Page 52 of Falling for the Bad Boy
“I knew it. You’ve been banging the bartender again, haven’t you?” Her bright red lips curled up at the corners. “How is it? He looks like he’d be good in bed.”
“What in the world makes you think that?” The fact was, he was better than good. But I wasn’t all that ready to admit that to myself yet, much less give up those deets to Macy.
“I can just tell. And that accent… does he talk dirty to you with that sweet accent? Please say yes.”
I tried to stay pissed but the excitement in Macy’s eyes made me laugh. “You’ve got to be kidding. We don’t even see each other that much.”
“He’s been putting your shelves together every night for the past week, and I’m sure that’s not all he’s been doing.”
“Stop, seriously. Before you embarrass yourself.” Rolling my eyes, I turned back to the table.
“I knew it. What other things has he been screwing besides those shelves?”
I turned around and clamped my hands to my hips. “They take an Allen wrench, not a screwdriver.”
“Well, I bet he’s got you taken care of, no matter what kind of tool he needs.” She laughed. “Come on, give me a little detail. Then I’ll tell you my good news.”
“Fine. I like him. But he’s moving back to New Zealand, so before you go getting your hopes up, he won’t be around to screw anything, or anyone.” My heart hiccupped as I thought about Oliver leaving, just skipped half a beat. I pressed a hand to my chest and rubbed at my breastbone.
“That does pose a bit of a problem. Does he want to stay here?” Macy tapped her finger to her chin. “I could check and see if there are any openings at the firm. What does he want to do?”
“No, don’t.” I didn’t want to admit I had no idea what Oliver wanted to do. Yes, we’d been intimate. But we hadn’t done much talking. The more I thought about it, the more I realized I didn’t know all that much about the mysterious Kiwi.
“Okay. But if you change your mind, you know I’ve got connections.”
“Yes, I’ve always known that.” That was an understatement. Between Macy and her parents, I probably sat within two degrees of separation from anyone I’d ever want to meet.
“Which brings me back to my great news.” Macy paused, surely for dramatic effect. She never did anything without theatrics.
“And?”
“I talked to my colleague over at the television station. You know, the morning anchor I told you about?”
I didn’t respond. This was bad.
Macy kept going, oblivious to the impending panic attack about to happen three feet away. “She’s way into knitting and said she wants to do a story on your shop when it opens.” She clapped her hands together like a preschooler who’d done something she was super proud of. “Do you know what this means?”
I didn’t speak. I couldn’t. All of a sudden, everything was becoming real. Too real.
“Well?” Macy reached for my hands. “You’re going to be a big deal. You know that, right?”
An icy cold grip wrapped its freezing fingers around my heart. I tried to draw in a breath but struggled.
“What’s wrong, sweetie? This is what you want, isn’t it? The PR, the fanfare?” Macy tilted her head. “Don’t you want to show your brothers and sisters you’ve made it?”
I choked back the blob of panic trying to force its way up my throat. “Yes.”
“Okay then. Embrace it.” She slung an arm around me and pulled me close.
I inhaled her signature scent. Why couldn’t I be happy? This was what I wanted, wasn’t it? To prove to my family that I was just as capable as they were? In a different way, of course. What if Macy was right? This could be my big break. My chance to finally show them I wasn’t just a nomadic freeloader.
I squeezed my arms around her shoulders. “Thanks.”
“You’re welcome. It’s all coming together for you.” Macy tilted her head down letting her gaze drill into mine. On a normal day she stood a couple of inches taller, but with the four-inch heels she tottered around in, she had almost half a foot on me.
“Okay.” I nodded. “I am excited. It’s just there’s so much to do.”
“Then it’s a good thing you have the best kind of helpers. Let’s get the whiteboard out tonight ,and I can help you figure out a game plan. What do you say? I’ll bring home a bottle of that red you like.”
