Modern Girl's Guide to Friends With Benefits (9 page)

"Yeah, sorry about that. I love your family, but it was a bit overwhelming for Julia at Thanksgiving. She's never done the big extended family thing."

"Mamá loved her. She's welcome any time. You, on the other hand—you're on her shit list for not coming."

"I hate missing out. This is the first time in, what? Thirteen years? Not since that Christmas I broke my collarbone falling out of that tree."

"Yeah, but Mamá packed you up enough tamales to feed a football team."

"God, I think I'm going to miss those tamales the most. Do you think she'll ship me some to New York?"

"No way. You guys should just stay. The office won't be open Monday anyway."

"I thought it would be nice to take Julia for Christmas, just the two of us. You know I'm planning on asking her to marry me."

"Are you sure you're ready for that? It's only been a few months."

"Almost seven," he said all too fast. "You just don't get it. When you've found the right one, you know it. There's no use waiting. Hell, I would have asked her months ago, but with her mom's passing and that messed up relationship she was in before, it wasn't the right time. But I'm more than ready."

"So, it sounds like you're all in."

"If she'll have me. But if that jackass she was with turned her off marriage… " Simon shook his head. "Never mind. I didn't want to talk to you about my issues. I wanted to talk about Megan and what happened in Vail."

"Go ahead." Peter sagged back into his chair. He'd been preparing for this conversation, but now that it was here, he felt sick. Whatever his friend had to say about his relationship with Megan, he'd take it. He'd crossed a line and there was no going back now.

"I've held my tongue all this time," Simon started. "I figured Megan was still figuring out what to do with her life. But Kim told me a lot about what happened, and I'm concerned."

"It's wasn't Megan's fault."

"Exactly. It's never Megan's fault, but if you hadn't been there, things could have gone dramatically different."

"Are you talking about the ski guy? You know that guy was an asshole and she was just defending herself."

"I know, but…" Simon rubbed his beard and sighed. "I'm leaving tomorrow. Julia's going to be with me for months. Kim lives in New York now. Beth and Matt are going to be busy with the baby. That leaves you. I just want to make sure you keep an eye on her."

"Of course I'll look after her." Peter was offended that Simon even felt the need to ask. "Who do you think had her back all those years while you guys were off at college and globetrotting around the world?"

"I know you're close, but something's been going on with her recently. She's been more withdrawn these past few months," Simon said. "Julia is trying to convince me she's writing again, but Megan hasn't published anything in years. It has to be something else. I know you've got your own life, but I'd feel better knowing that you were checking in on her."

If Megan would just come clean about her writing, none of this would be a problem. It was another thing that pressed on Peter's conscience. He was the one who'd encouraged her to start writing again. He just didn't know what kind of writing at the time.

Meg had hit a rough patch in her early twenties. She'd been depressed after a rather nasty breakup, and when she dropped out of college, Peter stepped up. He was with her every day, just making sure she was okay. It had been a special kind of hell, seeing her like that. And even more so when she'd come on to him. She was hurting and wanted something, anything, to make her feel better.

It had been the right thing to turn her down, and he should have done it again in Vail. She might have been hurt by his rejection, but she started writing again. Writing had always been an outlet for Meg, and he encouraged her. Things got better, and their friendship went back to the way it was.

So, yeah, he didn't need Simon to tell him to watch out for her. He'd been doing it for years.

"Don't worry about Meg. I'll look after her," Peter said again. "Now, it's late. Get the fuck out of here. I'm going to check on a few things, and then I'm headed that way myself."

Peter left the office, relieved that he wouldn't have to explain to Simon the situation with Meg. Because to be honest, he didn't have a clue what he was going to do.

Chapter Six

Modern Girl Tip #14 Families Can Spell Disaster:
Everyone knows you're friends, but if your family gets wind that there's more, the pressure to couple increases. Play it cool. Don't let the cat out of the bag. Nothing kills the sexual vibe like someone's mother asking when you're going to get married.

Megan drudged through the aisle of another store, exhausted and hungry. She loved to shop, but Christmas brought out the worst in people. The stores were hot, crowded, and filled with assholes. Between the crying kids and the loud, repetitious holiday music, Megan almost missed her phone ringing.

Peter's face lit up the screen. After the radio silence, Megan thought she'd have to hunt him down and kick his ass. In her best sex kitten voice, she purred, "Santa's naughty list hotline. I've got your number."

"I'm glad I caught you," Peter said. "I wanted to talk to you before Christmas at my parents."

She couldn't quite make out what he was saying, but he did mention Christmas at his parents. "Thank God you called because I need your help," she yelled into the phone, but it was no good. The store music was blaring and the woman yelling at her kid wasn't helping. She looked around for a quiet spot and decided on the dressing room. The farther back in the store got, the better. Finally, she was able to hear him.

"Meg? Meg, are you okay? Where are you? It sounds like a demented Christmas mosh pit. I was on my way out. I can come pick you up if you need help."

"Not tonight. I'm fried. I'm just going to grab something quick and go back home to collapse."

A man loaded up like a pack mule almost knocked Megan down in a rush to get to the front of the store. So much for the fucking Christmas spirit.

