10. Tale of Two Phones

CHAPTER 10

TALE OF TWO PHONES

KALLIE

Pink for personal. White for business. Both phones I now carry with me all of the time. But I have to be careful so Jeremy has no clue I'm in possession of my old phone again. Not that I care if he sees me texting Cody. It's my life. But after the way Jeremy threatened me, I'm wary.

I loved Cody's advice, and I put it into action right away. At work, I give Jeremy just enough help to get him by, but I leave him enough rope, enough blanks to fill on his own, that I hope he'll mess up in his work. Chances are Dad will finally see right through him for the fraud he is.

I formulated a plan and it's in full motion. I'm playing their game. Jeremy and Dad's. I'm here for now, gathering ammunition, waiting for the perfect time to strike. While I'm always cautious of Jeremy, fully aware now more than ever of just how dangerous he could be.

The night I found my pink phone and had a near breakdown on the bathroom floor, hearing from Cody for the first time boosted my spirit and filled me with hope again. He'll never know how much I needed to hear from someone at the point where I thought all was lost.

Just knowing he's there for me as a friend, an outsider, remotely removed from any of my messy life makes all the difference. I can't help but grin as wide as ever when another text comes in from him. But to keep things only friendly I had to establish some rules with him. No phone calls, no photos, and no details about our lives, etcetera.

Cody: Hey. I hope your evening is better than mine. I'm at a stuffy cocktail party, and my suit shirt is tight as fuck. Guess I need to go up a size.

Imagining his fit body sprouting even more muscles in a suit flips my insides upside down. I've only ever pictured him in Wranglers as a sexy cowboy. Mm. I'd give anything to see him right now and almost break my no photos rule.

The thing is, tonight I'm in L.A., his territory. It's so tempting to let him know I'm here. To meet up and see what it might lead to, but I don't dare tell him. Not with Dad and Jeremy here with me as we attend the league's owners' meetings.

Kallie: Funny. I'm at an event I don't want to be at either.

Cody: What are you wearing?

Kallie: Little black dress.

Cody: Black lacy panties?

Kallie: Sure. ;) A friendly pair.

Cody: I'm sorry I asked now. Makes me want to break all your rules.

Kallie: If it helps, they're really granny panties, not lace.

Cody: Right. What do you say we leave and fly somewhere tonight to meet up? I'll buy the tickets, no matter the cost. Even if it's just to meet, grab a coffee together, then hop back on planes for home. (Wink emoji)

Kallie: You really are trying to be a rule breaker tonight.

We're hedging out of friendship territory with this chat. I yearn to see him again, but somehow I think a coffee meetup to him is code for doubling the number of orgasms he gave me the first time.

Not that I'd mind. My panties are wet just thinking about him. But we're only supposed to be friends.

Cody: Pick somewhere in the world. Anywhere.

Kallie: Montana.

Cody: Let's go.

Kallie: Be serious.

Cody: I'm not joking.

Kallie: We can't.

Cody: Why not? What's holding you back?

Kallie: Friends, remember?

What is holding me back from exploring things with Cody? My gut tells me he's not the kind of guy to treat me like Jeremy does. But I was so mistaken about him, I'm probably wrong about Cody, too.

We'll always have Montana, but that's it. I need to keep that one special night in it's own bubble, away from every ugly thing I'm dealing with at home. I can't let Jeremy hurt me—but if he found out about Cody, I fear he'd hurt him, too.

Cody: Damn, woman. I just want you to know you're killing me keeping us in the friend zone.

Kallie: I'm sorry.

Cody: It's fine. I'll deal. But I you need to know that I think about you all the time. I'll be here waiting for you when you're ready.

All the time? My heart squeezes. I'll be here waiting… He has no idea what his words do to me.

How I wish I could leave Austin and all my troubles behind, and in time I will. Very soon. Right now I don't have room for fantasies. I have real life to deal with.

