CALLIE (The Naughty Ones Book 1) (6 page)

Patrick, Only Ever Patrick

Callie

I’m a mess as Sam comes up behind Molly and starts fucking up her pottery, whatever the hell it is she was making. I don’t know if I cry more at the loss of her work and the mess they make or because they seem so in love as they start the messiest sex scene ever.

“He’s so hot and sweet and just perfect. Why can’t all men be like Patrick Swayze?” I sniffle, accepting the tissue that Dot hands to me.

We’ve been holed up in our apartment for the last week watching anything Swayze, and though this is our third go at
Ghost
I’m still entranced.

“They can’t be. Not all men are as sensitive and in tune with their emotions as he is. I mean, look at him in
Dirty Dancing
. He was sweet in that, too. He’s just…”

“Perfect,” I finish for her, bawling when that gross guy shoots him and we all watch him die.

Poor Molly.

When Oda Mae Brown comes on, we’re screaming with laughter, especially when she’s in that closet room thing and first hears Sam. Her freakout is epic, as is the way she goes nuts when he won’t stop singing.

“So,” Dot says when the final credits roll and I’m not sobbing anymore—damn heaven scene gets me every time. “You know who your baby daddy is.”

She sounds so hesitantly hopeful that I don’t have the heart to start screaming uncontrollably. Besides, it’s been a week since I saw the fool and I’m feeling a little better about the whole situation.

“So?”

“Sooo, you know who it is! This means you now have the hottie who tore your sex up like a pro. Come on, Callie, don’t tell me it isn’t driving you nuts that you’re this close to Jack without revisiting that night. This time sober,” she says seriously, giving me a motherly look that’s ruined by her giggle.

Yeah okay, she’s a little right. But only a little.

I do wonder what sober sex with that beast would be like, and after my discovery that my guy is the man I love to hate and hate to want all at the same time…

              There’s a knock at the door and Bill, Ted, and Jill barge in.

“Oh gawd, you spinsters watching that drivel again?” Ted asks, making my lip curl and my eye twitch.

What gay man doesn’t love the Swayze?

“Don’t insult my soul mate, dude, you’re in mortal danger for even thinking negative thoughts about him.”

Ted titters.

“I totally agree. Now give me a good Channing Tatum marathon and I am so there, ladies,” Bill trills, his hands flapping all over the place as Murray and Deidre finally stumble in, loaded down with enough meat to feed a village.

“Hey, sweetheart, Daddy brought you girls some meat to boost your iron intake.”

My lips twitch and I watch Deidre roll her eyes as she dumps her burden on the counter and comes over to flop down beside me. Bill and Murray go into the kitchen and start talking sports with Ted.

“So, how you been?” Jill asks.

“Meh. I’m good and bad all at once, I guess.”

“Gruffy gave us the rundown when we went over for Thursday night dinner. You poor thing.”

“You know it occurs to me that India and the old goat are too close for my state of mind. They’re like two gossiping little old ladies. From hell.”

“Oh pooh, baby, they’re just, well,
them
. They do love you, and after they stopped laughing they really were concerned. I heard Luci and Percy banned you from working events till your pregnancy settled some.”

“Yup. Apparently having me paint the waiters was not good for business. The only reason we have bookings for the next month after the remaining clients called and cancelled is because Jack’s mom and assistant called and exclusively booked us for all upcoming events,” I moan, dropping my head into my hands.

I feel awful about that, because while I love our business, I can never forget that all of my friends have worked just as hard as I have to get it up and running and turning a decent profit.

They could lose it all because of me.

Also, people are gossiping about me and Jack and the fact that he carried me out to his car and took me home. I didn’t let up, of course. I was way too confused and shocked for that to end well, but he did ensure that I was okay and safe.

“They’re right. Why I recall that time when one of my guys Ben had the flu and showed up for work anyway, poor bastard. He sneezed all over Mrs. P’s steak, and it took two weeks for business to pick up again after she told damn near everyone,” Ted says.

“Ted, I hurled like I was getting paid to do it, all over a man and half the floor space. I think that’s worse than a sneeze,” I point out.

“Sure, but I mean it’s still the same. I sent Benny home to recover, and once people realized he wasn’t there to contaminate the meat they came back.”

Great, so all I need to do to save the business is disappear.

“And what about this hot man candy Percy was gushing about?” Bill titters.

God save me, they’re like vultures circling a fresh kill.

“Nothing.”

“It can’t be nothing, honey. Why I heard Luci say he’s divine and rich, to boot.”

“So? He’s just a man and one who left me to walk through the Hyatt in a towel and humiliate myself. What’s so great about that?”

              “Honey, you both made mistakes and you are both flawed. Get over it and move on already. You’ve always held on to things so tight, Callie, that you end up strangling them before you can even enjoy them. You need to let go a little and live,” Murray trills, though I see how serious he is when he doesn’t hand gesture his words to death.

“God, fine. I’ll call him,” I mutter just as my phone rings again, the sound of Def Leppard’s “Pour Some Sugar On Me” making me blush as his name lights up the screen.

***

Dot’s disappeared, and from the sound of silence in the apartment I get the feeling she’s done it on purpose so that Jack and I can be alone to talk things through.

I like and hate this scenario at the same time, because, well, I’m nervous. This will be our first real conversation and I have absolutely no idea what to expect after the way I’ve been ignoring him all week.

When there’s a knock at the door I’m grateful that I haven’t eaten anything, because my stomach dips and starts churning dangerously. By the time I open the door my palms are sweaty and I have to wipe them on my sweatpants.

“Callie.”

He’s wearing a dark grey suit and a blue tie that does amazing things to his already amazing eyes, and it takes me a full thirty seconds to shake myself back to earth and invite him in.

