Playing for Keeps (Heartbreaker Bay #7)(89)

“Stop, you’re going to knock something loose.” Ivy slid her hand between the table and Sadie’s forehead. “Look, we both know we don’t need someone in our life to make it complete, but let’s be honest. Having someone who knows your dark and angsty side and yet isn’t scared off . . .” She shook her head. “It’s the greatest gift ever.”

“Is this from personal experience?” Sadie asked, knowing it wasn’t. Ivy’s past hadn’t been good or easy, and she was possibly more dark and angsty than Sadie and that was saying something.

“Not personal experience,” Ivy admitted. “It’s from reading a whole lot of really great romance novels. But that doesn’t make it any less true.”

“She’s right.” This was from the guy still waiting on the drizzle of chipotle crema. “My wife reads romance novels all the time. She gets good stuff from them. Especially the bedroom stuff.”

Ivy looked amused. “Good for you,” she told him. And then she looked at Sadie. “You gotta follow your heart.”

“And your good parts,” the guy said.

“That’s actually true,” Ivy said and turned to Sadie. “You know what you’ve gotta do, right?”

“No.”

Ivy went hands on hips.

“Okay, fine,” Sadie said. “I know what I have to do.”

Ivy narrowed her eyes. “Do you really?”

“Sure.”

Ivy shook her head. “You don’t have a clue, do you?”

Sadie’s eyes filled. “No,” she whispered.

“You follow your heart .”

“And your good parts,” the guy said again. “That’s important too.”

Sadie stood up and hugged Ivy in thanks. She didn’t hug the chipotle crema guy, but when he held out a closed fist, she bumped it with hers in solidarity.

“Good luck,” he said with sweet sincerity.

She was going to need it, because the truth was she had no idea how the hell to follow her heart, an organ she hadn’t made much use of and had actually never listened to.



Caleb got stuck in a traffic gridlock due to a construction blockage on the way to the Pacific Pier Building. He could’ve walked the four miles faster than he made it by car. By the time he strode through the courtyard, heading toward the day spa, an hour and a half had gone by since he’d spoken to Sadie on the phone.

He didn’t often let emotions get the best of him. It was counterproductive and a waste of energy. But his emotions were getting the better of him now, all of them.

He entered the spa and about fifteen women’s heads swiveled his way, both staff and waiting clients, some of whom he realized he knew. The women were sitting around the plush couches sipping champagne beneath floating balloons that said Happy Birthday Elle!

Great.

Sadie was with them. She had the spa’s brochure in one hand and a bottle of champagne in another to serve the women as she was explaining what their day at the spa would entail. At the sight of him, she stopped midsentence and met his gaze, looking surprised.

And the not the happy kind of surprise.

“What are you doing here?” she asked.

He hesitated, mostly because he still hadn’t worked out his strategy in Project Grovel, and in the silence came several whispers from their peanut gallery.

“Looks like he’s in trouble . . .”

“When they’re packaged like he is, they’re always in trouble.”

“I always thought he was so smart . . .”

Caleb ignored them and had eyes only for Sadie. “Can we talk?”

Everyone’s gaze swiveled to Sadie.

“I’m working,” she said, gesturing with the brochure and the champagne.

“I can wait.”

Sadie gave a slow shake of her head. “After this I’m going to work at the Canvas Shop.”

“I can give you a ride home after.”

“I’ve got my car back, remember?”

She could avoid him forever if she wanted. They both knew that she was stubborn enough to do it. And the longer she managed to put him off, the easier it would be for her to forget what they were to each other. Which meant he needed to get through to her now, right now, and make sure she knew she was numero uno in his life, no matter what her past entailed. Not matter what her future entailed.

All in front of a live studio audience.

He drew a deep breath. “I made a mistake,” he said. “A big one. I’m probably going to make a lot more because, well . . . I’m male and also sometimes an idiot. But I’m incredibly sorry, and if I could take it back, I would. I love you, Sadie. Ridiculously. And I think you love me too.”

“I think so too,” someone in the group whispered.

“Hell, I love him, and I’m already happily married,” someone else whispered.

Caleb concentrated only on Sadie. “What we have is way too important to blow on my stupid mistake,” he said. “I don’t want to lose you.”

No one moved. No one blinked. Including Sadie.

“Maybe you should say the part where you’re an idiot again,” someone helpfully suggested. Tina, he thought.

Sadie bit her lower lip, whether to hide her amusement or agreement, he had no idea, but she stood up. “Excuse us a minute.”