"It's a zoo. Hold on a sec." Megan pushed her way back to one of the tiny dressing rooms and closed the door behind her. It was the first moment of peace she'd had all day. "Sorry about that. I just want to finish shopping and get the fuck out of here. What size are the girls wearing now? This summer Rose was in a ten, but I swear the girl had shot up an entire foot when I saw her at Thanksgiving. And little Jen isn't so little anymore. God, you're getting old. Can you believe your nieces will be teenagers soon?"

"Where are you? Let me come get you."

"I'm at Vince and don't come down here." Someone pounded on the dressing room door. Irritated, Megan gathered her bags. "What's wrong with these people? Shouldn't they all have their shopping done?"

"Aren't you there shopping at the last minute, too?"

"Hey, I have an excuse. I've been busy with the end of the semester, my writing, and all the house repairs. But this is nuts. I should have called your sister. I'm just going to get the next size up. Lucy can exchange the girls' stuff if it's too big. Your sister practically lives in the mall." Megan gathered her small pile of clothing and slipped out of the dressing room, giving the woman who'd banged on the door a dirty look on the way. "Speaking of busy, I've got too many things on my To Do list right now. Can I leave the girls' presents at the front desk for you to bring to your mom's this year?"

"Why? You are going to be there, right?"

There was a note of panic in his voice that was cute. Like she'd ever miss Christmas with his family. It had been the one thing that had gotten her through her teen years. She loved Peter's family almost as much as she loved him. "Of course I'm coming. I just don't have room in my car."

"Please don't tell me you're still driving that deathtrap. It's December. You swore you'd put it up before winter."

Megan sighed and stuck her tongue out at the phone. "It hasn't really snowed yet. After Christmas, I promise to start driving Bertha." She hated the Mercedes SUV her father had bought for her last year. The huge thing wasn't a car, it was a frickin' parade float. But her sporty little Austin-Healey Sprite wasn't made for the Chicago winters, so she accepted the behemoth. "I've already arranged for the boys at the garage to get Baby on Thursday for a full tune-up and then she'll go into storage for the winter. Happy?"

"Hey, your choice. But I'm not coming to the hospital to visit you when some moron in a minivan runs that roller-skate you call a car off the road."

"Meg?" a woman from behind her called.

Megan turned around to see who it was but didn't recognize anyone in the crowd. "You're just jealous. It's not my fault that you can't buy a sports car because of your freakishly long legs."

"Meg Wylde!" A woman bundled in a heavy winter jacket and loaded down with bags squealed like a teen girl. "I can't believe it's you."

Megan frowned. This was the last thing she needed right now. Megan went to great lengths to keep her identity a secret, including wearing a wig during appearances, but occasionally someone would recognize her. At least this time it was a woman. She always felt strange talking to men about how much they loved her sex scenes.

"I can't talk now. I'll drop the packages off at the desk and see you Monday." Megan shoved the phone into her pocket and turned around. "I'm sorry. You must have me confused with someone else."

"No. I thought it was you when I saw the photo in the paper this morning. I wasn't sure because of the brown hair, but when I heard you just now on the phone I knew." The woman shifted her packages and held out a hand. "Sarah. We met at a book signing in Iowa. We talked about your books. I recognized your voice."

She went out of her way to keep her identity secret, from the pen name to the wig and glasses she always wore, but occasionally she ran into someone who recognized her. Megan was debating what to do next—continue to feign ignorance or just accept the fact that her cover was blown and get this meet and greet over with? "Hi, Sarah." She stuck her hand out and plastered on a smile. "Nice to meet you. Again."

Sarah dug into her purse and produced a cell phone. "I need a picture. My book club won't believe this. We love your books."

Fan or no fan, she didn't take pictures. Sometimes people recognized her without her wig and writer guise, but that didn't mean she was going to start broadcasting her real identity. "I don't do photos outside of conferences. Sorry. But I'd be happy to sign something for you."

Sarah lowered her phone and nodded somberly. "I understand. The paper mentioned that you were a senator's daughter. That's high profile. I had no idea." Then like a flash, a smile broke out across her face. "Oh my God, I bet you know all that FBI stuff from firsthand experience." The woman looked around quickly and whispered, "Do you have a bodyguard?"

She was so serious, Megan almost laughed. "No, I don't. The closest thing I ever had to a bodyguard was a nanny with a sour disposition."

"Was your first book about you? The main character was a diplomat's daughter. What about Trevor? Is he based on someone you know? Please tell me he is."

Megan started casually backing toward the exit. She loved her fans, but sometimes they couldn't separate reality from fantasy. She never based any of her books on real-life events, and the only FBI agent she'd ever met was via the internet, during research. Trevor, on the other hand, her first hard-body hunk, might have been fashioned after Peter. But now that she had firsthand experience with him, Megan realized she'd undersold his sex appeal by a lot.

"It was nice meeting you, but I have to get going," Megan said, hoping to detach herself from her fan. She handed her a business card. "Please go to my website and send me a message. I'll be sure you get an advanced copy of my next book."

"I can't wait to tell the girls. My friends are going to be so jealous."

Sarah looked down at her phone and started texting. Megan took that as her cue to escape. Hopefully, the woman would forget all about meeting her, but most likely, she'd have to bribe her with free book and swag to keep her from blabbing on the internet.