Chapter 16

Naomi hadn’t thought her Tuesday could get any worse. She’d accidentally overheard her sister and almost-brother-in-law having sex in the bathroom, of all places. Her mother had nagged her throughout breakfast and out the door about Reid. And Jon of Jennings Tech had just confirmed that Paulson, Pierce & Ryan had won Jennings’s business to take over the PR campaign for their newest product, X-Tech71.

“That’s great news,” she told Jon over the phone, hoping she sounded sincere.

“It is, but only because we know how well you two work together. Tanner’s said only good things about you. With our key personnel overseeing the X-Tech campaign and you and Tanner spearheading our advertising angle, I know we’ll be increasing revenue in no time.”

“We’re super excited to work with you.” Scoring her first big client with Starr PR, on her own. A tiny thrill made it difficult to sit still. The job was a boon to offset having to work with Tanner. “I’m sure we’ll do just fine working alongside PP&R.”

“It’s not a problem, you and Tanner working together, is it? I know you left the firm, but I didn’t sense any bad blood between you two.” Jon sounded concerned.

“No, no, not at all. Tanner’s a great guy. Smart and savvy about marketing. We’ll have no problem working with him. That is correct, isn’t it? We’ll be working with him, not for him?” Because that would be a nightmare she wasn’t sure she could handle.

“Exactly. I’m still overseeing our public relations department, but with all our growth, we’re directing more work in-house and to contractors. Joanne Smith is project manager for X-Tech71.” What she and Tanner would be promoting. “You and Tanner fall under her purview. I figured between you two and with Joanne’s insights, we should have something up and running in a month’s time.”

“Sounds perfect. I’m so excited to begin working with Jennings Tech,” she said again, choosing to concentrate on that win. It had really happened. She’d done it! Even Tanner couldn’t put her down right now. She’d landed the job. She could do this.

Coming back down to earth, she cleared her throat. “Can I ask what decided you in our favor?”

“It was a lot of things. Your track record is stellar and your reputation as a small firm is glowing. In fact, Reid Griffith can’t say enough good things about you.”

“Vets on the Go! is our newest client. They’ve been great to work with so far.” She had to thank Reid for this. She wondered if he had any idea what he’d done for her.

“Reid and Cash are great. They also happen to be friends with Chris,” he said dryly. “So it’s a good thing you’ve done well by them.”

She chuckled. “Oh, that’s good to know. But we treat all our clients like they’re special.”

“Outstanding. Take a look at the contract and get it back to us by Friday if you can. We’d like to get moving on this right away. Oh, and before I forget, you and your team will be receiving an invite, by courier, to the company party next weekend. Cash and Reid were invited too, so don’t be surprised to see your clients there. Chris is celebrating the company’s birthday, and everyone’s invited. Since you’re now a part of the team, we can’t wait to introduce you.”

“Thanks so much, Jon. We’ll see you then.” Naomi wrapped up the call, then bolted for the door. Seeing no one waiting by Liz’s desk, she yelled for Leo, currently working in his office instead of telecommuting, as he did on days he attended specialty classes at a local college.

“You rang, great leader?” Leo asked. Tall and lean with a mop of blond hair, Leo loved numbers more than Naomi loved chocolate. A lot. He was reliable, a near-genius, and had a major crush on Liz’s oldest daughter. Liz kept her eye on him, dangling poor Heather like pretty bait, not that Heather minded. Leo was quite a catch. A genuinely nice guy with a job who didn’t mooch off his parents.

Liz looked up from the computer, her eyes wide. “What’s with all the yelling? What did I miss?”

“We did it! We scored the Jennings account!”

The three of them did a happy dance before celebrating with the chocolate cookies Liz had been hiding in her secret stash.

“You had Grasshoppers and never shared? Liz, I’m crushed.” Naomi laughed before biting into one.

“Well, the last batch of chocolate chips disappeared before I even got one.” Liz shot her and Leo a suspicious look.

