Dreams of Perfection (Dreams Come True) Page 15

Gloria’s nails-in-a-blender voice cut through Darcy’s complacency. This had all the earmarks of a disaster.

  “I feel as if I’ve known you for the last eight months, at least.” Gloria continued.

  At Blake’s questioning glance, Darcy said, “Blake, this is my agent and godmother, Gloria Madison. Obviously, Gloria, you know Blake—I mean I’ve told her so much about you,” she added for Blake’s benefit.

  Blake politely shook Gloria’s hand.

  Gloria examined the hand in hers. “A trauma surgeon, I believe.”

  “Yes, that’s right.”

  “Well, you do right by my girl.”

  “Yes, ma’am.”

  “She thinks you’re perfect.”

  “Gloria,” Darcy gasped, feeling the heat rise from her chest to her hairline.

  “What?” Gloria’s painted-on eyebrows shot up. “It’s a lot for a man to live up to, and I think he should know what he’s up against.”

  Gloria traipsed off in search of Darcy’s mother.

  “I’m sorry, Blake,” she said, placing her hand on his arm.

  “It’s okay. Clearly, you have a lot of people who love you and only want what’s best for you.” He brushed his lips against hers, and she relaxed into his arms.

  Josh observed their public display of affection and felt sick. Her family welcomed Blake with open arms, but what did he expect? They were by nature inclusive.

  The evil Josh would like nothing better than to wing a ball at Blake’s head, but unfortunately, the nice Josh won out.

  He gathered up his bag of bats and turned to walk out to the makeshift ball field when Gloria tottered past him, muttering, “Did you ever get the feeling you’re headed down a path that suddenly ends?”

  Josh stumbled, dropping some of the bats, one of which clunked him on the shin. “Ow.” WTF! Rubbing his abused shin, he stared after Gloria as she sauntered over to a lawn chair in the shade.

  “Hey, Josh, the teams are set,” Daniel called out as he ran over to help Josh pick up the bats. “Chris, you, and me, against Brandon, Mark, and David. To make things even, Darcy’s friend, Blake, agreed to pitch for both teams.”

  “Super.”

  Darcy strolled over to where the guys were in the second inning, with Josh’s team up by two.

  Josh got a base hit, and Kelly yelled, “All right, Josh!”

  “When did Josh start dating someone?” Laura asked, gesturing with her wine to where Kelly played cheerleader.

  “He’s not,” Darcy said, a little too emphatically, even to her own ears.

  “Well, alrighty then.” Laura rolled her eyes. “What’s with you two lately?”

  “Nothing.”

  After his at-bat, Daniel ran over to his mom and took a bottle of water out of her hand before guzzling it. “Josh is really good!”

  “He should be,” Darcy interjected, “he played shortstop in high school and was offered a full ride to UCLA.”

  “No way!”

  “Yes way. Said he’d only have to play the mandatory three years before they drafted him into the majors.”

  Daniel’s eyes grew big. “He played college baseball for UCLA?”

  “Nope. Got a scholarship to NYU, and took that instead.”

  “What! Why would he do that?”

  “I guess his education was more important to him than baseball.”

  Josh approached, looking for something ice cold to drink.

  “Hey, Josh?” Daniel stopped him. “How come you never told me you played shortstop?”

  “That was a long time ago.”

  “Darcy said you were really something. Could have played in the majors.”

  Josh reached into the cooler for a beer. “Maybe. No guarantee.” He twisted off the top and took a swig. “An education seemed a better bet than taking a chance I might play in the majors.”

  “If I get offered a scholarship to play ball, I won’t pass it up.”

  Josh reached out and grabbed the bill of Daniel’s cap. “You better improve your batting average first.” He slapped Daniel on the back and the two walked back to their teammate.

  Darcy spied her sister, Anne, sitting alone on a bench beneath the big maple tree. Anne had been overly cheerful all day but now looked completely deflated. When asked by their mother where Matt was, she’d said he was working. Darcy didn’t believe Matt would be working and away from his family on the Fourth.

