Discovery (5 page)

“Hi,” she quietly said when she reached their table. “What can I get you all today?” Grace kept her eyes on Andrew.

“Hey, Grace. Good to see you again.” Gregory flashed her a smile.

Grace's brain screamed,
Oh my gosh! He remembers my name!

“Uh, hi. Gregory, right?” Grace tried to act cool but acting cool was in direct contradiction to her blending in persona.

“Yeah,” he laughed, gesturing across the table, “and you remember my brother Andrew.” Gregory's cheeks were flushed but not one drop of sweat could be found on his face. He looked down at his menu. “How about some iced tea and the Club Cheeseburger – rare.”

“I'll have the same,” said Andrew.

“Are you all making it easy on me today so I don't have to remember much?” Did she just try to make a joke? Why did she feel so comfortable? Just because the most gorgeous guy in the world remembered her name? What was happening to her?

“Wish he had made it easy on me on the court,” said Andrew nodding to his brother.

“Yeah. Looks like you had a rough time today. You definitely have Gregory beat on the sweat factor.” Grace was amazed at how easy she felt standing there despite her embarrassment a few minutes earlier. She knew it was unnatural for her to feel this relaxed in front of someone as beautiful as Gregory but, for some reason, her whole body felt like Jell-O.

“I … uh … have strange sweat glands,” stuttered Gregory with a sideways glance toward his brother. He then looked up at Grace and changed the subject, “How about some fries, too?”

The intensity of Gregory's green eyes boring into her began to cloud Grace's mind and her easy feeling left as quickly as it came. “S — Sure. Be right back.”

She turned and headed back toward the waitress station with her stomach's butterflies moving into overdrive again. She had read in some fashion magazine that a good posture improved the back view of a woman's figure so Grace stood a little straighter as she walked, cognizant that Gregory might be watching her backside and uncharacteristically immune to her own self-consciousness. So much for blending in.

“Well?” Annie pounced the minute Grace reached the waitress station.

“He remembered my name!” Grace excitedly whispered.

“So what's your next move?”

“I don't know. You know I don't have any moves,” answered Grace as she placed the boys' order in the club computer. “But it's your turn now. Take them some iced tea.”

Annie grabbed the two teas while Grace printed out the checks for the only other table lingering after the busy lunch rush. It was a group of lady golfers who were obviously ready for their tee time but instead sat and ogled the Reich boys like cougars at a downtown singles bar. Grace placed the ladies' checks on their table and stood to the side waiting for their signatures, intentionally blocking their view of Gregory. Eventually, the lady golfers picked up on Grace's hint and paid their checks, leaving Grace to clear their table while sneaking her own glances at the Reich brothers.

After delivering the brothers' lunch, and with no other patrons remaining in the room, Annie had set up residence in the chair directly across from Andrew and beside Gregory, apparently taking full advantage of the empty room to exhibit her famous flirting skills. Grace had seen Annie work her magic with boys before and, after clearing the cougars' table, she decided to hang back at the waitress station while her friend worked the brothers over.

“Hey Grace!” Gregory's voice glided across the room toward her. “Why don't you join us?” He smiled and pointed to the seat directly across from him.

Mission accomplished. Annie had done her job. Grace sucked in her stomach, suppressed her butterflies, and quickly moved to sit down across from the most gorgeous guy in the world.

“Hey,” was all Grace could mutter when her eyes met Gregory's. The white tablecloth stretched wide between them and made his tan look even deeper up close.

Annie seemed to recognize that Gregory's presence impacted her friend's ability to speak. “We were just talking about the fitness benefits of tennis versus other sports. What's your take, Gracie?”

“Uh, I don't know. I haven't played tennis in a while.” Grace sheepishly smiled at Gregory.

“Well, let's change that. Do you all want to play after work today?” Andrew asked Annie.

“Sure,” Annie said without even glancing at Grace.

