"Hey," He looks me up and down as I run. "It's Sunday morning. What the fuck are you doing?"
"Training," I pant.
He screws up his face in disgust and walks back into the kitchen.
I hit pause and walk through the cool down until I eventually walk out to find him sitting at the table, engrossed in his newspaper.
This Sunday morning coffee thing we have is a ritual. Charlotte, his wife, goes to church with her father, and Spencer visits with me.
I peel my wet T-shirt off over my head and I put it in the laundry.
"How was your date?" Spencer asks without looking up.
"Fucked up." I walk to the refrigerator and pour myself a glass of water. "The whole thing is one massive fuck up."
He chuckles as he turns the page. "That good, hey?"
I pick up my phone off the counter and check it. No missed calls. "Un-fucking-believable," I mutter under my breath.
"What is?" Spencer asks, his eyes not leaving his paper.
"I thought she would at least have the audacity to call me," I sip my water. "I mean, she did leave with someone else."
He finally looks up. "Who did? Marina?"
"No, not her. April."
He frowns. "Who?"
"Do you fucking listen to me at all?"
He frowns. "I'm lost."
"The fucking girl. The lawyer from my office. April Bennet."
His eyes widen. "Oh, the Escape Girl."
I sip my coffee and shake my head.
Spencer puts his hands on his temples. "Hang on, so you went on a date with Marina, but instead you saw April?"
"Yes, and I followed her to the bathroom, and we made out. She was all fucking wet and hot for me, and then she kicked me out and went home with her date."
His eyes hold mine. "You made out in a bathroom with your employee who was there with another man, all while you were with another woman?"
"Yes! Do you not see my fucking problem?"
"Oh, I see it, you fucking idiot." He tuts. "Are you stupid?"
I take a seat beside him. "And I’m obsessed with this woman. I need to cut this shit out because I have no fucking skin left on my dick. It isn’t possible to pull it any more than I already have."
He chuckles and pinches the bridge of his nose. "Christ almighty."
I put my head into my hands in dismay.
"Who is she?"
I look up at him. "You met her already."
"When?"
"At the Charity auction, remember? She told you and Masters off."
Spencer’s eyes widen. "The insanely hot blonde one."
"That’s her, and the worst part about it is that I feel like I already know her."
"What do you mean?"
I shrug. " I can't explain it. There's this familiarity between us. It's so weird because I've never had it with anyone else before. I mean, it's like I know her but I know I don’t." I throw my hands up. "I can't explain it."
"Wait." He frowns. "So did she sleep with Brandon back then?"
"Maybe… no." I shrug. "I'm ninety percent sure she didn’t."
"But he liked her?"
"Thought he was in love with her, actually."
Spencer winces. "This shit is too fucking messy, even for me."
I push my fingers into my eyes. "I want this woman but I can't have her. There's no way I could ever officially ask her out on a date or anything."
"Why not?"
"Come on." I roll my eyes. "Can you imagine the fucking scandal if it were ever found out by the press? She works for me, she's got a famous boyfriend."
"Jesus." Spencer sighs.
I sip my coffee.
"So, she was a call girl?" he asks.
"She said I was her first and only client."
"You don’t believe her?"
"I have no idea what to believe anymore."
His eyes hold mine. "You really liked her?"
I shrug.
"Well, I'd be finding out what happened with Brandon if I were you," Spence says. "If only for interest’s sake."
I exhale heavily. "That changes nothing, though. I'm putting her out of my head once and for all. Nothing good can come of this."
Spence sips his coffee and goes back to his paper. "What are you going to do about your dick?"
"Cut the fucker off."
"Good, do it today." He casually turns the page of his newspaper.
The phone rings, and I wait for Brandon to pick up. Spencer was right. I need to know what went on back then, if only for interest's sake.
"Hey, Dad," he answers eagerly.
"Hello, son." My heart melts at the sound of his voice. I love this kid.
Not such a kid anymore. An adult now. "How are things?"
"Good. Busy. Emma isn't sleeping."
I chuckle. "The joys of a newborn baby."
"God, it's hard."
"How's Mila?" I ask.
"Tired, teary."
I frown, that doesn’t sound good. "Is she all right?"
He exhales. "A new baby is just exhausting."
"Yeah, keep an eye on her, though. You're helping out, right?"
"As much as I can with work."
"Do you need me to come over?"
"Dad." He sighs. "You can't. You’re busy enough with your own shit."
"You're more important. Say the word, and I'll be there."
"Thanks." I can tell he's smiling. "How's Bentley"
I smile at the mention of my beloved dog. "Old and grumpy."
He laughs. "Like you."
"Yeah, yeah." I smile. "Hey, guess who I bumped into?"
"Who?"
I wince as I prepare myself to say it. "Remember April Bennet?"
He falls silent.
I close my eyes.
Fuck.
"She's a lawyer now. She’s actually working with one of my lawyers," I say.
"Is she… married?"
"Not sure." I bite my lip. Brandon and I have never discussed April since the day he bought her to my house. He was so angry with me for months afterwards. She was the last thing I wanted to bring up in conversation once things returned to normal.
The way I handled that entire situation is one of my biggest regrets.
"Have you spoken to April since then?" I ask.
"Not once."
"I thought…"
He exhales heavily. "It was one-sided, Dad. I see that now. At the time, I didn’t."
I close my eyes as relief fills me. "So, you two never…?"
"No. The first time we kissed was at your front door."
I stay silent, unsure what to say next.
"Say hello to her for me," he says.
"I will." I try to change the subject. "Hey, try and talk your mother into coming over, will you?"
"Yes." He laughs. "How long has she got to use her plane ticket?"
"Well, I bought it for her when she got back from when Emma was born. It's valid for twelve months, I think, so another nine months or so."