  She decided to confront Anne about it while she was alone. Grabbing a couple of diet sodas out of the cooler, she strolled over to the bench, offering one to Anne.

  “Thanks.”

  They sat in silence a few minutes, watching the game. Darcy offered up words of encouragement to Blake when Brandon stepped up to bat with one of her ear-piercing whistles. “Woo! Strike him out, Dr. Garrett!”

  When Brandon got a base hit he gave Darcy an obscene gesture.

  “Aww, look, Brandon loves me.”

  “Why aren’t you out there playing, Miss Tomboy Princess?” Anne took a deep pull on her soda.

  “Don’t want to show up the guys.” Darcy grinned. “You know, fragile egos. Speaking of the guys, where’s Matt? Because I know he’s not working.”

  Anne sighed. “I threw him out.”

  “What? When? Why?” Darcy stammered, aghast at Anne’s news. She didn’t know what she’d expected, but that wasn’t it.

  “We’re separated. Since May. We’re going through a rough patch.” Anne hesitated, staring across the lawn. “And I don’t know if we’ll make it out the other side.”

  “Of course you will!” Darcy laid her hand on Anne’s shoulder and then removed it, knowing Anne wasn’t the most affectionate person. “You guys are perfect together.”

  “Don’t fool yourself, Darcy.” Anne’s shoulders slumped.

  Darcy hated to see her resilient sister so discouraged.

  “Marriage . . . relationships . . . aren’t fairytales. They take work, especially with a few years, two kids, two careers, and a mortgage under your belt. After you and your prince ride off into the sunset, the real work begins, and you better make damn sure he’s up to the task.” She gestured with her soda can, pointing her finger at Darcy.

  “It’s not another woman, is it? I’ll personally kick Matt’s ass if that’s the case.”

  “No. It’s not another woman. He barely has time for the women in his life now.” Anne crushed the empty can in her hand. “We just argue all the time, over everything; money, the kids, the house, sex.”

  Darcy cringed. Her sister’s sex life wasn’t high on Darcy’s list of topics for discussion.

  “The two of you will work it out, right? I mean, you still love each other.”

  Anne sighed as she rose. “Sometimes, Darcy, love just isn’t enough.” With that, she turned and walked into the house.

  Darcy rose to go after her but then dropped wearily back onto the bench. She remembered vividly the day Anne and Matt got married. She thought if anyone’s marriage would last, it would be theirs. It was disheartening to think it might not.

  Hot, tired, and dejected, Darcy sat quiet and moody during the ride back into the city. When Blake asked if she was okay, she blamed it on a headache and turned to stare out her window. She felt a battle brewing inside, looking for an escape valve, and try as she might, she couldn’t stop herself.

  “Blake, why don’t we ever argue?”

  He glanced over at her before he focused on the busy road again. “Why would we argue?”

  “I don’t know. Don’t you ever want to do something I don’t want to do? Or tell me how to do something? Don’t you get aggravated when I eat off your plate or steal a sip of your drink?”

  Blake laughed. “No.”

  No. Just no. Tha
t’s all he’s got to say? “Don’t you ever get jealous over the time I spend with Josh?”

  “No, why would I? You two are best friends. I understand that.” He shrugged.

  Dammit! Isn’t there anything that torques this guy off? “Well, what if I said Harvard is for brainiacs who can’t play sports.”

  Chuckling, he reached for her hand. “Darcy, you can say whatever you like about Harvard, I’m not going to sue you for slander.” He put his hand back on the steering wheel. “And I’m not going to argue with you over the fact that we don’t argue.”

  When Blake didn’t give her the satisfaction of arguing with her, Darcy huffed out a breath and crossed her arms over her chest, patently ignoring him the rest of the way home.

  Chapter 30

  Josh figured the only way he’d see Darcy was to show up at her house unannounced. He hadn’t seen her in a couple of weeks, and she’d declined every attempt to get together because she was booked—with Blake, with book promotion, with writing. Too busy to make time for him.

