Drunk Dial (Hard Core #1) (Hard Core Series) (6 page)

“Really? Where do you live?”

I’d always been proud of my house, since it was a result of my blood, sweat, and tears, in the literal sense, but hearing Lacy’s story just reminded me of the disparity in the world. I didn’t feel so good about my life of excess anymore. The big house and toys were great, but they weren’t the most important thing. Having someone to share it with, maybe someone like Lacy, was the ultimate goal.

“Before you ask me where I live now, you should ask me where I lived growing up. We’re not that different. Our lives aren’t that far apart, you know.” I wanted her to know that she could tell me anything, that I would never judge her, no matter how harshly she judged herself.

“Really?”

“Really. I had a younger brother and sister. Like I said, my mom died when I was young, and the old man was blue collar, through and through. He did the best he could to keep a roof over our heads and food on the table, but we had to grow up when our mama died. We were pretty much on our own after that. It wasn’t his fault. He had to work to support us.”

I rarely opened up about my childhood, mainly because I knew a lot of people had it worse than I did. Sure, my mother had died when we were young and that sucked, but we still had our dad and each other. We didn’t end up in the system or homeless, like a lot of kids who lost a parent.

“I really like you,” she whispered. “Talking to you makes me feel good.”

“I feel the same way, baby.” The more I learned about Lacy, the more I wanted to know about her. She yawned, making me smile. “You should get some sleep. You have to work in the morning, right?”

“Ugh. Yeah, I do.”

“Take a couple of aspirin and drink a couple of glasses of water before you go to bed. It’ll help.” When she promised she would, I asked, “You think you can get away for lunch tomorrow?”

“Um, I should be able to. I have classes at nine, eleven, and three. So maybe around twelve thirty?”

“Perfect.” I would have rearranged my schedule if I had to, just to see her. “Text me the address, and I’ll pick you up.”

“York?”

“Yeah, baby?”

“I’m glad you stopped by tonight.”

“Me too.” I smiled. “Sweet dreams, beautiful. I’ll see you tomorrow.”

Lacy

I was questioning whether I should call York and cancel our lunch date when Rachel approached the front desk. She bumped my hip with hers.

“Where’d you crash last night, girl? Please tell me it was with York.” She grinned as she rounded the desk and took up her post in the high swivel chair. “And if it was, I want every single detail. Don’t even think about leaving anything out.”

“I stayed with Ash,” I said, tucking my phone into the pocket of my hoodie.

“Huh.” She tried to appear unaffected as she asked, “How is your brother?”

I hated that my roommate was another one of Ash’s casualties. She was a good girl who gave her heart too freely. I’d tried to warn her about my big brother, but she was convinced she’d be the one to change him. Ha! I didn’t think a woman alive could convince my brother monogamy was the way to go.

“He’s okay,” I said, retying my ponytail. “Busy with work, as usual.”

“Yeah, I haven’t seen him in here lately.”

Which told me she’d been looking for him. I didn’t like to get all up in her business because that would make mine fair game, but I couldn’t let her waste any more time expecting Ash to come around. Sometimes Rachel had to be reminded she wasn’t put on this earth to be some man’s doormat. Even if said man was my brother. “Rachel, you need to forget about my brother. I love him and all, but trust me when I tell you he’s not worth your time.”

“It’s just been hard to get him out of my head.” She sighed. “I didn’t think it would be. I mean, I knew going in that he didn’t want a relationship and it was fun while it lasted, but—”

“You thought he’d change his mind and decide he wanted more?” I’d heard that same story too many times. Both of my brothers were players, and the women they dated thought befriending me would help their cause. They soon found out I couldn’t care less.

“Something like that. I know it’s dumb. How many times did you warn me, right?”

“You’re a beautiful girl,” I said. “Guys ask you out all the time. You need to go out with one of them and forget about Ash.”

“Maybe I should go out with your other brother,” she teased. “That might get Ash’s attention.”

“I don’t think so.” I honestly didn’t think Ash would care, but my brothers subscribed to the “bro code.” If one of them hooked up with a womanfemale, she was off-limits to the other.

“Look who just walked in,” Rachel said, sounding a little breathless.