I sigh, my heart heavy in my chest, and I stuff the phones into my black designer satin clutch, the one with the pave diamonds across the lip. It's just big enough for two, and I leave my hotel room. Once I'm in the elevator, I smooth a hand down my little black dress, eyeing my reflection in the gleaming elevator walls of the classic Beverly Hills Hotel, knowing Dad will hate this ensemble.

I've heard him complain on more than one occasion to my mother over the years about her choice of clothing. Guarantee his first words will be, "Couldn't you have worn something with color?"

Maybe, but I don't feel like it. I feel like attending this reception in Los Angeles wearing black that reflects my mood because this is more like a death sentence.

To make matters worse, Jeremy came along on this trip, too. At least I insisted on separate hotel rooms. No matter how much he's tried to talk me into rooming together, and no matter how much he believes we're trying to work things out between us.

We're taking things slow. Very slow. Even slower than a snail's pace, he grumbled at me yesterday. But that's all part of my plan, to make him think we're trying a tiny bit, just until I can get away.

We aren't fucking, and never will again; I stiffen at his touch and turn my cheek at his every attempt to kiss me.

After his cheating, all his lies, and his threats I'd be a fool to jump back into what we had before. But a very tiny part of me cries for the life I thought I'd have with him. We had three good years, before the bad times. He'd been my first love. I've had to learn to let go of that fast, easier now that I can see him for who he really is.

My mind has been a jumbled mess since I returned to Austin.

I close my eyes and inhale, trying to calm the anxiety rising within. Just breathe, girl… The words come to mind, only not in my voice, not in Jeremy's, but in Cody's. The exact way he'd whispered it in my ear as I came for the fifth time and completely shattered underneath of him in my hotel room in Montana.

A thrill works down my spine. My body and my brain have not yet let me forget our night together. He was funny, and sexy, and everything I needed in a rebound man. I hated that he had to be the one I drew into my mess. No, I didn't hate the sex, and I didn't hate him. I hated that one night was all I could give him.

The bell dings and the doors open on Dad's floor. Before he steps in, his cool gray eyes glance at me, up and down. He enters with a disapproving Humph. "We're late." He frowns, otherwise I'm certain he'd order me to go up and change.

He's tolerating me. Could this be progress? I won't get my hopes up.

We ride down together in silence. There's so much I'd love to unload upon him, starting with my disappointment that he'd given Jeremy my marketing job. Or how about my disdain for his love of money and not for his daughter. I want so badly to ruin his impression of Jeremy who he's placed on such a high pedestal. But I bide my time, being patient. There will be the right time for that.

The elevator door opens on the ground floor, and Dad holds his elbow out. I take it, because this is all I am to him. The pretty show piece on his arm he can parade through the lobby. His sweet daughter who he can proudly introduce to the other owners at the party, while he berates me in private for wearing a simple black cocktail dress.

This used to be my mother's job, being at his side, until she fucked up. Too much to drinking and she'd embarrassed him at a gala two years ago. She refuses to get the help she needs for her alcoholism and Dad won't do anything for her, just lets her spend his money and hide at home.

Dad's cut from old cloth. He cannot stand women in business. Team PR is an important job, one I take seriously, gaining experience so that I can find a new job soon, but anytime he has something to gripe about or a new directive, he gives it to Steve, my assistant. What am I even doing? Why do I keep expecting Dad to change with the times?

Jeremy spots us, leaving some players he's talking to in the lobby. The local teams sent guys to attend this reception tonight, and he probably knows them all. He spent fifteen years in the league before he got injured and news that he could never play again. Before he got hooked on pills to take the pain away.

He joins us, kissing my cheek when he reaches my side because I turn away so he'll miss my lips. Then he shakes Dad's hand, pretending everything is fine between us. "The Vipers sent some players over. I've had my eye on one of their rookies. His stats are impressive. I'll introduce you later."

