While the rest of the world ticks on, and my workload piles up, I can ignore my mistakes and the puzzling circumstances of our possible marriage if I just kiss her again.
So I do.
And in that kiss, the first dangerous thought of the day slams through me.
Would it be so bad if I am her husband after all?
Chapter Four
“This really is the best coffee I’ve ever had,” Amanda says, with a sigh that women usually reserve for guys like me.
“Best in Vegas!” Declan crows. He’s arrogant enough as it is, but now all I’m going to hear is nonstop chatter about his superlative coffee empire.
I wonder if Dad was like this, circa 1981.
“Litraeon has great coffee,” I argue.
Shannon, Declan and Amanda all snicker.
“Once we’re up and running, we can work on getting Grind It Fresh! in Anterdec properties,” Dec says, suddenly serious. “It’ll be win-win.”
Business talk. I might be married to one of three different people and all Declan can talk about is his damn coffee chain.
“We have bigger fish to fry.”
“We have to unwind last night,” Amanda explains, looking at Shannon. “I texted Josh and Geordi. They’re on their way.” She glances at me. “I hope you don’t mind.”
“Mind? I texted them, too. We need to get to the bottom of this ASAP. If we keep this quiet, then we can figure this out with a minimal amount of spillage.”
“Spillage?”
“Unnecessary word getting out.”
“I’m here to help!” Shannon’s mom appears with her dad, Jason.
Great. So much for spillage. Marie is the equivalent of a tractor-trailer accident involving a honey truck crashing into a hot-fudge-filled semi.
“You bought my daughter a fabulous wedding present, because the coffee here is orgasmic!” Marie says to Declan. She and Jason are carrying Grind It Fresh! to-go cups.
“Litraeon coffee is just fine.”
Everyone ignores me.
“You two were hilarious last night. I had no idea you had such a wild side, Andrew!” Marie plucks a pink macaron from a tray filled with them as Jason settles into a seat next to her, giving me an evaluative look.
“What does that mean?” I ask slowly.
“You did a fantastic job emceeing the stripper finals at the adult products trade show!”
Declan grins and gives me a look.
“I what?”
“Here. We caught part of it on video.”
Video? “How did you get video? Amanda and I checked our phones and we have nothing. No pictures, no videos, no evidence of anything from last night.”
Marie shrugs. “You were too busy.” She slides her phone over to me.
I’m shirtless and oiled up, hair soaked with sweat, and I have a Sharpie marker in my hand.
“Are you the one who wrote on Chuckles?” Amanda gasps. “He’s never going to forgive you.”
“A cat with a grudge is the least of my worries,” I whisper.
“That’s what you think,” she says cryptically.
“Let me see that!” Declan says, trying to snatch the phone out of my hands. He may have the advantage of surprise, but my will is stronger. And I’m in better shape, so I leap up and vault away.
He doesn’t chase.
“No.” I cover the screen with my hand and watch.
Apparently, last night, I didn’t just emcee a men’s stripper final competition.
I decided to join it.
“Can I watch?” Amanda asks, her head peeking over my shoulder. I relent and tilt the screen.
Slightly.
“Why can she watch but not me?” Declan protests.
“Because I have a vested interest in Andrew’s naked body.”
Dec and I just stare at Amanda.
“Point taken,” he says, backing away slowly.
Amanda takes the phone from me, mesmerized by the scene unfolding on the screen.
As my own very drunk, increasingly naked form gyrates on the video, I can only watch her.
My humiliation unfolds before us, second by second, but a parallel experience is taking place inside me. Her mouth curls up on one side, her smile coy and suppressed. She’s as enchanting as she was more than two years ago, that day she stormed into my office to demand I help her reunite Declan and Shannon.
A man could do worse than being married to her.
“WHAT THE HELL IS THAT, ANDREW?” Amanda screams, flinging the phone at me.
It clatters to the floor and I look, dumbstruck.
Because I am kissing Jessica Coffin on the phone screen.
Declan bends down, retrieves the phone, and rewinds by a few seconds. He watches.
“Whoa.”
“Jessica Coffin is here?” Shannon gasps, turning to Marie with a glare.
Marie’s hands go up. “Don’t blame me! I swear I didn’t invite her!”
“Then what’s she doing here?’ Shannon whines.
“Who cares why she’s here?” Amanda hisses, looking at me the entire time. “I want to know why my husband is kissing Jessica Coffin on video in front of a bunch of naked male strippers.”
“They’re not naked,” I argue. I let the “my husband” comment go unchallenged. The sound of it makes me grin.
“No, but you are, bro,” Declan adds helpfully, handing me the phone.
I close my eyes. I can’t look. I just can’t—
Dec lets out a low whistle. “Turnabout’s fair play, huh?” he says to Amanda. I open my eyes to see him wink.
“WHAT THE HELL IS THAT SUPPOSED TO MEAN?” Amanda yells at him.
Declan arches one eyebrow, hits rewind, and hands her the phone.