A Not So Meet Cute(122)

I shake my head. “No.”

“Did Lottie seem happy to see you this morning?” JP winces.

After Lottie took off yesterday, I sent a text to my brothers, telling them it wasn’t Lottie, and then went into detail about how I fucked up everything with her. I blamed them, they blamed me. I took responsibility because, let’s be honest, this entire mess is my fault. Because I have some sick drive to prove—to prove what? That I can secure a deal? What’s the point of securing a deal if, in the end, I hurt the people who matter the most to me?

I hurt my brothers.

And I hurt Lottie.

No deal is bigger than that.

“No,” I say, remembering the grief-stricken look on her face. “She didn’t even say much.”

“Did you apologize?” JP asks.

“Of course I fucking apologized. Do you think I just went over there for the hell of it?”

“I’m just checking,” JP says in a defensive tone. “You’ve screwed up a lot lately. Just wanted to make sure you didn’t screw that up too.”

“Oh no, I did. I fucked that up big time. The only thing I have going for me is that she said she’d have dinner with me tonight.”

“Oh shit, really?” Breaker asks. “What are you going to do?”

“Beg for her forgiveness. What else is there to do?”

“Prove to her how sorry you are.”

“And how would I do that?” I ask.

Breaker shrugs. “Hell if I know. It’s why I’m not in a relationship. I don’t know how to handle women.”

“I don’t think that’s the reason,” JP says. “You’re just an idiot.”

“Says the guy who’s not in a relationship either,” Breaker says.

“By choice,” JP shoots back. “If I wanted to be in a relationship, then I would be.”

“Uh-huh.” Breaker eyes him up and down. “And how’s that flirting going with Kelsey, by the way?”

“Fine. If I turned it up a notch, she’d be all over me.”

Breaker scoffs. “Yeah . . . all over you.” He rolls his eyes, and I’m about to snap at my brothers when Karla comes into my office.

She raps her knuckles on the doorframe and says, “The front just informed me Mr. Toney is on his way up.”

“Thank you, Karla.” She gives me a curt nod and then disappears. “You two need to get the hell out of here.” I need to deal with this on my own.

They gather their things and head toward the door. “Good luck, man,” Breaker says with a nod. JP gives me a quick nod too, and then I’m left alone in my office.

Idly, I sit in my chair, staring at my computer screen. I’m a lucky son of a bitch that my brothers are supportive rather than wanting to murder me for possibly fucking up our reputation. Our livelihood, as well as the company’s employees. They could be dicks, but they’re choosing not to be, and I’m really appreciative of it. It’s tough enough knowing I damaged my relationship with Lottie, I’m not sure I’d know what to do without my brothers. And, yes, I said damaged. It’s not over. I’m going to get Lottie back. She’s mine. Forever.

Karla knows to send Dave back to my office when he arrives, so when there’s a knock at my door, I’m not surprised to see him.

“Dave.” I stand and walk over to him, offering him a firm handshake. “Thanks for making it over here.”

“I thought I was going to be late.” He chuckles, completely unaware of how my stomach is turning in on itself. “There was a huge accident on the 405. I was able to get off at an exit before I hit parking-lot type traffic.”

“When is there not an accident on the 405?” I ask.

“Very true.”

I gesture toward the sitting area in my office while I shut my door behind him. “Take a seat. Can I get you anything to drink?”

“I’m good. I downed a coffee on the way here. Don’t worry, I went to the bathroom before I came in, so I won’t be requiring the use of your personal toilet.”

I chuckle and take a seat across from him. “My personal toilet is always available to you.”

He presses his hand to his chest. “The sentiment hits me hard.”

My smile fades as I clear my throat. I figure I might as well just jump right to it. “I, uh, I was hoping to have an honest conversation with you today.”

The smallest of smirks appear on Dave’s face. “I think I know what this is about.”

“Do you?” I ask, wanting to see where he’s at.

He nods. “You know, when Ellie first told me, I didn’t believe her at first, but after the baby class, I knew right away that Ellie was right.”

I clear my throat again, tempted to pull on my tie, to loosen it, but I hold strong. “And what was she right about?”

“Excuse me for being forward, but that your relationship with Lottie wasn’t real.”

Yup, there it is.

Shame and embarrassment flow through my veins, heating up my body. Damn it, I wish I’d thought to take off my suit jacket for this conversation. It’s too late now.

I go to say something, but Dave continues, “She told me after the dinner at our house. She suspected you two were faking it. I thought maybe it was some crazy pregnancy hormone at first, because I couldn’t fathom why you’d lie. Especially about a relationship. Ellie pointed out the stiffness in your shoulders when Lottie touched you, the robotic way you talked to each other. There was something missing, and even though you were quite convincing, there were things here and there that gave you away.”