Leo didn’t say a word, but Naomi knew he’d swiped them to share with Heather on a break.

“Sue me. I have a chocolate addiction.” She winked at Leo, who blushed. “There’s only one catch with this deal.”

Liz groaned. “I knew it. What?”

“Tanner’s going to be working with us.” To Leo, she said, “PP&R.”

“Hey, I know who Tanner is,” Leo said. “The walls here are thin. I listen. So you’ll be working with your ex. You good with that?”

“I’d work with Satan himself to get in with Jennings. Do you two have any idea how much this is going to help grow our business? With the money we generate from this deal, we’ll be able to add on two more people, not just one, and take on more clients.”

“So we’ll have a marketing specialist soon?” Liz asked. “That would be great.”

“Yes. And maybe a social media specialist. That would really help.”

Liz nodded.

“You know what else would help? A new computer,” Leo hinted, not so subtly.

She grinned. “Get me specs. You’re all getting bonuses too. Man, this totally makes up for overhearing my sister having sex this morning.”

“I once heard my parents doing it. Made me think about being a priest for a good year. But I didn’t think I could go without…” Leo stared at Liz, who raised a brow. He turned beet red. “Ah, I’d better get back to my spreadsheets.” He darted away and slammed into his office.

“Oh, that came out wrong.”

“It did?” Liz looked intrigued.

“Not really. I was going to tell you about my morning but didn’t mean to share with poor Leo.” She raised her voice, “Except I now know our walls are thin.”

Alternative rock sounded loudly through his closed door.

She and Liz shared a grin before Liz said, “So you heard your sister? Ew.”

“Tell me about it. I mean, she’s pregnant.”

“And?”

“Well, isn’t it uncomfortable with a belly?”

Liz laughed long and loud. “Honey, I had a belly both before and after I gave birth. It’s always good when your guy knows what he’s doing.”

“Liz.” Naomi turned red. “Anyway, hearing that was bad. Then my mother nagged the crap out of me about Reid. I told you how she arrived early.”

Liz laughed, again, at Naomi’s expense. “Sorry. But that’s too funny. At least she didn’t catch you guys going at it.”

“It was a close call.”

“Hmm.” Liz took off her glasses. “Seems to me you and Reid are really hitting it off.”

“I like him a lot. More than I should.” Naomi groaned. “This deal with Jennings Tech… I’m going to be working with him again.”

“By him, you mean Tanner, your ex who’s still in love with you?”

“Yes, Liz. Thanks. I needed to hear that.”

Liz shrugged. “Maybe you did. Tanner claims he wants you back. Are you sure, I mean, a hundred percent sure, you’re over him?”

“Yes.” Naomi paused. “I think. Mostly. Oh, I should hate him. He was such a jerk at the end.”

“But he wasn’t always.”

“No, he wasn’t. When I’m with Reid, I wonder if I’m making the same mistake. I’m gaga over this handsome guy, and we work together.”

“Not exactly.”

“That’s what Reid says. That he’s not anything like Tanner.”

Liz blinked. “You told him about Tanner?”

“I accidentally overshared after sex. He must think I’m an idiot. Especially since I’m thirty years old and unable to admit to my mother that I can make my own choices.”

“That is pathetic.”

“Thanks so much, Liz.” Naomi glared.

Liz held up her hands. “Hey, don’t shoot the messenger. Personally, I think you should use this flimsy excuse to get to know Reid better. I like him for you. He looks at you like he cares. He’s not out to use you for anything. I mean, he’s already paying you for—”

Naomi glared.

“I wasn’t going to say sex,” Liz hurriedly stated. “I meant for business. That’s a done deal. And it’s not like you sleep with all your clients.”

Naomi groaned.

“Gee. That didn’t sound good, did it?”

Naomi hid her face behind her hands while Liz laughed hysterically. When Leo poked his head out and saw Liz crying because she was laughing so hard, he ducked back inside his office.

Naomi threw her hands up. “I’m going back to work.”

