The Lineup(86)

Must be easy for him to not worry about it, just sweep it under the rug, but uncertainty isn’t easy for me. I like to have a plan. I like to know what’s ahead. I like to be able to prepare myself for what’s to come.

But lately, it seems like my entire life is full of uncertainty, and it’s driving me crazy.

“Sorry,” I say, pulling out my chair and taking a seat, letting my entire body flop into the chair. Emory set up brunch a few days ago and begged me to come since they haven’t seen me in well . . . two weeks. “I ran into the office quickly this morning to pull some numbers. But I’m here.”

“Yes, you are, and what a glow you have about you, don’t you think, ladies?”

Milly, the shy one of the group, nods over her mimosa, but Emory has a giant smile on her face . . . a knowing one.

“It’s so strange that we haven’t seen you around lately,” Emory says, lifting her plain orange juice to her mouth. “I wonder why that is.”

“Have you seen Jason?” Lindsay asks, looking like a doofus with the way she won’t stop wiggling her eyebrows. My girls know me well enough that I was going to order a mimosa, so they had one already brought to me. Thankful for the refreshment, I down half of it.

“No, he hasn’t been around to annoy us lately.” Emory taps her chin. “I wonder where he could be.”

“You guys are so immature.” I shake my head. “Why don’t you two be more like Milly? She’s sweet and doesn’t pester.”

“I don’t, but I like their pestering,” Milly replies with ease.

Ugh damn it, Milly. She’s supposed to be on my side.

“When have we ever been mature?” Lindsay asks, plopping a piece of fruit from the plate in the middle of the table in her mouth. “Just tell us what’s going on with you and Jason. We’ve given you space, now it’s time to dish.”

“I’m surprised you guys don’t already know,” I say, picking up a piece of pineapple. “Jason has zero ability to keep anything to himself. I assumed he’d told Knox and Carson, who in return told Emory and Milly and of course, relayed the information to you, Lindsay.”

“He’s said nothing,” Emory says, looking disappointed. “And I even forced Knox to ask, but he said Jason has been dead silent. Believe me, we are just as shocked as the guys.”

It’s because I told him if he said anything to Knox and Carson, I wouldn’t be sucking his dick anytime soon. In the last two weeks, I’ve sucked it at least six times. I finally figured out the way to keep Jason Orson quiet—just stick his dick in my mouth.

“It’s why we called for brunch today, because we need to know what’s going on.” Lindsay pokes me. “Spill.”

Smiling, I lean back and cross one leg over the other. “I’m not going to go into detail, so don’t ask for it. Got it?” I specifically look at Lindsay, who rolls her eyes and agrees. Good. Unable to contain how giddy I am, I say, “Jason and I are dating. He’s been at my house almost every night for the past two weeks.” Emory claps her hands. “He’s unlike any man I’ve ever been with. He annoys me to no end, but at the drop of a hat, has me begging for his attention. He can make me laugh and swoon all in the same moment and”—I clear my throat and lean forward so the people around us can’t hear—“he’s the best sex I’ve ever had. Like surpasses any and all men.”

“Seriously?” Emory asks. “I thought he’d be a gentle lover given his personality.”

“Very gentle,” Lindsay says. “Probably asks you for consent before every coupling, right?” Lindsay jokes. Little does she know.

“He’s an animal,” I say, shocking them, even poor Milly, whose face turns bright red. Carson told us a while back she didn’t have many girlfriends growing up or even in recent years, so when they got married, we took her in as our own. She’s slowly opening up, but I can tell every time she hangs out with us, she’s out of her element. And when we have gatherings at Knox and Emory’s apartment, she always drifts over to the guys, not because she needs to be by Carson all the time, but because she wants to talk baseball. She’s sweet, we love her, and she’s about to get a small eye-opener.

“He’s what?” Lindsay asks, setting her drink down in shock. “No way. Jason?”

Now I know I said I wouldn’t go into detail, but I feel the need to prove to them that his personality doesn’t quite match his actions in bed.

“First of all”—I point to all of them—“none of this leaves this table. You hear me? If Carson and Knox tell Jason what I’m about to tell you, he’ll never let me live it down. So, keep your mouths shut.”

“That’s easy for me since I’m not dating a hunky baseball player,” Lindsay says, crossing her arms over her chest.

“I won’t say anything,” Milly says, looking distraught over the idea of not telling Carson.

“You know me, I keep everything from Knox,” Emory says flippantly, but that is a boldfaced lie. She tells that man everything.

“I’m especially talking to you, Emory. You and Knox are gossip gatherers, and your apartment is an infestation of gossip.”

“No, it’s not. I won’t tell him. Promise.”