Return of the Jerk (Sweet Life in Seattle, Book 2) (24 page)

Blair explains everything she can about his book and travel blog.

“I see.” Her mom takes all this in. She looks like she wants to ask more questions, but some people interrupt, so their conversation ends.

Blair decides to grab a glass of wine. She sees a few more people she knows and stops to chat with them. As usual, her Road radar is highly sensitive, and she spots him without trying. He’s standing with a beer in his hand, talking to one of her mom’s guests. She wants to go over, but every time she tries, another person is pulling her into a conversation. Blair has known many of her mom’s friends since she was a teenager, and doesn’t want to be rude to anyone.

Eventually, she manages to excuse herself but doesn’t see Road anywhere, so she heads toward the restroom.

“Hey, there you are.” Someone touches her arm and Blair turns, surprised to see Graham.

Her eyes widen. “Wow, you made it.”

He smiles, embarrassed. “I’m sorry I didn’t return your calls. I finally listened to them, and I realize now how stupid I acted. I should have let you explain things on Monday.”

“It’s okay, I understand. The whole thing is obviously kind of strange.”

“I should have listened, though, and not run out of there.”

Blair nods. “I agree.”

“I hope it’s all right I came here tonight,” Graham says. “I just wanted to apologize in person.”

“No, I’m glad you came.”

“Are we still friends?”

“Of course.”

Graham is quiet, studying her. “I think it’s time one of us asked this—are we
more
than friends?”

Blair takes him in. His handsome face, preppy blue bowtie, and friendly expression.
I wish I felt something. Anything.
She shakes her head slowly. “I really like you a lot, but I think we’re meant to be just friends.”

He nods. “Okay, I had a feeling you were going to say that.” Graham lets out his breath.

“It’s not because of what happened. I’m not holding a grudge or anything.”

“No, I understand. I feel like we keep trying to move from the friendship zone, but we’re sort of stuck there, aren’t we?” He grins helplessly.

“We are. And it’s a shame, because we look so perfect together.”

Graham chuckles. “Yes, we do. And I think I’d still enjoy being your friend.”

Blair puts her hand on his arm, and pretty soon, they’re giving each other a hug.

When they pull apart, something catches her attention. It’s her Road radar going off. It picks him out across the room where he’s watching her and Graham together, and even from this distance she can see his laser focus is turned on, though she can’t place his expression. He’s standing alone, but then Fiona walks over to him and says something, and he nods. Blair watches as Fiona moves closer and rests her head on Road’s shoulder. He puts his arm around her. Blair’s stomach sinks and there’s a bitter taste in her mouth, all of which she tries to ignore.

It figures.

Graham is commenting on her mom’s paintings, telling her how he used to paint in college. Blair is mildly surprised, since she wouldn’t have pictured Graham being an artist. She tries to pay attention to what he’s saying, but her eyes keep straying toward Road and Fiona.

I was right all along. She wants him.

“DO YOU WANT
me to stay and help clean up?” Blair asks her mom as the gallery starts to empty out, though there are still plenty of stragglers.

“No, don’t worry. A few friends are staying to help, and then we’re going out for a late dinner.” Her mom pulls her aside. “Do you by chance have Road’s phone number? I’d like to call him and ask about Fiona.”

Blair tries to hide her surprise. “Sure, I have it.” She gets her phone out and dictates the number to her mom, who puts it in her own phone.

“Thanks, sweetheart, and thanks for offering to stay and help clean up. Scott and Ashley have already left.”

Blair sighs. She didn’t even get a chance to talk to her brother. Unfortunately, Ashley seems to be leading him around by the nose, or more likely another body part.

After hugging her parents goodbye, she heads over to where Road, Fiona, and Tori are all waiting. Road is wearing a sullen expression on his handsome face. All three of them look ready to call it a night, except maybe Tori, who still has some of her usual sprightly energy. They head out together. Graham already left a while ago. The two of them hugged goodbye and agreed to meet soon for lunch.

It’s a cool spring night, and the city air smells like damp cement from when it rained earlier. Road and Fiona are walking ahead, and Tori is telling her about the guy she met tonight.

“I saw you talking to someone,” Blair says, stepping over a cigarette butt on the ground. “He was cute.”

“He’s hot, isn’t he? And he’s super nice, too. We talked for like an hour non-stop.”

“Really?” Blair grins. “Is he single?”

“Yes, and he asked me out, but I said no.”

“Why?”

Tori lowers her voice. “He’s a cop.”

“So what?”

“Come on, you know how my family is. Can you imagine what they’d all say if I started dating a cop?”

“That’s silly.” Blair thinks it over. While most people trust the police, it’s true, Tori’s family is sort of the opposite. “Do you really think they’d give you a hard time?”

“Trust me, nobody would like it. I’d never be able to bring him anywhere.”

“That doesn’t seem fair. If you like him, that’s what matters.”

But Tori just shakes her head.

When they finally arrive at the car, Fiona, who’s been uncharacteristically quiet on the walk over, suddenly balks at sitting in the backseat.

