Page 52 of How to Get Lucky
“Far be it for me to tell you not to have pie for breakfast, but they do have other things on the menu. That’s where they get their name.” I point to a glorious glass case full of pies next to the register. It sparkles like a shrine to sugar.
We stand at the door, since Mr. Darcy is with us. A hostess swings by with an aww, cutie for the pooch, asking if we’re three or two.
“Two, and one under the table.”
“He’s so handsome,” she says to the dog.
“Thank you. He knows it too,” London says.
“Good for him. Body confidence is so important in this city.”
“Couldn’t agree more,” London says.
The hostess shows us to a table outside, where Mr. Darcy tucks himself under London’s seat.
Soon, the waiter swings by, offering coffee. We both nod, and he fills our cups. After we order a pair of egg white omelets and he takes off for the kitchen, I offer a toast.
“To great sex.”
“That’s awfully presumptuous of you, Mr. Lockhart.”
“Not complimenting myself. Complimenting you and the way you made me feel.”
She grins. “The feelings are indeed mutual. So there.”
“Good to know.”
“So . . .?” She leaves the unasked question dangling.
I grab hold of the opportunity. “We should do that again. And I mean the sex, but also everything else. Like this. Hanging out together the next morning. Going for dog walks. Listening to music. Talking. All of it.” I’m laying it all on the line, and nerves rise up in me.
But it’s worth facing those nerves.
Because I want what’s on the other side.
That’s the thing about great sex—it’s great because it’s not just sex.
It’s connection.
Intimacy.
Feelings.
I feel so much for this woman.
And I need to make room in my life for her. How to do that is another matter, but I’m determined to figure it out.
Especially since the universe is aligning and seems to be on my side.
If my event entertainment company can grow quickly, like it’s trending now, maybe I don’t need to worry about the risks of dating my boss’s sister.
Maybe he won’t be my boss for much longer.
He asked me to give him a heads-up about leaving. With gigs coming through, maybe that time is coming any day now. And sure, it’s a risk—I’d be walking away from a regular paycheck for a few gigs. But I’d still have the radio show, and maybe this is the push I need. The push to take the leap, to hustle harder, to make this thing work if it’s what I really want.
Then I won’t have to face the music.
I can simply slide out in the nick of time, like Indiana Jones snagging his hat before the boulder can crush it.
Or him.
Yup, I’ll be Indy.
I draw a deep breath. “What if we see each other for the next few days, maybe even the next week, and that should be enough time for me to sort things out with my career?”
She frowns. “I think that sounds great, but I do want to tell my brother that I’m seeing you. I feel like I’m keeping something from him.”
My gut twists, guilt winging through me. “Shit, London. I’m sorry. I didn’t think about that. About you keeping stuff from him. I don’t want to put you in that position.”
“It’s okay. I didn’t think about it much myself until the last few days, when it felt like we might become something. But now it seems that way, and I don’t want to keep a secret from my brother. A secret that affects him.”
“Of course. I get it. I do.”
“If he were in town, I’d honestly want to tell him today. But he has that camping thing.”
Ding, ding, ding!
“That camping thing” might buy me some time. A few days to get my ducks in a row.
This is the kick in the pants I need. I can’t ask London to keep her lips zipped. And I definitely don’t want to break things off. But we have a couple days to sort this out while Archer is unplugged.
Maybe the answer is a simple one.
“This might be crazy, but if everything keeps going my way, I could give notice on Friday when Archer is back. Then I’d leave the club in a few weeks, and I wouldn’t have to worry about mixing business and pleasure. Know what I mean?”
Her smile spreads nice and easy. “I do. But quitting is a big deal. Are you ready for that?”
I rap my knuckles against the table. “Business is taking off. Seems like my time to fly.” The way I see it is I’ll give notice, finish out the job, then find the right time to tell Archer I’m dating his sister. But it won’t be a conflict of interest anymore.
She reaches for my hand and squeezes. “As long as you’re doing it for you.” I tense for a second, but she squeezes tighter. “Because you should do it for you. I know you like your job.”