Judging by her reaction, I thought it might have been one of my brothers until I turned to see York walking toward us. He looked badass in faded jeans, motorcycle boots, a tight black T, and colorful ink snaking up his powerful arms.

“Hey, gorgeous,” he said, bending to kiss my cheek. “How’re you feeling today?”

I knew he was referring to my hangover, which the aspirin and water hadn’t prevented. “I’ve been better. In fact, I was going to call you about lunch. Maybe we should make it another time? I’d be lousy company today.”

Rachel cleared her throat, reminding us she was there. I watched York’s eyes travel to her, and I waited for the usual reaction. She was a petite blonde with baby blues and natural Cs. Most guys got one look at her and forgot about every other woman in the room. Apparently York wasn’t like most guys though. His eyes didn’t linger on Rachel for more than a few seconds before he returned his attention to me.

Huh. Score one for him.

“York, this is my roommate, Rachel.”

He smiled, accepting her outstretched hand when she stood. “It’s nice to meet you, Rachel.”

“You too.” She bit her lip, winking at me. “I’ve heard a lot of good things about you.”

I scowled at her, not wanting York to know I’d been talking about him. I wanted to play it cool, to let him believe that he was an afterthought to me, though the airplay he’d been getting in my head was a little disturbing.

“Good to know,” he said, smirking with a sidelong glance in my direction.

“Are you in training?” Rachel asked, waving at a regular who asked her out every other month.

“I’m back at it next week,” he said, ignoring his cell phone when it buzzed.

Rachel gave me an approving look. She knew how much I liked when a man didn’t treat his phone as his most important appendage. “Any chance you’d cop us a couple of tickets to your next fight?”

“You’re a fan too?” York asked, seeming surprised that my friend didn’t shy away from blood and sweat.

“Definitely.”

“You got a boyfriend?”

I didn’t know where the hell he was going with this, but if he was smart, he’d think twice before hitting on my roommate right in front of me. It’s not like I owned the guy. But my roommate? Come on, that had d-bag written all over it.

“Uh no,” Rachel said, sounding hesitant as she stole a glance at me. “Why?”

He chuckled, obviously sensing the reason for her hesitation. “I thought you might like to meet a friend of mine. Ace just broke up with his girlfriend, and he’s been moping around—”

“Ace Matthews?” Rachel asked, unable to hide her excitement. “Really? You think he’d like me?”

I nearly groaned, wanting to bang my heavy head on the counter. Why couldn’t she learn that the only way to keep them coming back for more was to play it cool and act as if you didn’t care?

“Why wouldn’t he like you?” York asked, looking amused. “You’re a beautiful girl. And if you’re a friend of Lacy’s, I know you wouldn’t go all fan-girl and start stalking him.”

“Do women really do that?” I asked, ashamed on behalf of my gender. “Stalk you guys?”

“You’d be surprised,” York said, laughing. “I had to have gates and a security system installed at my house. And I’ve had my unpublished number changed three times in the last year and a half.”

“Bitches be crazy,” Rachel said, making us both laugh.

“So is it okay if I give my buddy your number?” York asked Rachel. “If you guys hit it off, maybe the four of us can go out for dinner?”

“I’d love that.” Rachel groaned when the phone rang, cutting her off. “Sorry, guys, duty calls. It was nice meeting you, York.”

***

Since I didn’t want to be cooped up in a restaurant and wasn’t very hungry, we’d grabbed some sandwiches at the deli and headed to the park for lunch.

“Your roommate seems nice,” York said when we were sitting on a bench, watching a young mother push her twins on the swings.

“She is,” I agreed, unwrapping the cream-cheese-and-lox bagel I’d ordered. After taking a bite, I set it back in its wrapper. Since I burned so many calories every day, I could get away with eating more than most men, which was why Rachel made me pay for two-thirds of our grocery bill. “But she gets in over her head with guys sometimes.”

“How?” York took a huge bite out of his sandwich—rye bread topped with a chicken breast and veggies.

“She was dating my brother not long ago and—”

“Ash?”

“Yeah.”

“Shit. He won’t be pissed that I’m trying to set her up with my buddy, will he? I don’t want any trouble with your brother.”

