Lead Player - Alex Grayson Page 0,29
when I see Heidi’s name scroll across the screen. The girl is sweet and has been my sister, Allison’s, best friend since childhood, but her timing couldn’t have been worse. I have no doubt there’s something she needs me to do for her. This is the third time she’s called since I’ve been back in town wanting something. The first was the night Alaina and I met in the bar, which was the reason I had to abruptly leave. What the hell did she do while I was gone for two years?
Blowing out a calming breath, I swipe to answer her call.
“Hey, Heidi.”
“Thank God you answered,” she replies, sounding out of breath. “Can you come over?”
I rub the back of my neck, easing the tense muscles there. “Why? What’s up?”
Her breath crackles over the phone like she blew into the speaker.
“The sink in the kitchen is busted or something. There’s water everywhere, and I don’t know what to do to stop it.”
I pull my phone away from my ear and look at the time. Irritation hits me when I see that it’s already past eight. It took longer than I thought it would with my lawyer. I could have rescheduled for another day to take care of business, but she’s leaving in the morning for a ten day vacation, and I wanted it taken care of before then. When I left her office, my sole focus was to get back to Alaina. Now that she’s given in to the prospect of something forming between us, I’m impatient to see her again.
“Have you called a plumber? I have plans tonight.”
“Oh,” she says quietly. “Yeah, I did, but they want an arm and a leg because it’s after regular business hours.” She pauses. “Umm… don’t worry about it. I’ll figure something out.”
I feel like an ass because other than Allison and me, she has no one else to depend on in Park Crest. Both of her parents are dead, and her older brother lives five hours away. It wouldn’t hurt me to take a look. I mean, how long can it take to fix a leaky pipe?
“Give me about twenty minutes, and I’ll be over.” I stride toward to my car.
“Are you sure?” she asks, sounding relieved. “I don’t want to mess up your plans.”
“Yeah,” I grunt. The lights on my car flash when I unlock the doors. “It’s no big deal if I’m a bit late.”
Or at least I hope it’s not. I never told Alaina what time I’d be back because I didn’t know myself. I just hope like fuck she hasn’t changed her mind about us.
“You’re a lifesaver, Enzo!” Heidi gushes. “Thank you!”
“No problem. See you in a bit.”
I hang up with Heidi and pull Alaina’s number up as I slide inside my car. While she was grabbing Nikki’s book earlier, I spied her phone on the counter and put my number in it before I called myself, so I’d have her number. Even though she said she’d give it to me before I left, something told me she had no plans to follow through with it, so I took it upon myself.
“Enzo?” she answers with a hesitant voice.
“Hey.”
“How did you get my number?”
“I put mine in your phone while you were grabbing Nikki’s book then called myself.”
“Oh.”
I start my car but leave it in park. “Listen, I have to make a pit stop to help a friend before I head over. I wanted to let you know so you didn’t think I was standing you up.”
“Okay.”
Is that disappointment I hear?
“As soon as I’m done, I’ll give you a call. It shouldn’t be too long.”
“Maybe we should do this another day. I mean, we both have to get up early tomorrow for the wedding.”
“No!” I wince when my words come out as almost a shout. I lower my voice. “I’d really like to see you tonight.”
“Yeah, uh huh.” I can hear the smile on her face. “You just want in my panties again.”
“Well, there is that,” I drawl with a chuckle. “But I’d really like to see all of you, not just your delectable naked body.”
“Hmm… just be quick. We have an early morning, and I’d prefer not to rush when I finally get my hands on you again.”
“Thanks. Now I’ll be sporting wood until I get there.”
“You’re welcome,” she chirps. “I’ll be waiting. With or without clothes on.”
She hangs up before I can respond. I groan as a mental picture forms in my head of her reclining back