“Grace, what do you think? You and me against Andrew and Annie?” Gregory's long eyelashes melted Grace's brain. “It should be a pretty fair match even if you haven't played in a while. I can carry us. I beat Andrew almost every time so this won't be much of a challenge, even with Annie helping him.” Gregory's smooth voice coaxed Grace, “Come on. You won't have to do anything but stand there and smile. I promise you'll have fun.” His face lit up the entire table.

Grace's train of thought was lost in between Gregory's dark green eyes and the silk of his voice. No matter how badly she knew she would play today, she also knew she was not about to say ‘no' to anything involving Gregory.

“I would lo — ,” Grace started when a familiar voice abruptly came up behind her.

“Grace doesn't play tennis,” Ben sternly interrupted. He appeared out of nowhere and his tone indicated he wasn't leaving anytime soon.

Grace visibly jumped in her chair and turned around. “Ben! I didn't even see you come in. How long have you been standing there?” She gave him the subtle ‘go away' look without it being seen by the others seated at the table. He was not on today's work schedule and was violating club policy wearing jeans in the dining room. Ben's hair was especially messy today and, while his afternoon facial stubble gave him a certain bad-boy hotness, Julian would blow a gasket if he saw Ben looking like he did. Grace did not need this complication while she was trying to flirt with Gregory.

Ben didn't answer and overtly ignored Grace's subtle look. He just stood behind her chair and stared at the two brothers.

Gregory stood up and held out his hand. “Ben, is it? Nice to meet you. I'm Gregory Reich and this is my older brother Andrew.” Gregory smiled as he gestured toward his brother.

Ben crossed his arms and refused Gregory's handshake. He stood a little straighter and, without smiling back, said, “Hello.”

“You'll have to excuse Ben. He has no manners.” Annie glared at Ben across the table. “Just ignore
it
and
it
will go away.”

Andrew chuckled but did not say anything. He just stared right back at Ben.

“Well, Ben, we were just trying to get Grace and Annie out on the courts with us today. Perhaps you could also join us as our guest.” Gregory's smooth voice invaded the stare-off between his brother and Ben.

“I don't play either.” Ben's eyes never left Andrew. Apparently, Gregory's voice had no effect on Ben.

Grace turned around in her chair again and looked up at Ben. She had had enough of his attitude. “Well, that's too bad because we are playing.” Grace glared at Ben and gritted her teeth. “
Today
.” She then turned back to Gregory and, without thinking, said, “We get off work in half an hour so we'll meet you at the courts right after that. Is that okay?”

“Sure. Can't wait.” Gregory smiled. His eyes moved from Grace to Ben to Andrew and back again.

“Great. See you then.” Grace suddenly stood up from her chair. “Let's go Annie.” She pushed her way past Ben without saying another word and headed into the kitchen with Annie close behind. Neither girl looked back at the guys still in the middle of their stare-off.

• • •

Once the girls were in the kitchen and out of earshot, Gregory's eyes took on a menacing reddish-green glare as he leaned toward Ben, cocked his head and whispered, “What's the matter, Benny-Boy? Don't like that Miss Gracie is going to be spending time with a
real
man today?” He then stood back and smiled with what could only be described as smug sarcasm.

“Come on, Gregory. Cool it.” Andrew's bulkiness rose up from the table. “Let's not waste our time on this weakling.”

The brothers headed out the door toward the tennis courts, nonchalantly swinging their racquets again. Ben was left standing there alone, his face red with anger.

Weakling
, Ben thought.
If they only knew who they were dealing with.

He was mad at the Reich brothers' arrogance but he was even madder at himself for allowing them to get into his head. He had always been jealous of Grace's boyfriends but had never let it show as much as he had just now. Ben felt a hatred growing inside him and he didn't like it. Despite their green eyes, he couldn't really think of any specific reason to
hate
those boys. No reason other than they had Grace's attention for the moment. That and there was something familiar about Andrew's eyes that made Ben particularly uneasy. The thought of those eyes notched up Ben's anger another level and, without thinking, he cleanly snapped the back of the heavy oak dining chair he was gripping into two pieces.

• • •

“Ugh! Sometimes that boy makes me so mad!” Grace paced back and forth in the ladies locker room, her fists clenched.