  Millie answered his knock. With Blake in the picture, he didn’t want to risk using his key and walking in on something he definitely did not want to see.

  “Hi, Millie. Hey, are those new glasses?”

  Millie touched the brown frames. “Yes.” A frown creased her brow. “My mother’s dog chewed up the other pair.”

  “They look very nice. Maybe you should give that dog a treat.” Josh grinned and winked at her.

  Millie lifted a brow. “Thank you. She’s in the kitchen. And she’s grouchy.”

  “Thanks for the warning.”

  Josh found Darcy preparing a cup of tea, wearing a pair of baggy sweats and an old Columbia Law T-shirt, her hair disheveled and her face worn. She’d had some difficult times with books in the past, but not like this.

  He’d come by to rag on her over her neglect of their friendship, but seeing her changed his mind. She needed a pick-me-up instead. Pizza and a movie might do it.

  “Hey, Darce.”

  “What are you doing here?” She paused in pouring water into her teacup.

  “Is that any way to greet your best friend in the whole world?”

  “Sorry. Tough day in the salt mines.”

  “Yeah, about that. Why don’t we do pizza and a movie tonight? My treat. You can even pick the movie.”

  “Josh, I don’t know. I can’t really afford to take the time—”

  “From the looks of you, you can’t afford not to take the time.” He leaned his hip against the counter opposite Darcy.

  “Gee, thanks.” She stirred cream into her tea. “You really know how to sweet-talk a girl.”

  “Come on. Relax tonight. It might get the creative juices flowing again.”

  “You know, you might be right.”

  “Pardon me, Darcy,” Millie interrupted. “Don’t forget you have an interview with The New York Times Magazine in half an hour.”

  “No, I don’t.” She stirred a little cream into her Darjeeling tea.

  “Yes, you do.”

  Darcy rounded on Millie. “I don’t have an interview! You’ve screwed up. Haven’t I told you to use the iPad I gave you to schedule my appointments? Then this wouldn’t happen. You must have put it on my calendar for the wrong day.”

  Millie replied in an even tone, “I don’t need an electronic gadget to do my job, and I don’t screw up. You have an interview today, and it is on your calendar for the correct day.”

  Josh watched the exchange, noticing Millie’s clenched jaw.

  “That’s impossible! That can’t be!” Darcy’s voice rose in panic. “Look at me! How am I supposed to do an interview in half an hour?”

  “Okay, let’s just calm down.” Josh stepped between Millie and Darcy.

  “It’s just a magazine interview. It doesn’t matter what you look like,” Millie said, her arms folded across her chest, her expression that of a mother dealing with an unreasonable child.

  Darcy threw her arms up in the air. “Like you would know. I care about my appearance.”

  Millie stood her ground even as her hands clenched into fists. “Fine. You better get dressed then.” She pivoted on her heel and left the room.

  As soon as the words had left her mouth, Darcy knew she’d been unkind, but before she could call Millie back, she heard the front door slam.

  Josh paced toward her then pointed in the direction of Millie’s departure. “That woman busts her ass for you, and this is how you repay her. Look, you might be under a great deal of stress, but you don’t talk to people that way. The Darcy I know would never intentionally hurt another person.”

  “Josh, I’m not excusing what I said to Millie, but I’m telling you, Millie made a mistake. She put the interview on my calendar for Tuesday.”

  “Darcy, today is Tuesday.” He turned to leave the room, but stopped just shy of the door. “You should be ashamed of yourself. I know I am.”

  A wave of regret swept through Darcy. Josh’s quiet reproach cut her more deeply than any thunderous scolding. Her legs gave out, sending her crumpling to the floor, where she covered her shame-reddened face and cried.

  The next evening, Darcy raised her hand to knock then, biting her lip, lowered it. It seemed silly to knock when she had her own key, but now was not the time to let herself in with it. What if he tells her he never wants to see her again? Or just slams the door in her face? She couldn’t bear losing Josh’s friendship.

