Chapter 4

Chapter Four

Annie

It's been one whole week.

Seven days of bliss.

I know I should have at least tried to get something started in Suzie's studio, but she's very convincing when it comes to getting me next to the pool with her. It's not like we completely wasted the pool time either. When I'm not working my way through my ridiculously long Tbr, I'm flipping through applications for open positions at studios in the States. At first, I tried to stay local, but there are so few places even considering hiring, that it became clear, very early on, that I might have to branch out a bit. Even if it means I have to move away from Suzie and my new comfort zone.

So far, I've successfully avoided her dads. I don't go down to breakfast until well after they've left for work, or whatever it is they do during the day, and when it's dinner time I beg off, insisting Suzie spend some time with them instead, while grabbing a plate and hiding in my room.

It's been semi-successful, but I can tell Suzie is tiring of my excuses. I'll probably have to give in and spend some time with them soon, and hope above all else that Suzie can't tell how mouth-watering I find them.

Or maybe I've been imagining it all and they aren't really the sexiest beasts I've ever seen, and I just need to get over myself.

Giggling at my ridiculousness, I push up from the lounger and pop my e-reader under the pillow. Suzie is working her way through a crossword with serious concentration. "Hey, clever clogs. I'm going to do some laps. Do you want to go out and get some pizza after?"

My friend looks up from her puzzle book with a large smile on her face. "Pizza and my best friend? Sounds perfect. How many laps are you doing?"

"The usual," I say, shrugging.

"Good," she responds, smirking. "Gives me plenty of time to finish this crossword and get a good start on the next one."

Giggling at her antics, I gently smack her on the back of the head before I walk over to the large, heated pool. Their house is pretty amazing, with a lot of great amenities. But the pool is my favorite. Not because it's getting close to winter, and I can still get my swim on. No... It's because if there is one thing I really missed while working under asshole Jackson, it's that there wasn't a decent public pool close by, and the one at the local gym was always filled with old grannies doing their water aerobics.

In the week we've been here, I've gotten back into my old habit of doing fifty laps each morning and evening.

The feel of the water rushing over my body as I dive in feels like a welcome and warm embrace. Soon my muscles loosen up nicely and I set a steady pace, moving from one end of the large pool to the other, cutting out everything else.

Daddy Jackson's actions and how he contacted my parents when he felt our relationship had run its course becomes background noise and I forget about my mother's harsh words and my father's cruel sneer when he informed me I'd be cut off from any further support immediately.

I stop thinking about the way my heart broke when the one man I thought I could depend on for everything stomped on it with no pause whatsoever.

When I'm in the water, all I feel, all I focus on, is the next breath I need to take, and the next move I need to make. It's so calming and cathartic that I can even ignore the fact that, more often than not, I'm crying.

Suzie is great about ignoring my red-rimmed eyes when I get out each time. And this time, she isn't even there to pretend she sees nothing.

She's left a note on my lounger to inform me she's gone to get dressed, so I quickly grab my towel, wrap it around me and pick up my phone and e-reader so I can head to my room to shower and change.

If I play my cards right, I might even convince her to go out after too. We haven't been dancing at all since we got home, and I'd love to experience the nightlife here at least once before I pretend to be a grown-up and do all the responsible things like work and earn a living.

I'm so busy focusing on my cell phone and texting Suzie about the possible change of plans that I don't notice I'm not alone in the pool room anymore. Not until I'm stopped by two strong hands wrapping around my biceps, stopping me from crashing into a large chest.

"Hold on there, Annie," Montgomery's smooth voice warns me. It sends a delicious shiver down my spine that's very hard to hide, especially when we're standing this close together. "You should probably put that phone away and look where you're going."

"Sorry!" I croak out before clearing my suddenly frog-filled throat. I try to take a step back, but his hands stay clasped around my arms, keeping me hostage. They're so warm, firm and rough that I can picture them on other areas of my body too.

Bad Annie!

"What's so important on that phone of yours, anyway? Is that the reason you've been missing dinners with us? Got yourself a boyfriend, missy?"

The instant he says the words, he seems to regret them, if the way his mouth falls open is any indication. "Shit. Sorry. That was inappropriate, and none of my business."

A small part of me wants to tell him I wouldn't mind making it his business, but I push that part down as deep as it can go before shaking my head at him.

"Nope. No boyfriend. I was actually texting Suzie."

At this, he burst into laughter. The sound of it warms me in ways I don't like admitting. "Aren't you two normally glued at the hip? Why on earth would you need to text her anything?"

I shrug, trying to step away from him again. Standing this close to him is hard enough without having to look at his face, and see it light up the way it does when it fills with mirth. This time he lets me move away, and the teensy devil on my shoulder tries to tell me he seems reluctant to do it. Not that I dare listen to her anymore.

"We've got pizza plans tonight. I was telling her we need to change the pizza plans to pizza and dancing plans."

Montgomery frowns at that, the attractive lines on his face deepening as he stares down at me with a thoughtful expression on his face.

He seems to battle with something before shaking his head and taking a step away from me. "Whatever you decide to do, be careful. And maybe see if you can get Ethan to go with you."

Without another word or glance, he turns on his heel and storms away toward the kitchen, leaving me wondering what the heck I'd said that was so wrong. Had Suzie maybe not told him about the change in dinner plans yet?

I focus back on my phone and open up the text thread with Suzie again.

Annie

Put on a sexy dress. You, Ethan and his hottie fiancé are taking me dancing.

Her response pings on my phone by the time I make it to my room and have my bathing suit off and in the hamper.

Suzie-Sue

This! This, Annie-belle, is why you're my best friend. I'll get Ethan on board. I'll have pizza delivered so we can eat with the dads and then Ethan can fetch us.

I stare at my phone screen for too long, before realizing there is no way I was getting out of dinner tonight. It would just be too weird. Plus, it was just pizza anyway, right ?

I sent her a thumbs-up, a kissy face and a dancing girl before locking my phone and jumping in the shower.

Time for the dance-girl preparations to get started.