“If I’m forced to ride in this death trap again, I’m sitting in the front this time!”

Blair, who’s already climbed into the front seat, decides not to budge an inch. “I’m already here,” she says sweetly.

“I don’t care. Get out!”

“Sorry.” Blair puts her seatbelt on. She’s curious to see how Road is going to handle this.
If he tells me to move, I’ll be throwing a temper tantrum of my own.

“I need more room,” Fiona says. “There’s no room in back. I can barely breathe!”

Road sighs heavily, his hand gripping the open car door. “Cut the shit, Fiona. Just get in back.”

“Why are you letting
her
sit in front again? I’m the guest here.”

“Because it’s my car and my decision.”

“That’s not an answer!”

Blair turns to look at Tori, who’s watching the whole spectacle with a big, amused grin. She’s like a kid at Disneyland.

“Listen to me carefully, Fiona,” Road says, his voice low and dangerous. “You can get in the backseat of this car and shut the fuck up, or we can
leave
you here. What’s it going to be?”

Fiona rolls her eyes. “My
God
, what’s eating you?”

Road’s doesn’t respond, just glares at her.

“Whatever.
Fine.
” Fiona climbs in back, making a production out of squeezing past the tilted driver’s seat, going on about how there isn’t any air. “I’ll probably suffocate back here. Poor Tori and me, hope you’ll be happy then.”

In truth, Road does seem in a black mood, though Blair isn’t sure why. She’s also surprised at the way he’s treating Fiona. They seemed so close earlier.

Blair braces herself to listen to Fiona complain the whole way home, but amazingly that doesn’t happen. Instead, when they arrive back at her garage and park the car, it turns out Fiona has fallen asleep.

“She sure is pretty, isn’t she?” Tori says softly, as they all watch Fiona sleeping.

“She is,” Blair agrees. It pains her to say it, but it’s true. Between Fiona’s dark hair, porcelain skin, and perfect features, she looks like Snow White waiting for the prince’s kiss.

Road doesn’t say anything, only watches Fiona sleep.

And I guess we all know who the prince is.

“It’s almost a shame to wake her,” Tori breathes.

“It’s a shame, all right,” Road says, his voice dry.

“She looks like an angel,” Blair admits.

“An angel with a forked tongue and a pointy tail,” he says.

“I heard that,” Fiona mutters, her eyes still closed.

Road smirks. “Good.”

Tori leaves to go home, while Blair, Road, and Fiona all head upstairs. Road immediately disappears into his office, and Fiona snatches one of her travel bags and disappears into the bathroom.

Blair grabs a bottle of water and sits in the living room, going over her daily list for tomorrow. She figures Fiona is planning to stay at a hotel and that Road will drive her, but is quickly dissuaded of this notion when Fiona emerges from the bathroom wearing a long, silky black nightgown.

“What are you doing?” Blair stares at her in shock.

Fiona’s hair is pulled back in a high ponytail and her face is scrubbed clean. Without makeup, she looks like a teenager. “I’m going to sleep. What does it look like?”

“You’re not going to a hotel?”

“Of course not.”

“I really think you should go to a hotel.”

Fiona ignores Blair, though, and lugs one of her big suitcases over to the living room, opens it, and starts rifling through the contents.

By now, Road wanders into the room. He’s staring at his phone, but freezes when he glances over and notices Fiona’s nightgown.

“I’ll take the couch.” Fiona stands up, holding a large pillow she apparently travels with. “Even though I’m your
guest
. I’ll make that concession.”

“I told her she can’t stay here,” Blair says quickly. “That you’ll take her to a hotel, right?”

Road nods. “Yeah, Fiona. You can’t stay here.”

“Why not?”

“Because there’s no room,” Blair says.

“What are you
talking
about?”

“Road will drive you.” Blair doesn’t understand why this isn’t Fiona’s plan to begin with. Shouldn’t she be trying to seduce Road? Get him alone in a hotel room?

“You’re being seriously rude again!” Fiona shrieks. “I’m not going anywhere. I’m sleeping right here on this couch.”

Blair and Road’s eyes meet from across the room.

Fiona is watching both of them. “God, you two are so
stupid!
Obviously, one of you has been sleeping on the couch, but get over it. You’re married.”

And with that, Fiona starts pulling off cushions and turning the couch into a bed. Both Blair and Road watch her, but neither of them say a word. Blair is trying to understand this situation.
There’s something going on here.
Something I’m missing.

“I guess I should get ready for bed, too,” Blair says to no one in particular, though she glances at Road.

“Sure.” He nods.

Blair isn’t certain what they’re going to do about the sleeping arrangements, but since Fiona is mostly Road’s problem, she decides to just put her pajamas on.

By now, Fiona is all settled in for the night and has already pulled a black sleep mask over her eyes.

After changing into her T-shirt and shorts, Blair does her nightly ritual with the front door and the appliances. Checks them each three times.

Road is standing in the kitchen eating a bowl of cereal. She can feel his eyes on her, but he doesn’t say anything, just watches her routine. Mr. Maurice trails behind her until she gets him his nightly snack.