“How was the meeting?” my father asks.
“Good,” I reply. “I’m not going with him, but I can see how good he is.” I lie through my teeth.
“What? Why?” Becca asks right away.
“I don’t know, Aunt Becca,” I say right away. “I’m sure he’s good at what he does, but I don’t think we mesh well together.” Plus, he fucked Ariella and now every single time I see him I am going to want to throat punch him.
“Okay, valid,” she responds, “but you know Erika is done at the end of the month and you’ll be agentless.”
“Maybe my father can do it,” I quip, trying not to laugh. “He can be my dada ger.” Nico and my father both burst out laughing. “Is there anyone else you would recommend?”
“No,” she replies, “we are bringing Spencer in to take over the hockey side.” She sighs. “I still have a couple of clients I keep and, well.” She trails off before she says, “I’ll keep you on my roster.”
“Baby, you are supposed to be stepping back, for the last twenty years,” Nico reminds her.
“I have him, Ralph, and this dinosaur,” she states, pointing probably to my father. “It’s fine, as long as he doesn’t go and start fighting, or go off the deep end by getting arrested with a kilo of cocaine in his trunk. I think I will be fine.”
“Is there anyone else out there you think I would be good with?”
“Spencer is the best.”
“Is he really?” I say, making her laugh. “Maybe it’s just me, then.”
“It’s definitely you,” Nico jokes with me, “everyone else loves him.”
“Yeah,” I retort, stopping at the red light, “who?”
“That’s strictly confidential,” he says.
“Okay, well, I’ll let you guys go,” I tell the three of them.
“I’ll see if I can send you a list of names and we’ll get you someone,” Becca adds. “We are bringing in this new agent, but I don’t really know her. I’ve heard good things about her though. She’s going to be working with a couple of agents to get her feet wet. Why don’t we see how she is? Then if everything goes well, we can set up a meeting with her.”
“That sounds like a plan, thanks, Auntie Becca.” I disconnect as I arrive home.
Pulling my phone out, I text her.
Me: I just got home, so you can come over at any time.
I press send and see the three bubbles come up and wait in the SUV until she answers.
Ariella: Just dropped Zoey off. Should be there in twenty-seven minutes, depending on traffic.
Me: Sounds good. Are you hungry?
Ariella: I’m not eating until tomorrow morning.