“To the office, ho! Or to the office, Ho.” Liz laughed some more.

“Weirdo.” Naomi got back to work, and the hours flew by. She texted back and forth with Reid a few times during his lunch break, which he spent eating over his desk, according to her poor, overworked fake boyfriend.

Yet the more Naomi thought about it, the more she decided lying to her mother was stupid. Naomi had made bad choices in the past, yes. But Reid wasn’t a bad choice. She liked him. He liked her. They had incredible chemistry, and she’d developed feelings for him.

Why shouldn’t she date the man?

Pleased she’d come to a mature decision, she thought about calling him at the end of the day. Then she wondered if she’d do better to tell him in person. Through texts, they agreed to share dinner together at one of her favorite restaurants. But on her drive home, she received a phone call.

Hitting a button on her steering wheel, she answered, “Hello?”

“Naomi, it’s Reid.”

“Reid?” She frowned. “You sound terrible. Are you sick?”

“I’m going to have to cancel tonight. I’m sorry.” He paused. “My mother died.”

“Oh, Reid. I’m so sorry.” She felt terrible. “Is there anything I can do?”

“No. It’s been a long time coming. She’s in a better place, and that’s no bull. I really believe that.” He sighed. “But Cash isn’t taking it well. I have to go. I just didn’t want you to think I was standing you up or anything.”

“No, you do what you have to do. And please let me know if I can help at all.”

“Thanks. I have to go.” He hung up, and she drove home, feeling so bad for him.

When she arrived, she saw her family laughing and playing some silly board game while drinking her mother’s famous cocoa. The sweet scent of chocolate wafted throughout the house.

Naomi realized that time was a fickle thing. None of them had as much as they might hope. So she kissed her mother, smiled at her sister and Kyle, and made the most of the time she had with them. Her mind on Reid all the while…

* * *

Reid felt a sad sense of relief that their mother, who hadn’t been around much in life, had at least died peacefully in her hospital bed. Last night, she’d died in her sleep.

Cash looked lost as they drove to the funeral home their mother had planned to use.

“I can do this,” Reid said to his brother as he parked in the lot. “You don’t need to be here.”

“I’m good.” Cash cleared his throat. “It’s not like it’s a big deal. She was the way she was, never really there. Now she’s really gone.”

“One way to look at it.” Reid didn’t have any tears left. He’d cried them out last night in the privacy of his room.

“So we’ll wrap this up and get back to work.” Cash shrugged. His movements were stiff, his face unnaturally calm.

“You need to get it out or you’ll lose it.”

“What?”

“The anger, the sadness. She treated you like shit. She vanished and left us to Dad for too long. And he was awful.”

“To me, not to you.”

Reid wished he could read his brother’s expressions. “Dad’s dead. We both came to terms with that. Now Mom’s gone. We have Evan; we have Aunt Jane.”

Cash gave a ghost of a grin. “Her, I like.”

Reid chuckled. “Me too.”

After a minute, Cash added, “We still have each other.”

“Yep. We’ve always had that, so really, nothing’s changed.”

Cash nodded, though they both knew their world had shifted.

They left the car to attend to Angela’s last requests. Surprisingly, she’d been organized enough to leave clear instructions with the funeral home and arranged her final resting place, next to their father. All that was left was to cremate the body, then go over her last will and testament Friday with some lawyer.

After dealing with the details, they left and headed home.

“So what’s with you and the redhead?” Cash asked out of the blue.

“What?” Reid’s heart raced at mention of Naomi, which made him feel stupid. It wasn’t like he planned to lie about their relationship. But sharing it with others felt intrusive. Plus, with the boyfriend ruse Naomi had created to satisfy her mother, he wasn’t sure where they officially stood.

Cash turned in his seat to study Reid, life coming back to his eyes as he watched him. “You heard me.” As Reid tried to decide what to say, Cash whistled. “So it’s like that, eh? You and the redhead a thing or just bangin’?”

