“Of course you do because I leave Thursday afternoon to drive to Rice Lake for a hockey camp.”
“When will you get back?”
“Late Saturday night.”
“Then I’ll be here Sunday morning at nine so we can spend at least one day together this week.”
She turned her head and kissed my wrist. “I’d love that.”
“It sucks that we’ve got opposite travel schedules.”
“It does. But like you said one time, we’ll adapt. We can always sext.”
“No offense, Happy, but even sexting ain’t gonna cut it when now I know it’s like this between us.”
Gabi smirked. “We do have killer chemistry. And just think . . . sex will only get better between us.”
I groaned. “You just had to point that out.”
Twenty-Two
GABI
It started out as a typical Tuesday morning at Lakeside.
Except I was dragging ass into work because Nolan had kept me up late last night “saying good-bye” since he had business meetings out of town again the first part of this week.
We’d been dating for two weeks. Most of that time we’d spent apart but when we were both in town, we spent our time together, usually in my bed.
So while both Nolan and I wished our relationship allowed us more time together, we made the best of those moments we had. Plus, we’d gotten incredibly good at sexting.
After brewing a pot of coffee, I opened my laptop. While I should’ve been going over Jax’s questions on our revised summer schedule, my thoughts drifted. Nearly three weeks had passed since my job interview with Wolf Sports North. Maybe it was time to accept that I hadn’t been chosen for either sportscasting position. But I knew I couldn’t continue to languish at Lakeside either—a decision that would be harder to follow through with now that Nolan and I were in a relationship.
The alarm to the front door dinged, startling me out of my melancholy.
Probably just UPS. Or maybe Margene had come in early. Still, I hopped up because I should’ve locked the main door behind me after I’d arrived. I’d just cleared the edge of my desk when Edie Lund walked into the office.
She looked outstanding in a flowing cream shirt, beautifully patterned with pastel flowers, paired with ankle-length trousers the color of lemon sorbet and raffia wedges edged in gold trim that matched her handbag and her gold jewelry. The chic shades covering her eyes probably cost more than my LASIK eye surgery. Even after she pushed them on top of her head, her hairstyle wasn’t mussed at all.
“Good morning, Gabi.”
“Good morning, Mrs. Lund.” I paused. “Is everything all right?”
“Yes. Please call me Edie. If you’re not too busy, I’d like a word with you.”
“Sure. Come in. Would you like coffee?”
“Desperately, but no need to wait on me. I’ll get it and be right back.”
I flopped in my chair, half-afraid that I was about to get the “you’re no good for my son” warning.
She paused in the doorway and looked nervously over her shoulder. “You’re sure you’re the only one here?”
“Yes.”
“Good.” Then she shut the door.
My panic climbed about fifty levels.
After she glided into the chair opposite my desk, she set her enormous purse on the floor and met my gaze as she sipped from her cup. After that first drink, she sighed. “I wouldn’t have survived parenthood if not for unhealthy amounts of caffeine. It’s a habit I’ve never broken.”
“Are you just a coffee drinker? Or are you into energy drinks?”
“I’ve tried them, the crash is just too severe. With coffee, I can dose myself all day long and no one has any idea how much I consume.” She smirked. “You won’t tell on me, will you?”
“Of course not.”
“So I imagine you’re a little unsettled that I just popped in unannounced, when we don’t really know each other.”
“I’ll admit . . . it is kind of freaking me out.”
“Well, the situation I’ve found myself in is freaking me out and I need your help.”
I blinked at her. “My help?”
“It’s come to my attention, that you . . .” She snapped her mouth shut.
Silence settled between us and it took all of my willpower not to confess that yes, I was currently sleeping with her son and loving every moment of it.
“I’m making this harder than it has to be, but I came here to warn you.” Then she blurted out, “Lucy has decided she needs to bond with the women employees here at Lakeside, in keeping with