“Oh, Ben's just being overly protective Ben. You know how he is.” Annie sat on the locker room bench filing her nails. She had obviously moved past Ben's rude behavior in the dining room. “Just forget about it. We have more important things to worry about, like what to wear this afternoon.”

“But why does he do stupid stuff like that? He knows I'm interested in Gregory.”

“Maybe that's why,” Annie said with a raise of her eyebrows.

“Oh, please.” Grace brushed off Annie's implication.

Suddenly, Annie jumped up. “Wait. I'll be right back.” She ran out the door of the ladies locker room without another word, leaving Grace to stew all by herself in the dressing area.

Grace knew she needed to get over Ben's behavior if she was going to enjoy her afternoon with Gregory but some things were easier said than done. Ben had never been overly friendly with any of Grace's boyfriends but she could not remember him ever being so openly rude to any of them. It couldn't be blamed on Ben's jealousy as Annie implied because he didn't feel that way about her. This fact had been proven in high school. So what was his problem with the Reich brothers?

“Ta-dah!” Annie bounded back into the locker room a few minutes later and interrupted Grace's contemplative puzzling over Ben. She was holding two tennis racquets, a tennis dress, and a tennis skort and shirt set, with price tags boldly dangling from both outfits.

“What did you do?” Grace had seen that look in Annie's eyes before and knew from experience to be suspicious.

“I borrowed a few things from the pro shop,” Annie coyly replied.

“What do you mean ‘borrowed'?”

“Oh calm down. Pete said it was okay and all it cost us is another invitation to your party. This one's for Pete's girlfriend's sister.”

“Oh, good gosh.” Grace rolled her eyes. Annie's antics began to take Grace's mind off Ben.

“We just need to figure out a way to hide these price tags. Oh, and you can't sweat. Pete wants these returned tonight, so take it easy on the court and try to stay dry this afternoon.”

Grace knew Annie was serious even though she sounded ridiculous.

“No sweating. Got it. I haven't played in such a long time, I'll have no problem taking it easy. I won't know what I'm doing.” Grace looked over the clothes Annie had spread across the locker room bench. “Which outfit do you want?”

“Whichever one you don't. I think I have Andrew about reeled in so you pick first.” Annie's ever-present self-confidence appeared to be in overdrive.

“I'll take the shirt and skort set,” Grace said.

“Great. The blue matches your eyes.” Annie threw the set to Grace and then began changing into the tennis dress. She stopped with the dress halfway over her head. “Uh-oh. I need tennis panties with this.”

Grace had already put on the tennis skort and was working on the shirt. “What are you going to do? Do you want to switch?”

“Do
you
have any tennis panties?” Annie giggled.

“No.” Grace smiled.

“Then how would switching outfits help the situation?” Annie burst out in a full-blown cackle.

“I guess it wouldn't.” Grace was now laughing too and her thoughts of Ben had completely disappeared.

“I suppose I can just wear my own underwear and try not to bend over the rest of the afternoon.” Annie grinned as she finished putting on the tennis dress. She examined herself in the locker room's full-length mirror. “There. Problem solved.”

Grace smiled and continued getting dressed without saying anything more on the subject. She knew from experience that Annie would have no problem wearing her own underwear in place of tennis panties out on the court today. She also knew Annie would do her best not to bend over while they played. Grace just wished Annie had worn something other than a thong to work today.

• • •

The late spring day felt more like midsummer and Grace began to stress over the tennis pro's no-sweat rule as she and Annie walked over to the club's tennis courts. Gregory and Andrew were already there warming up on the courts and the minute Grace saw Gregory's agile body in action, she forgot all about her own sweating and Annie's choice of underwear.

“Hey,” Gregory waved and motioned for them to come over. “Are you ready to kick some butt, Grace?” he asked as he held the gate open for the girls to enter the courts.

Grace could not remember the last time that a guy other than Ben had held open a door for her. She added ‘gentlemanly' to her mental list of Gregory's attributes and noted that elegant Mrs. Reich had obviously taught her boys some manners.