“You look a little better.”

I wave that nonsense off. I have a mirror and two working eyes, thank you very much. And my hair hasn’t seen a brush since the need to look human has currently vanished from my life.

“Sit down, Jack. Can I get you anything to drink?”

He sits gingerly and raises his brow at the TV screen where I’ve paused
Ghost
right on Patrick’s heavenly shining face.

“Water, thanks.”

I go to grab two bottles and come back with a sigh when I see him studying the ultrasound picture with a goofy smile.

“This is him?” he asks in an awe-filled voice, barely noticing the water I put at his elbow.

“Yeah. Perfect already.”

              Jack’s face is so happy that I think I go all wet and loose down south when my heart flutters with emotion.

“He is. Just look at that…what is that?”

“Beats me. I’m his mom, not a freaking alien. I can’t see in there at will, and those photos aren’t exactly HD quality.”

Jack keeps smiling and staring at the thing for long minutes before replacing it on the table and turning to me with an intent look.

“You feeling okay to talk to me now, Cal?”

“Don’t…don’t make me feel all guilty for needing some time to sort it all out, Jack. It was a shock, and then after the embarrassment of that night—”

“You have nothing to feel ashamed about, baby. You’re pregnant and in need of understanding right now. Of course you got sick. Mom told me that she puked at the smell of anything and everything when she was pregnant with me. It’s normal.”

Why couldn’t he be this sweet months ago?

“It’s really hard to scream and yell and try to kick your balls when you’re being super nice, Jack. Not fair.”

That makes him chuckle and I feel my own lips twitch.

“I know. I’d be sorry but someone told me you’re a biter, and I’m no match for those teeth of yours when you’re in a fettle.”

“Hah! You’ve been to see Gruffy, huh? How’d that work out for you?”

My amusement dies when he smiles and can’t stop singing her praises. Now either my Gruffy has been stolen and replaced by a pod person or the old, traitorous bat is on the crack pipe.

“She likes you?”

“Don’t sound so shocked, Callie. I’m a likable guy.” He laughs.

“Yeah? Maybe. I dunno. I’m undecided since I have to compare this sweet version to the total gobbler who left me alone and had me kicked out of—”

“I got a friend of mine to hack the Net and get rid of those videos. He says he’ll keep a watch for anything that may be reloaded, but for now it’s gone,” he interrupts, making my mortification complete.

“You saw the video? I’ll kill her for real this time or put her wrinkled ass in one of those homes.”

Jack starts laughing at my muttered invectives, and I see once again exactly what would induce me to sleep with him so easily. The man is spectacular, in general, but with a smile on his lips and those eyes of his all bright and happy, he’s just breathtaking.

“It wasn’t Elsa who told me about it. Freddie saw it and forwarded the link to me. Nice ass, by the way. I get why I was nuts enough to lose control and forget protection.”

Compliments? Is he looking to marry me or something?

“Thanks. And thank you for trying to get rid of it. It won’t work, though. Indie downloaded it and made like a bazillon copies. She’ll just put it back up and keep on going till it stays. She’s evil. It’s what she lives for.”

“You’re hilarious, you know that? Now stop trying to keep things neutral and talk to me, Callie. Please.”

“What’s there to say? I had a one-night stand with you and woke up alone in a hotel bed with freaking Alphonso Hitler banging the door down. He let me know that you wanted me out, and as a result I had to walk practically naked through a packed lobby. By the way, I am now personal buddies with at least seven geeks who keep putting my picture up on Facebook and telling everyone I’m the hot girlfriend. All in all, I’m feeling good. I mean, seven men think I’m a total fox,” I quip, gigging just a little.

Jack doesn’t seem too impressed, though, and I see his eyebrow quirk before he gives me a look.

“Fine. Sheesh, you really have met Gruffy. I was pissed at you for about a freaking month, and then I sort of realized I might be pregnant. I kept…but, whatever, turns out you and me are not sensible when we’re drunk. When I found out about the baby I panicked a little. I know what it’s like to not know who your father is, and I didn’t want that for the kid, so after a good old tantrum, I and the girls came up with a plan.”

“You decided to start looking for a needle in a haystack?”

“Nope. More like a freaking needle in a stack of other freaking needles,” I snort, flopping down onto the sofa with a huff. “You would not believe how many tall, grey-eyed guys move around in your circle, Jack,” I mutter, shuddering at the memories of some of the more enthusiastic candidates.

Even hint to a guy that you’re pregnant and interested and they go nuts. What is it about pregnancy that turns them into animals?

“You couldn’t just ask the manager at the Hyatt?”

              “Jack, this is the same guy who made me walk through the lobby in a towel and then demanded I return it before I got in the cab. He was not so forthcoming, and besides, I think I may have been a little scared about actually finding you. Percy pointed out the day that I may have been subconsciously using the search as a distraction. Damn, give a psych minor a bone and they want to eat the carcass.”

My continued attempts at humor seem to annoy him further, and I find myself looking into grey eyes that spark with impatience.

“You’re four months pregnant and you’ve been going this alone—”

“Alone? Dude, you met my family already. Four sisters who are nuts, three dads, two stepmamas, and the Gruff. Trust me, I’ll never be alone in my life, not even if I move to Guatemala and start raising chickens in the freaking jungle.” I laugh.

              I currently have ten people who call me to remind me to eat, ask me about the grossest shit they’ve read in the baby books, and hound me to choose them to name my unborn child after.

Trust me, I would drop an organ for some alone time.

“That’s not what I meant and you know it. You shouldn’t be working and on your feet all fucking day.”

              “And that is
my life
and none of your business, Jackie boy. First off, we do not like each other.”