Her CEO Stalker and Her Second Chance Mate Chapter 60

Carter 

Nothing like your BFF catching you with the girl you wish you were with, and pointing out a very important detail I had purposely omitted. I hadn’t mentioned my friends because I didn’t want Brair to think she was keeping me from anything. This way, I had no other place to be besides work or my lonely bed. I even installed a pet door so I had an excuse to stop by her house and pick Rosie and Tucker up when they inevitably ventured off to her place. It was the perfect formula. She usually only worked the mornings at the shop, and went home after we met here most days for lunch. She liked the atmosphere while she worked through all the accounts and balances of Jake's messy filing system, well, now her business. When she got home, she had Rosie and Tucker to keep her company, and I got to see her every day. Her inviting me to dinner or my inviting her to my house was just icing on the cake. Lana and Mazzie were about to blow my perfect formula to smithereens.

My sister brought the girls their drinks and took their lunch orders. She eyed Briar and me and asked if we needed anything else.

“Best get us a double load of chili fries.” I grinned at Briar, and she shook her head smiling out of exasperation. Lana watched us as she sipped her chocolate shake. Mazzie side-eyeing me; fanfuckingtastic, an audience.

“How was work?” I asked Briar, trying to ignore them while pointing at the oil stains on her old band tee. I hated that she wore it there. The damn thing fell off her shoulder, her slim midriff exposed for any man’s gawking eyes; thankfully, the guys there were all happily taken besides Knox who she hadn’t given the time of day to outside of work nessesity. Her hair was pulled back with a bandana tied as a headband to keep the errant wisps of hair out of her face, the rest bound up in a messy ponytail. She was absolutely beautiful just like this, I found myself thinking, although my expression probably didn’t catch Briar’s notice at the thought. Lana cleared her throat, letting me know it hadn’t passed her by unaware. The booth seat shifted as Mazzie nudged Lana under the table, advising her to mind her business. These two would be problematic. Too nosy for their own good, I’d have to tell them why I was truly so committed to my time with Briar so they would mind their ownbusiness.

Sis came back with Mazzie and Lana’s orders and placed the chili fries between me and Briar. It had become my MO to coax her to stay longer and eat more. I picked up her hand resting on the table and noted the oil she hadn’t been able to scrub completely from under her nails.

“Seems you’ve been doing more than paperwork today,” I pointed out, wanting to know how she felt.

“Yeah, I serviced a few bikes today. Felt good to do something other than pushing paperwork and crunching numbers.”

“No problems?” I asked, trying to be discreet. She shook her head. I grabbed a wad of fries with my free hand and she mirrored me.

We each took our fries and shoved them unceremoniously in our mouths. I reached over to wipe a bit of chili from Briar's chin and sucked it off my thumb. I was heading for my second round when I realized the silence at the table.

Lana was sucking her chocolate shake staring at us. Briar also noticed the uncomfortable silence and turned to look at the woman beside her. Lana set her shake down.

“That was hot! Do it again.” Briar glanced at Mazzie, then at me, confused. Heat rose from my neck and into my cheeks. No, don’t blush, I willed my cheeks. Mazzie bit her lip, suppressing a chuckle.

“So, are you two an item?” Lana asked, curiously.

“No,” Briar and I said in unison.

“Right, so your fucking then?” she decided out loud.

Someone bury me now, please, I begged no one and everyone. I love Lana, but right now, her blunt questions and need to just have everything in the open were not what I needed. Any other day and situation, I’d be thankful for it, but right now wasn’t the time.

Briar choked on her drink, and I panicked, poised to drag her out of the booth and help her breathe. She held her hand up, telling me she was OK, and I sat back.

Lana eyed me, and Mazzie bit back a smirk. Why were my best friends women? Right now, it seemed like a poor decision that would land me right to the demise of any manhood I had left at the moment.

Briar recovered. “I’m fine,” she assured.

“Right. You’re not an item, and your not fucking,” Lana said, sarcastically.

“He just likes to fret over me. I’ve been dealing with some broken ribs, but I’m fine now,” Briar promised, and went in for another scoop of fries. Most likely to dodge elaborating on the current and previous topics.

“What happened?” Lana asked, pretending not to know about the abusive ex. I had told them she was hiding from him. I hadn’t elaborated on the extent or about who, or any other details. They just knew she found out about the check I did on her and that I was torn up over it, because, well, I admitted to liking her, and wanting to protect her to an extent.

Briar shrugged and shook her head. “I’m not going to ruin your appetite,” she said, dryly. Lana went quiet, and Mazzie sent her a sympathetic look.

“Carter, you coming to Friday night poker? It’s been more than a month since you came last, and I really need a reason to make Jeb not show up with his irritating girlfriend. Please! If you come, he won’t,” Mazzie begged. Thank goddess for Mazzie changing the subject. Jebidaiah was Mazzie's cousin, and from what I heard, his girlfriend came from a county over, and another pack. She was entitled, rude, and was rubbing off on Jeb in the worst of ways. He also hated me to the core because I told him how stupid he was with every goddess-awful, foolish decision he made.

“Can’t. I gotta pick up Rosie and Tucker from Briar’s house.” I tried to find an excuse.

“Why are they at her house?”

Briar snorted. “Cuz they will be sitting on my porch when I get there after lunch, same thing every day. I don’t mind keeping them, though. You should go, have fun,” Briar urged. Lana and Mazzie looked up hopefully.

“I don’t know. Tucker likes his routine.”

“That cat will sleep through it on my pillow and just be happy to see you tomorrow. I can even stop by your place and grab them their dinner so you don’t have to fret after them. Or I can just take them home and lock the pet door for you.” Briar tried to reason with me.

She wasn’t helping.

“Better yet,” Lana chimed in. “Bring them and Briar with you. Rosie loves to play with Roxie. It’ll be fun, it’s about time we get to know this person you’ve been hanging out with so much.  

“I’m no fun, so you best leave me out of it,” Briar tried to remove herself from the equation. There was a hint of sadness in her eyes. I didn’t know what it was about, so I tried to think fast.

“Come on, pizza, beer, a few shots of Jack, some poker and friends, what could go wrong?” Mazzie pushed.

After this meeting, absolutely everything, I thought.

“Carter, you should go, I've got Tucker and Rosie,” Briar insisted.

“No, we got them, because if I’m going, you're coming,” I insisted. Her eyes went wide, giving me a ‘What are you doing?’ stare. “You're obviously feeling better. It's time you let your hair down a little, and these two are a hoot a few drinks in, I promise. Come on, it’ll be fun.” I felt like I was digging my own grave.

She glanced at the two women, with hopeful smiles beaming back at her. “Fine,” she relented.