“Trust me, he’ll probably thank you. He thinks Rachel’s a sweetheart, but she got way too serious for him. She started getting territorial, wanting to know where he was going, who he was with, why he didn’t call…” I shrugged. “I told her that would never work with him, but she didn’t want to listen.”

“So he cut her loose?” York polished off the first half of his sandwich even before I’d taken a second bite of mine.

“Yeah. I’ve warned her against coming on too strong, especially with guys like my brother. In my experience, the best way to play it is to come off like you don’t care.”

“Is that your strategy?”

I realized I’d said too much when he stopped eating to stare at me, waiting for my answer. To buy myself some time, I took another bite of my sandwich and took an inordinate amount of time to chew and swallow. “What makes you think I have a strategy?”

“It’s pretty obvious you try to keep guys at arm’s length. Is it because you don’t want to get too close, you’re afraid of getting hurt, or just because you want them to think you don’t care?”

“I don’t play games,” I said emphatically, more than a little offended he would think I was anything other than a straight-shooter. “You’ll know exactly what’s on my mind, whether you like it or not.”

“Good to know.” We ate in silence for a few minutes before he asked, “Ever been in a serious relationship?”

I knew this question would come eventually. It always did. But I was never prepared to answer it. I hated lying, especially to York, but the truth was too risky. “We’ve all had our hearts broken, haven’t we? I’m no exception.”

“In other words, you don’t want to talk about it?”

Smart man. “Something like that.”

“Will you tell me someday?”

“Maybe.”
Never.

“You ever think about what it would be like to have that life?” he asked, his eyes drifting back to the young mother who was now standing over her toddlers as they played in the sandbox.

“Kids?” My eyes drifted to the flash of gold on her finger. “A husband?”

“Yeah.” His blue eyes were bright with curiosity as his gaze lingered on my face. “Ever thought about it?”

Once.
“Not really. I don’t think I’m cut out for that life.”
In fact, I know I’m not.
“How about you?”

“No, I’m not looking for a husband either.” He grinned when I elbowed him in the ribs. “Kids might be nice though.”

“You’re not going to tell me you’re one of those big, tough guys who turns to mush when you see a baby, are you?” And why did I find that prospect sexy as hell?

“Guilty as charged,” he said, raising his hand. “My little sister has a two-year-old, and I’m like putty in her pretty little hands. Anything she wants, she gets.”

I leaned my shoulder into his. “Aww, isn’t that sweet?”

“Don’t tell anyone,” he teased. “I—”

“Lacy? Is that you?”

I turned to see a customer I’d hooked up with a couple of times approaching, wearing a sharp suit and shades. I’d always thought he was sexy in a button-up, conservative way, but compared to York, he just looked… vanilla. While York was double chocolate fudge with sprinkles.

“It’s great to see you,” Brent said, leaning in to kiss my cheek when I stood to greet him. “It’s been a while.” He glanced at York, who’d stood as well. “Hi.”

“Hey,” York said, giving him a quick once-over.

“York, this is my friend Brent. He’s a regular at Ash’s club.”

Regular might have been a bit of a stretch. He’d come in once a week since we met two months ago. That was one month after Matt the asshat cheated on me, and I had been looking for someone to soothe my bruised ego. Brent was the perfect man for the job. We had a good time together, in and out of bed, and neither one of us had had any expectations.

“Nice to meet you,” Brent said, shaking York’s hand as he narrowed his eyes. “You look familiar. Have I seen you at the club?”

“I doubt it,” York said, slipping his arm around my waist. “I just started going there recently. Though I do intend to spend a lot more time there now.”

His meaning was clear—he wanted to keep an eye on me. I resented that he thought he had the right to “stake his claim” as if I was his for the taking.

Taking a subtle step away from him, I cleared my throat and smiled at Brent, who looked confused by the interaction. “You haven’t been in lately. Been busy with work?”

Brent and his sister each managed one of their father’s luxury car dealerships, which he claimed was more fun than other work since exotic cars were his passion.

“Yeah, I’ve tried calling you though.” His gaze drifted to York. “I guess I don’t have to ask why you didn’t call me back.”

I didn’t want York to get the impression our arrangement, whatever it was, was already exclusive, so I touched Brent’s arm. “Sorry, I’ve been swamped too. Why don’t I give you a call in a day or two? Maybe we can grab some dinner?”