"Perfect. Be sure to tell the coaches next week about him." Dad gives him an approving nod and steers me into the ballroom. Jeremy is on my other side. I'm sandwiched between them like something they own, not a woman to respect and admire. I know the rookie's stats, too. I know hockey, since I used to play through school, and I've been around my father's business my whole life.

But I'm a woman. He doesn't respect that.

I sigh and put on a fake smile and play right into my role. But not for long. I'm going to break free of the both of them as soon as I figure out a new job, and a new place to live, and how to get away without Jeremy following me. Or hurting me.

I guess I'm vindictive that way. My mother gave up, sacrificing her life, letting Dad railroad over her. Not me. I have fight left in me. Jeremy and Dad fucked with the wrong modern girl.

An hour later, my cheeks hurt from my frozen, professional smile as the dutiful daughter. Funny how I'm crying on the inside despite it.

When Jeremy trails off to speak with old friends, I excuse myself and make for the bar. I leave my empty glass there and order another, ignoring Dad's one-drink limit demand. With a fresh Long Island iced tea in hand, tall and strong, I slowly meander back.

I eye Dad speaking with a few players as I approach. With tight bodies in suits, holding beers, they tug at their ties around their necks because they'd probably rather be on the ice instead of a stuffy reception like this.

Leave the business side of things to the suits. Leave the team on the ice to win the games. That was Dad's motto I recall him saying the entire time I grew up. Funny how Jeremy broke his rule, now working for him.

Dad glares at me slurping through the straw, so I focus on my drink as he introduces us. "Here's my daughter, Kallie. Honey, this is Miles St. James and um, sorry son, I didn't catch your name."

"Cody." That deep voice… So familiar. Like the one belonging to the man who had called me good girl as my breath left my quaking body for the 6th time one night in Montana.

My eyes snap up to the tallest of the two, a gorgeous, tanned, blue eyed man whose body I'd been intimately familiar with for one night. A cowboy I never expected to see here at a hockey event.

It's him. Here.

Cody plays hockey? The last I'd seen of him, he wore ass-hugging Wranglers, well-worn cowboy boots, and a huge silver belt buckle. He was my perfect cowboy lasting several seconds on a bull. And now he's…

He's staring at me like I walked out of his latest wet dream, along with a side of disbelief.

I can't speak and neither can he, at first. I recognize the same blue sparks in his eyes that he'd held on me while we danced at the bar, and I fall for him, tumbling into some sort of dizzying spell of cowboy and cowgirl lust—until Jeremy reaches my side and breaks the spell.

"Ah, this is my future son-in-law, Jeremy Whittaker."

At Dad's words I die, hating his presumption that I'm still Jeremy's fiancee. Cody's eyes fall into darkness, squinting, darting them between us.

"You two might remember Jeremy, leading scorer of all time, playing for my team, the Austin Capitals? Now he's head of marketing for my organization and I couldn't be prouder." My father boasts. Fuck him.

Cody's demeanor turns to ice; I can feel the cold cracking and expanding from his chest. But it's not exactly directed toward me. There's a strange look, a familiarity, that passes between he and Jeremy.

Oblivious to the silent war waging between my ex and the cowboy, the other guy, Miles, reaches out and shakes his hand. "I saw you play in the finals for the cup your first year in Austin…"

I don't hear another word, watching Cody huff and stride out the doors. My heart goes with him. Whatever possess me, I must talk with him.

As the three men get embroiled in hockey talk, I make an excuse to get away. "Um, I think I see a friend over there. I'll be back." I rush off, darting through the crowd in the opposite direction as fast as I can so neither Dad nor Jeremy can follow. I find the exit at the end of the ballroom, and, with no view of the two men behind me, I rush out to the hall doubling back to the lobby, searching for any sign of Cody.

I take out my pink phone to text him, but one from him is there, waiting for me to read it.

Cody: We need to talk, and it'd better be in person. Find me at the lobby bar.