Dave steps up and offers me his hand. I take it as he says, “Lottie, it’s such a pleasure to meet you.”
“The pleasure is all mine,” I say, because that’s what people say in movies, when really, I have zero pleasure in meeting this man. It’s actually the opposite of pleasure. It’s . . . it’s . . . displeasure. Yup. It’s a displeasure to meet him. “And, Ellie, it’s so great to meet someone else who’s pregnant. All my friends are in a completely different stage of their lives.”
“I totally get it,” Ellie says, shaking my hand. “I’m in a bit of the same position. Come in, come in. We can talk some more.”
I turn back around to take Huxley’s hand and catch the smallest glint of appreciation in his eyes as we walk into the house.
Hmm . . . maybe he’ll be nicer to me now.
Chapter Seven
HUXLEY
“I hate you,” Lottie whispers into my ear as she stands from the table, her hand lovingly caressing my shoulder as she walks by.
“Thank you, babe,” I say. I keep my eyes on her as she takes my glass and heads into the kitchen for a refill. Not a fan of “serving her man,” as Ellie said. Got it.
Lottie doesn’t seem to be a fan of much.
If it weren’t for her brilliant ability to slap on a smile and act interested in Ellie and Dave’s love story, I know I’d find an unwavering scowl, a gauntlet of sarcastic comments, and maybe a toss of her angry hands here and there.
She’s a spitfire. For a little package, she packs a powerful punch.
It was hard to keep a straight face in the car when she kept getting irritated with me. But I assumed finding humor in her annoyance wasn’t going to win me any points.
“She’s great,” Dave says. “I can see why your grandma introduced you. And Ellie seems to like her a lot.”
“Yeah, I’m pretty lucky,” I say, meaning that. I am a lucky motherfucker, that in such a short amount of time—four days, to be exact—I was able to find someone who had no problem stepping into the role of pregnant fiancée and helping me out.
Such a lucky motherfucker.
Lottie walks back into the room with a glass of water in her hand and a smile on her face as she sashays toward me. That dress, yeah, it’s fucking perfect on her. I knew she had great tits from the first time I met her, but seeing them in this dress? They’re really fucking nice. Not big at all, but the perfect size, less than a handful. And with her hair floating around her shoulders in loose waves, a beautiful chestnut color, she really is gorgeous. Like I said, a lucky motherfucker.
She hands me the glass and then takes a seat. I lean into her ear and ask, “Did you spit in this?”
She leans in close and whispers back, “If Ellie wasn’t helping me, I would’ve licked the rim, spit in the water, and then added vinegar as a delicious touch.”
I pull away and say a little louder so Dave can hear me, “You’re perfect.”
Her hand reaches up to my cheek and she rubs my thick scruff. “I know.”
Dave laughs loudly, while Ellie giggles. “Perfect response for such a powerful man,” Dave says. “I’ve known Huxley for a few years now and he thinks highly of himself, as he should because of the empire he’s put together, but to not reply with he’s perfect . . . that makes my day.”
I’m sure it does, Dave.
Lottie smiles at me, and I can see a wicked gleam in her eye as she turns toward Dave and Ellie. “I know he’d kill me if I said this . . .”
So don’t fucking say it.
“But, he’s far from perfect.” Leaning forward, she says, “The man doesn’t know how to pick up his socks and put them in the hamper.”
Ellie gasps and then points at Dave. “Dave too.”
Dave raises his hand with a coy look. “Guilty. But I’ve gotten better. The nagging has worked.”
“Hmm, maybe I should nag more,” Lottie says. Her hand falls to my thigh, her fingernails applying more pressure than I care for, especially as she drags her hand farther north. Hey, there, watch it. “What do you think, Hux? Care to deal with a nagging fiancée?”
“I thought I already was,” I answer with a wink, letting Dave and Ellie know I’m only teasing her.
“Isn’t he charming?” Lottie asks. “It’s what won me over, his inherent charm that just keeps coming. That, and my grandma said he was a sad and lonely man who needed some fun in his life.”
Don’t care for that. I can see we’re letting loose. Getting comfortable.
That slightly terrifies me, because Lottie is no doubt a loose cannon.
“Aren’t we all sad and lonely?” Dave asks, shaking his head. “This business can be incredibly cutthroat. Brutal, at times. Having someone to come home to at night, someone loving, someone who doesn’t want to talk business but wants to talk about us, about our relationship . . .” He lifts Ellie’s hand and kisses the back of it. “That’s what I want. It’s what I needed. I’m sure you’re the same way,” Dave says to me.
Uh-huh, yup, totally.
I nod. “Long nights at the office have broken me down. I didn’t know how much I needed Lottie until she magically appeared in my life.”
Ellie sighs. “Aren’t they the best?” she asks Lottie.
“Totally,” Lottie answers with a nauseating smile.
“So, when are you two tying the knot?” Ellie asks. “Finding a venue recently has been tough. Have you had a hard time?”
I set down my glass of untouched water and place my hand on Lottie’s leg. “We were thinking about having something small, maybe in my backyard.”
“Ugh, that would be the dream,” Ellie says. “But Dave, over here, has a mother who demands the fanfare of a ceremony and reception. She wants the bells and whistles for her son. From the live band, to the sparklers at the end of the night, to the dessert bar that offers more cookies than anyone has ever seen.” She leans in and says, “Granted, I’m thrilled about the cookies, but the other stuff, all the people, it makes me nervous.”
“Yes, but I’ll be there with you, sweetheart,” Dave says calmly. “I promise, it’ll be just you and me.”
Seeing this side of Dave is . . . enlightening. No wonder we weren’t connecting on a business level. He’s sensitive. Not something I was expecting going into meetings with him. Not an approach I took. Instead, I spoke business, I talked numbers, but just from spending this time with him tonight, I’m seeing he’s more than just numbers. He has a heart, and clearly my straight-talk approach doesn’t work for him. He wants to see the heart of the deal.
Rolls eyes.
Fucking hate that shit.
This is business. Take the emotion out of it. It’s either a good financial deal or a bad deal. It either benefits you financially or it doesn’t. If it’s not a viable business decision, move on.
Believe me, what we’re offering Dave benefits him greatly.
“What would your dream wedding be?” Lottie asks as she crosses her leg and leans in toward me. It’s the little touches of hers that I appreciate. The body language, the glances in my direction, the constant hand somewhere on my person. She’s good at what she’s doing, and I don’t know if I should be pleased or terrified.
Ellie meets Dave’s gaze and smiles charmingly at him. “I would love to get married out on a boat. Dave proposed to me in Malibu, at sunset, on the water, and that moment has been engrained in my mind as utter perfection. I’d love to rent a yacht and just have our parents attend the ceremony. Kiss as husband and wife just as the sun sets.”
“Then why not do that?” Lottie asks. I shift in my seat and grip her leg tighter, not wanting her to start any sort of fight between the couple. Ellie already stated Dave’s family was the one pressuring them to have a big wedding. Dragging up what seems to be an uncomfortable topic can’t be good for anyone. But Lottie doesn’t seem to get the hint, or rather, she doesn’t seem to care, because she removes my hand from her leg and slips her hand inside mine while keeping a smile on her face.
“What do you mean?” Ellie asks.
“Is the food almost here?” I ask, cutting in to try to change the subject. “Can’t be letting my girl get hangry.” I point toward Lottie. “Happens with this one.”