  She’d pulled herself together long enough yesterday for the interview she didn’t think she had, but when she replayed the scene in her mind she’d cried for hours and gone to bed with a splitting headache. She’d hurt two people she loved, and she was so mortified by her behavior. She’d already made it right with one, now she had to face the other. Taking Lady MacBeth’s advice, she screwed her courage to the sticking-place, and raised her fist to knock.

  Just when she thought he wasn’t home, the door flew open. Josh stood, arm braced against the door, wearing nothing but his wet hair and a pair of jeans, unbuttoned at the waist, as if he’d dressed in haste.

  Her visceral reaction to him practically knocked her backward. He looked so . . . sexy! The combination of wet, tousled hair, exposed chest, flat stomach, and bare feet sent a shiver of desire up her spine. Get a hold of yourself, she admonished. This is Josh, for God’s sakes. Laura could be right. It had been too long since she’d had sex.

  “Yes?” Josh raised his brow.

  “Hi.” It suddenly occurred to her that he may not be alone and that thought hit her like a punch to the gut. “Am I disturbing you . . . anything . . . you?”

  “No.”

  Relieved, she gathered her wits and took a deep breath, and told herself to maintain eye contact—with his eyes, yes, that was it. “Josh, I’m really sorry about yesterday.”

  “I’m not the one you should be apologizing to.”

  “I’ve already apologized to Millie. And given her a raise. A substantial one.” She gave Josh a sheepish smile.

  “Good.”

  He still didn’t invite her in, and his cold demeanor left her with a knot in her stomach. She had to do something to unlock his usual easygoing manner.

  “Are we still on for the Yankees game this Saturday?” Whoa! So much for eye contact. She found herself looking at that expanse of bare . . . lightly furred . . . well-defined chest. Who knew such deliciousness lay beneath those T-shirts and dress shirts? The thin streak of brown hair down the center of his belly blazed a path to his waist, drawing her eye to where it disappeared beneath the open button of his jeans. Had he always been this buff?

  “If you don’t have anything else better to do.”

  Her eyes shot back to his face. That stung. “Look, Josh. I know I haven’t been around much lately, but between B
lake’s social schedule and my promotional schedule it’s been brutal—”

  “I get it. No need to concern yourself on my account.”

  She felt tears prick the back of her eyes. She’d really screwed up this time and she didn’t know how to make it right. “Josh, what can I do? How can I make it up to you?” She wiped the tear that threatened to fall. “You’re my best friend,” she whispered, unable to get any more volume past the lump in her throat.

  Josh raked his hands through his hair, then reached out and grabbed her shoulders, pulling her into his embrace. “Hey, don’t do that. I hate it when you cry. It’s okay.” He rubbed her back, making soothing circles.

  She sobbed in relief, pressing her face to his bare chest, mumbling incoherently about boyfriends and friends, interviews and public appearances. Words that wouldn’t come to her. And stress. After a few minutes her sobs subsided and it dawned on her that she had her face pressed to his deliciously warm skin . . . that smelled of soap and virile male, and that her hands caressed his naked . . . muscular . . . athletic back. Step away from the hunky best friend.

  Digging deep for the willpower, she moved out of Josh’s strong . . . capable . . . arms. Get a grip, girlfriend!

  “All better now?” Josh asked, his voice hopeful.

  Darcy brushed the tears from her face and nodded, too embarrassed to look him in the eye.

  Josh closed the distance she’d put between them and lifted her chin. “Darcy, I will always tell you the truth, even when it hurts. That’s what true friends do for one another.”

  Her eyes flickered to his lips. She wondered . . . the next thing she knew she’d grasped his neck, pulling his mouth down to hers. She had to know. It was only meant to be an experiment, to test her hypothesis that Blake’s kisses were as close to the Perfect Kiss as she could get, but when Josh began kissing her back, he proved her theory so, so wrong.

  Chapter 31

  At first, completely shocked by Darcy’s assault, Josh scrambled to arrange his jumbled thoughts. He hadn’t missed the look on her face when she’d raked her eyes over his bare chest. He’d felt the tingle all the way down to his bare feet.