Reid groaned. “We’re not ‘just bangin’.’ And Jesus, don’t say that around Naomi, okay?”

Cash chuckled. “Sure, Bro. So what’s the deal? You dating her or what?”

“Kind of. We’re taking it slow.”

“Slow can be good.” Cash wiggled his brows, and to his mortification, Reid’s cheeks heated.

Which caused Cash to laugh at him, long and loud.

“So glad I’m the cause of your good mood.”

Cash punched him in the arm. “Oh man, I needed that. Thanks.”

“Not to change the subject or anything, but how did it go with Mannie the other day?”

“Okay, I guess. He did his job. Martin never shut the hell up, so at least Mannie was there as a buffer. I still sense something off about the guy, though I can’t put my finger on it.”

“So keep pairing him with you or one of the Jacksons until we’re sure.”

“Yeah. Maybe it’s just because he’s Army. We already have too many of them.”

They both had a good laugh over that. “Speaking of Army, how’s Jordan doing?”

Cash shrugged. “Good, I guess. Haven’t seen much of her lately.”

“You were just out with her last week.”

“Well, yeah. But she’s been distracted.” Cash frowned and stretched out his legs. “Personal problems, I guess. Unlike Martin, she doesn’t talk me to death. I kind of miss her quiet.”

“She didn’t seem all that quiet to me.” Reid shot his brother a look before concentrating on the road once more. “Seems like she tells you where to go about once a day. I like her.”

Cash grinned. “Me too.” His smile faded. “Doesn’t it feel weird to laugh when Mom just died?”

“Cash, man, I don’t think she’d notice what we did if she was here. What makes you think her spirit would care now?”

“You believe in spirits?”

Reid shrugged, a little uncomfortable with the conversation. “I believe in an afterlife, I guess. Spirits, ghosts? Nah. But I have a hard time thinking when you die you just disappear.”

“Yeah, well, I hope wherever she is, she’s not hanging with the old man. Talk about hell.”

Reid didn’t say anything, because he agreed. Conversations with Cash about family usually devolved into bitter diatribes about their father. They both knew their mother had been little better, but it felt somehow disloyal to call her on it. Until now, apparently.

Yet Cash obviously felt something, because he was calling Angela “Mom” again.

They didn’t speak as Reid parked and they walked inside their house. Once in, he ordered some takeout and changed into sweats and a T-shirt. Cash did the same.

They crashed on the sofa, sitting next to each other.

“Same old shit,” Cash said.

“Different day,” Reid finished.

Then they watched the Mariners win while they waited for their Chinese food.

And Reid wondered if this wouldn’t be as bad as he’d feared, that Cash would be able to deal. He saw a text from Naomi and smiled.

Cash saw him and grunted. “Naomi, right?”

Another ding. Her asking if she could do anything for them.

His heart grew fonder. Alarmingly fonder.

Reid shrugged. “She’s just being nice, asking how we’re doing.”

“Yeah? Tell her we could use a couple of beers to go with the lo mein.”

“You want me to invite her over?”

Cash shrugged. “Why not?” He planted his big feet on the table and kicked back. “Don’t worry, Little Brother. I have no designs on your girl.”

“Please. Like she’d look twice at you when she has me to fawn over.” Naomi hadn’t given off any vibes she liked Cash like that.

Nah. The one and only time he and his brother had had an issue over a woman, it hadn’t been Reid’s girl having second thoughts. It had been Cash’s. But then, Mariah hadn’t been too particular about men, sad to say…

Reid teased his brother about the harem Cash was building at the gym. Cash gave him shit back, and they spent the rest of the night sharing insults and egg rolls in between cheering on the team.

Yet Reid could never quite forget Naomi’s kindness or the fact he wished he’d had the stones to ask her over. But what kind of douche made a move on a woman the night after his mother died?

He blinked away tears, handling Angela’s passing just fine, and taunted Cash some more. And if he saw his brother’s eyes looking a little shinier than usual, he didn’t say anything.